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A word from the Mayor of Newport, Cllr Allan Morris: Congratulations to the good folk at Nash, Goldcliff and Redwick for the huge team effort that went into the magnificent displays and exhibitions over the bank holiday weekend to commemorate what is still one of the UK’s greatest natural disasters and best kept secrets, The Great Flood of 1607. The churches that formed the backdrop of the exhibitions looked absolutely stunning, they are some of the finest buildings to be found in the principality. The fragrant floral displays (works of art in themselves) that decked the walls pews and many nooks and crevices to be found in the churches coupled with the quality of the displays themselves would have been a credit to any museum in the country. Most importantly the thousands of people who lost their lives in the disaster had many hardworking friends living today who ensured that the tragedy that struck them does not go unrecorded or unrecognised. The work of the Flood 400 committee is often understated and underappreciated. The great flood was a very real event that could strike again at any time with very little warning.. There are two main theories as to the cause of the last one: was it a storm surge, or a tsunami caused by a landslide? Everyone agrees, whatever the cause it was a freak of nature. We all know that the next great flood could be caused by mankind. We should all be very grateful to everyone involved in the Flood 400 project helping us to learn from the lessons of the past to be prepared for what the future could throw at us. As a born again sea fisherman myself, one item on display that really caught my eye was a fish caught in a putcher set up at St Mary the Virgin church, Nash. This fish made of fabric was unbelievably lifelike and must have taken days to make. When I spoke to the creator Pamela Howells about how on earth she managed to make a fish look so lifelike her answer made me smile. She said that she spent endless hours at the fish counter in a supermarket staring at the Salmon until she got it right. “I think the shop assistants thought I was a bit strange.” |
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A year of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Great Flood |
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Exhibition Weekend: “Looking Back to Look Forward” |