In tonight's South Wales Argus, Mike Buckingham writes of the current poor state of the graves of the Morgans of Tredegar at St Basil's Church, Bassaleg.
Hopefully something can be done to improve them.
The last time I was there was after a Spooky Tales Tour last year. A group of us had retired for a drink at the Tredegar Arms next door, to mull over the evening. After chatting about the Morgans for a bit, somebody suggested (I forget who, but it sounds like a suspiciously Goff Morgan-ish idea) that we actually pay them a visit, seeing as we were in the neighbourhood. And so, by the light of a mobile phone, our small intrepid band headed into the pitch black graveyard to find the resting place of many of the later members of that colourful dynasty.
Slightly away from the main plot of Morgans (there were so many buried there that the Tredegar family vault was full by the 1920s) , are the graves of a father and daughter. It was quite poignant, and somehow fitting, to find, side-by-side, the graves of Courtenay Morgan, Viscount Tredegar, and his only daughter Gwyneth (who drowned in the Thames in December 1924).
I had been studying the sad case of Lord Tredegar's daughter only a few weeks before and it had been the first time I had visited her grave. I had heard all about the great tensions between father and daughter, and of how scandal had been heaped upon the Morgan name by her connections with some rather shady characters from the Limehouse region of London. If there was anything that Courtenay hated it was scandal. The death of Gwyneth, deeply affected him, however, and probably accelerated his own physical decline.
Originally Gwyneth had been buried at Putney Vale Cemetery, near Wimbledon, and it was only on the insistence of her brother, Evan, that her body was brought back home, and re-buried at St Basil's.
I am sure that Courtenay would be pleased that he is now at rest so close to his daughter.
4 comments:
The lettering is certainly badly worn on the main Morgan grave. I went there yesterday. It is a shame really.
Hey Paul- very interesting site I don't think I've every known so much about the Tredegars in all the years I've worked there. I was particularly interested in the proposed dig to look for the tunnels and I suggest one to search for the occult stuff- I still have my trowel - :) ! Can't wait for the book :)Might see you this summer if the job hunting doesn't go to plan
Liz xx
Although i live in Texas in the USA, I am a direct many greatgranddaughter of the Morgan family,and want so much to visit my "home" of my heart. I would love to hear from any local Morgans and hope to come there and stay a month or two.Please feel free to contact me: Dyane Grubbs, email:piercedy@hughes.net
I am making a family tree for my family from the 1st chieftans thru to myself and it has awakened my love for my ancestors.
I am Also in Texas and Direct Decented of Sir. William Morgan
Would Love to Meet You !
I see you put email address, if it would be ok i will contact you ? My Name is Traylor Morgan Near Houston .
There are Alot of People Trying to say We Do Not link , But ia here to say we Do ! I Beleave what Happend was Sir William had sent his Blood son away to protect him and his Family from , The War of Charles 1st. He had been Jailed along with other in Parliament ,
and that was Middle of 1600's.
And ended with a beheading 1646 of Charles 1st.
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