Our main memory of the old Mount St Albans Club in Newport is of our parents disappearing there for country and western nights during the late 1970s, when it was one of the area’s best-known entertainment venues. Yet the history of the Mount stretches back almost nine centuries, making it one of the most fascinating sites on the eastern side of the city. It took its name from St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, whose medieval chapel once stood on this prominent hilltop overlooking the Usk Valley. Closely associated with the nearby martyrdom site of Saints Julius and Aaron, the chapel was granted to Goldcliff Priory by Robert de Chandos in 1113 and remained a place of worship until the late fifteenth century.
Writing in 1951, local historian Fred Hando was less interested in the house that now stood on the site, than in the history beneath its foundations. He described Mount St Albans simply as “the good stone house of Mount St. Alban”, recalling the long-standing tradition that this hilltop marked the site of the Chapel of St Alban. Hando noted that the eighteenth-century historian William Coxe recorded a yew tree marking the position of the chapel, while several stone coffins were uncovered there in 1785, reinforcing local belief that this had once been an important early Christian site overlooking the Usk Valley.
By 1624 the surrounding estate had become the seat of the Powell family. By the early nineteenth century it was occupied by the substantial country house known as Mount St Albans, a handsome Georgian residence standing in more than thirty acres of parkland with commanding views across the Usk Valley and Bristol Channel. During the early twentieth century the estate passed through several owners. Contemporary sale particulars described an impressive property complete with lodge, stables, coach houses, orchards, a walled kitchen garden, vineyard, tennis lawn and more than thirty acres of agricultural land, reflecting the comfortable lifestyle enjoyed by its successive occupants.
Although remembered as an elegant country residence, Mount St Albans also enjoyed a period as a working farm. An obituary published in 1973 recalled that well-known Monmouthshire farmer Samuel Reese and his wife Gladys began their married life farming at Mount St Albans after their wedding in 1914, before later moving to Coldra Farm and eventually purchasing Llandevaud Farm in 1929. Their story fits perfectly with contemporary sale particulars, which describe the estate as comprising productive agricultural land together with orchards, a dairy, stables and other farm buildings.
By the late 1940s the house had been modernised with electricity, central heating and garages while retaining its elevated setting and extensive grounds. Although much of the surrounding land had been sold by the early 1960s, Mount St Albans remained one of the most desirable private residences on the outskirts of Newport.
That changed in December 1961 when the estate, then comprising a substantial detached residence standing in around three and a half acres of gardens, was offered for sale by public auction. At the time it was still a private house with ten principal rooms, outbuildings and landscaped grounds, but within a year it had found an owner with a very different vision.
That owner was Swansea restaurateur David Sidney Blake, who, together with his wife Marilyn, recognised the potential to transform the ageing country house into an exclusive members’ club unlike anything then operating in Newport. Following an extensive programme of refurbishment, the Mount St Albans Country Club officially opened in December 1962 after securing its first licence. Contemporary newspaper reports described the venue as a “modern luxury club”, comparing it to a fashionable West End establishment. The interior featured an elegant cocktail bar, stylish reception rooms, a restaurant, modern kitchens and luxurious décor, while the Blakes announced ambitious plans for a Tudor-style steak bar, riding school, swimming pool and tennis courts.
The couple worked closely together to establish the new business. David oversaw the redevelopment and management of the club, while Marilyn supervised a staff of eight and acted as hostess to members and guests. Newspaper features of the period described her greeting visitors each evening in elegant cocktail dresses that reflected the luxurious surroundings, creating the welcoming atmosphere that quickly became one of the club’s hallmarks.
The Mount rapidly established itself as one of South Wales’ leading entertainment venues. Advertisements promoted daily luncheons, dinners and dancing, while weddings, business functions and private celebrations became a speciality. Licensing applications in 1964 secured permission to extend opening hours until 1.00 a.m., reflecting the club’s growing popularity. Charity treasure hunts, fundraising events and social evenings became regular features of the calendar, although not every proposal succeeded. Plans to construct a new ballroom were rejected by Caerleon Urban District Council because the existing sewage disposal arrangements were considered inadequate to cope with the additional capacity.
After establishing Mount St Albans as one of the region’s premier country clubs, David and Marilyn Blake left the business in early 1969. Ownership passed to Bob Peachey and Terry Brain, who launched their tenure with an ambitious charity buffet dance in aid of the Cheshire Homes Appeal Fund. Headlined by television and recording star Dickie Valentine, together with Billy Sinclair, Tony Savage and Shirley Stevens, the event reflected the new owners’ determination to build upon the club’s growing reputation.
Tragically, however, their plans were cut short. On the night of 9 July 1969 a devastating fire swept through the hotel, destroying the Georgian mansion that had been transformed into one of Newport’s premier entertainment venues. The blaze spread rapidly, leaving the building beyond repair. Firefighters battled the flames throughout the night, but despite their efforts the hotel was completely gutted. Local residents gathered to watch as one of Newport’s best-known landmarks was reduced to a shell.
The destruction of the old Mount St Albans Hotel proved only a temporary setback. Rising from the ashes, a modern single-storey Mount St Albans Country Club opened in June 1971, reflecting changing tastes in leisure and entertainment. Built with locally sourced stone and featuring a striking Spanish-inspired interior, the new club boasted a copper-fronted bar, a restaurant seating around one hundred diners, a spacious function suite, landscaped grounds and extensive parking. Within a year it had once again established itself as one of Newport’s leading nightspots, combining dining, dancing, cabaret and live entertainment in modern surroundings.
Throughout the 1970s the club attracted touring entertainers from across Britain and overseas. Among those to appear on its stage were Anita Harris, Scott Walker and the American soul group The Flirtations, alongside many leading comedians, cabaret acts and dance bands then touring the country. For many local people it became the venue for weddings, celebrations and memorable nights out.
In early 1979 the Mount entered a new phase under new management. Ambitious plans were announced for a refurbished cabaret room, a members’ lounge and sporting facilities including squash courts, tennis courts and a swimming pool. Rather than relying on a single identity, the new management experimented with an almost constant succession of promotions in an effort to broaden the club’s appeal. Cabaret evenings featuring comedian Don Hambury sat alongside nostalgic rock ‘n’ roll nights, country and western evenings, discos, live music, charity fundraisers and private functions. The club even hosted the regional heats of the SKODA Miss Disco ’79 competition and the British DJ Championships in association with Radio Luxembourg. Despite imaginative promotion and considerable investment, the revival failed to halt the venue’s gradual decline.
A further attempt to revive the business came in October 1980 when the venue was relaunched as Bailey’s Club. The rebranding introduced an eclectic programme of entertainment ranging from cabaret evenings and Bavarian beer nights to heavy rock concerts and contemporary live bands. Free buses from Newport city centre helped attract patrons, while the club continued to market itself as a destination for dining, dancing and private celebrations. For many local people Bailey’s became their lasting memory of the venue, but the revival ultimately proved short-lived.
By the mid-1980s attention had turned to redevelopment. Plans were announced to replace the club with four individually designed executive homes occupying generous half-acre plots overlooking the Usk Valley. The club eventually closed, the buildings were demolished and the site was transformed into the exclusive residential development that occupies the hill today.
Little now remains of the Mount St Albans itself, but the story of the site spans almost nine hundred years. It has successively been the location of a medieval chapel, a Georgian country house, a working farm, a luxury country club and one of Newport’s best-loved entertainment venues. Although the buildings have disappeared, the name Mount St Albans still hints at the remarkable history of this hill overlooking the Usk Valley.
