Langstone is situated on the eastern edge of the city and is one of Newport's more affluent areas, less than a mile from Junction 24 (Coldra) of the M4 motorway. Some of the ward is hilly and heavily forested. It is bounded to the north and east by the city boundary, to the west by the Caerleon ward, and to the south-west by the Ringland and Llanwern wards.
Development
The original village was a small linear settlement along the A48 (Chepstow Road) and its offshoot, Tregarn Road. Since the 1990s, many have moved to the area because of its appeal as being rural, but also minutes away from the M4 motorway. This population influx in the 90s resulted in the construction of a large housing development at the bottom of Cat's Ash Road, together with developments of housing estates, big and small, along Tregarn Road and Magor Road.
In 1891 Kelly's Directory of Monmouthshire noted that Llanbedr was a hamlet, one and a half miles north-east of the parish, on the road from Newport to Chepstow. It then had some remains of a church, which were then in agricultural use.[3]
The parish church dates from the 13th century. It was extended in both the 16th and 17th centuries, and restored in 1907. It is a Grade II listed building.[5] It is part of the Netherwent Ministry Area. It has no known patron saint.[6]
Moated site 200 m (660 ft) south west of Court Farm
Moated site 250 m (820 ft) south west of Pencoed Castle
Both Pencoed Castle and Penhow Castle fall within the ward boundaries of Langstone. Penhow Castle is privately owned. The area is also home to Penhow Quarry, owned by Hanson plc.
Since May 2022 Langstone has been part of the 'Bishton and Langstone' electoral ward, which elects two councillors to Newport City Council.[9] The 2022 election resulted in the election of two Conservative (UK) councillors to represent the ward.
A ward called Langstone existed until 2022, which also covered the communities of Penhow and Llanvaches (ward population 2,770[10]).
Amenities
Langstone Primary School celebrated its 50th birthday in 2004, and currently has about 300 pupils. Until the 1970s the school intake stretched as far as Nash, Goldcliff, Whitson, Llanwern, Bishton and Llandevaud. The school is now serving simply Langstone and its surrounds.[11]