On Saturday August 27th a trusty band of 14 walker-pilgrims set off for the seawall at Goldcliff - Newport. From thence it was our intent to journey to the village of Goldcliff and church of St Mary Magdalene. Having paid homage to the Lord we purposed to traverse the levels from Goldcliff to Whitson. We espied Whitson Parish Church in the distance and set off down the lane to the seawall at Porton House. We were most especially grateful to the good Lady Vicki of said house who gave us permission to walk her drive, thus saving the infirm from clambering stiles and the like. After refreshing ourselves at the seawall and watching a practitioner of medicine clamber down the rocks we made our way back past various fishers of local delicacies to the cars and thence to a hostelry at Llanwern for bodily refreshment. 

We are very grateful to the churchwarden at St Mary Magdalene Goldcliff who showed us the plaque erected to commemorate Ye Great Ffludde of 1607 (6?)

The plaque reads:" On the 20 of January even as it came to pass - It pleased God the same flood did flow to the edge of this same brass - and in this parish was lost 5000 and od pound - Besides xxii was in this same parish drowned" 

The dating 1606 or 07 depends on your usage of the Gregorian or Julian Calendar. 

It seems that academics believe that a tsunami may well have occurred in this area but as to whether the 1607 disaster (which also affected St Mellons) was a tsunami or great storm surge - the jury is still out.

The Gwent Levels are very interesting and are to be found on both sides of the River Usk - on the east is the Caldicot Level. I am most grateful to Mr Rick Turner of Cadw for giving me information on the drainage system of the levels. In the fields farmers are responsible for hand dug ditches or grips draining into ditches. These in turn drain into reens which in turn drain into tidal flaps or gouts. We could easily see all of this as we journeyed across the fields from Goldcliff to Whitson and finally across the Monks Ditch constructed by the monks from Goldcliff Priory. Here is a shot of us crossing a reen near Goldcliff. 

Once we had crossed the Monksditch at Whitson we turned right and then left past Whitson Parish Church, with its very distinctive "thimble" on top of the tower. Then down Vicki's lane to the seawall. Here is a somewhat quaint picture of pilgrims enjoying refreshments together whilst gazing across the Severn Estuary - Yr Afon Hafren - what else would you do?

Finally back to the cars at the seawall and from thence to a truly delightful hostelry in Llanwern Village where we were joined by two others. 

It was a truly delightful day out and good for God's people to get together in a different way.