The pubs of Pill, Part 1

Part 1, the Closed Pubs

Pill or Pillgwenlly is the docks area of Newport and the area was built in the nineteenth century. Named after the Welsh for 'inlet' and the name of a local saint, the area has been declining for a number of years and has seen a lot of pub closures. Many of the former pubs still stand and have been converted to alternative uses, these photographs show the buildings as they are now. Additional information is from Alan Roderick's book 'The Pubs of Newport' (1997), copies of which are now going for £26 on Amazon!

White Hart Inn, 5 Tredegar Street

First mentioned in 1859, the pub closed around 2000. Now used as offices.

Being opposite the Cattle Market, now the site of Asda supermarket, the pub had extended hours on Wednesdays as these were the market days.

Owners: 1905 Rogers & Co of Bristol, 1938 HG Simonds, Courage, Ushers

Castle Hotel, 28 Commercial Road, on corner with Tredegar Street

First mentioned in 1862 as the Castle Inn and Brewery, the pub shut around 1977. Now used as residential/take away, although it has been used as an amusement arcade in the past.

Owners: 1933 Phillips, 1954 Simonds, Courage.

Welcome Home, 46 Commercial Road, on corner with Dolphin Street

First mentioned 1848, this pub closed in around 1997. Now used as residential. In its last few years the pub was a well-known trouble-spot with stabbings and a shooting.

Owners: 1905 Lloyds & Yorath, Ansells

Commercial Inn, 47 Commercial Road, on corner with Dolphin Street

First mentioned in 1872, this pub shut around 1993, now converted to residential.

Owners: 1905 Phillips, Courage

Windsor Castle, 56 Commercial Road, on corner with Bolt Street

First mentioned in 1872 this pub closed around 1979 and has been converted to residential use.

Owners: Phillips, Courage

Royal Exchange, 161 Commercial Road, was renamed 'Harvey's of Pill'

First mentioned in 1872 the pub closed in 2005 shortly after the death of local gangster Lemmy Bullock who was killed with a samurai sword in the pub by a rival drug gang.

Owners: Lloyds & Yorath, Ansells, Harveys

Black Horse, 66 Commercial Road

First mentioned 1872 as the Falcon, renamed Celtic Bar in around 1982 and named the Black Horse in the late 1990s. Closed around 2006.

Owners: 1905 J T Usher of Bristol

Kings Arms, 133 Commercial Road, corner of Temple Street

First mentioned 1845 this landmark pub closed around 1993. Building is currently derelict and there have been a number of fires at the premises, the most recent one was in the last week.

Owners: Thatchers, Mitchells & Butlers, Bass

Cambrian, 112 Commercial Road,

Rear of building on Courtybella Terrace

First mentioned 1845, this pub closed around 2005 and is currently empty and derelict.

Owners: Thatchers, 1957 Mitchells & Butlers, Welsh Brewers, Marr Taverns, Ushers

Cumberland House, 21 Courtybella Terrace

First mentioned 1872, rebuilt 1891 and closed around 2005.

Owners: Hancocks, Welsh Brewers, private

Part 2 of this piece will feature more of the closed pubs with part 3 focusing on the open pubs (yes there are some!)