Murals

Kenneth Budd – Chartist Mural, Newport

Listing: Unlisted
Condition: Destroyed
Material Type: Mosaic
Building Type: Public realm
Artist / Designer: Kenneth Budd
Owners: Unknown
Date: 1978
Address: John Frost Square, Newport NP20 1PA
Local Authority: Newport City Council
County: Gwent
Country: Wales

Prior to a shopping centre redevelopment, the 35m Chartist Mural – made from 200,000 pieces of ceramic tile and Venetian glass mosaic – was located in a covered walkway off John Frost Square, Newport. Beautifully executed and extraordinarily detailed it depicted the 1839 Chartist uprising in the town. C20 Society regarded it as an outstanding example of post war public art by a major figure, Kenneth Budd, and submitted a listing application to Cadw in 2013 when it came under threat from redevelopment. Cadw rejected the application and despite a public campaign the mural was unceremoniously bulldozed shortly after the listing rejection.