Newport: 38 Fields Park Road

38 Fields Park Road is remarkably untouched - most of the sash windows, fireplaces and all the internal joinery are still in place, as are the  plaster coving and original floors.

Some of the Original Coving

Many of the doors and all the staircase joinery had not been painted since the house was new and still have the original brown stain. See Skirting Boards for more on the four types of skirting in the house.

Hall and Stairs

The rest of the internal and external joinery hand only had one coat of paint 110 years after being built. 

Stairs up to the First Floor

If you are wondering about the colour scheme click here

Original Cupboards from Butler's Pantry

The most interesting aspect of the history of 38 Fields Park Road is that it was requisitioned by the RAF during the second world war. We believe it was used for something to do with aerial reconnaissance. We don't know how it came to be requisitioned or exactly what it was used for or who used it.

It is not the only house to be requisitioned in the road - 68 Fields Park Road (now Nant Coch Church) was requisitioned by the Land Army during the second world war.

The "butler's pantry" (left) was converted into a darkroom during the war, and in the early 1970's the lead tanks used for developing the photographs were still in place.

Safe Built by RAF in the War?

In the cellar there's a large concrete box with double steel doors on it (above), which we presume was designed to hold documents securely and against bomb damage during the war.

Many of the doors in the house still have gold lettering on them, giving the names of the people who used the rooms or the rooms' purposes:

Lettering on Door Identifying War-Time Occupant - F/O. G. Hutchinson

Sign on Toilet Door

Another View of the Same Sign

•  RAF Flight Commander
• Recreation Room
• Orderly Room. Knock and Wait
• M.T. Equipment (we understand "M.T." stands for "Motor Transport")
• F/Lt. F.S. James
• Senior N.C.O.
• F/O. G. Hutchinson
• Officers Only (on toilet door)