OLIVER CROMWELL AND NEWPORT.

There are few Newportonians in this hall who do not remember perfectly well the curious little house, with a low 16th century portico, situated at the bottom of Stow Hill. It was regarded with great veneration by antiquarians, but was no doubt looked upon as a great nuisance by the great body of the people. However, that old portico is now treasured at Tredegar House. The house was called "Oliver Cromwell's House."

I think you will agree with me when I say that few people slept in so many bedrooms as King Charles I. or Oliver Cromwell is said to have done. There is a room at Tredegar House called King Charles the First's room, but it was not built until ten years after that Monarch was beheaded.

With regard to the little house called Oliver Cromwell's House, there is some reason to believe that Oliver Cromwell might have occupied it. It was, sometime, occupied by the Parliamentary troops, because I have at this moment an old fire back, which was found in the cellar with the Royal Arms of England and the Crown dated 16— something knocked off. No doubt this was found in the house by Parliamentarians, who immediately proceeded to knock off the crown. We know that Oliver Cromwell passed that way, because he went to the siege of Pembroke and found great difficulty in taking that town.

I have a copy of a letter Cromwell wrote to Colonel Saunders, one of his leaders, in which, after congratulating him upon his zeal and close attention, he referred to "the malignants—Trevor Williams of Llangibby Castle, and one Sir William Morgan, of Tredegar," and directed him to seize them at once. That shows that Oliver Cromwell knew all about Caerleon, Newport and Tredegar.

Opening of Tredegar Hall, Newport, March 14th, 1895.