We are looking down Backhall Street towards the Hall (on the left) and Cross Street (ahead). The shop (front left) was in more recent times "Gas Light", an antique shop, run by Val Burnell Jones. At the time this painting was executed I think it was a newsagents run by Edris Davies. The building has recently been undergoing major renovation work.

Now, the properties facing us at the end of the road catch my eye. Nowadays these are gone and the road continues through Myrtle Cottages. On the section of the 1936 Ordnance Survey map below our direction of view is shown by the red arrow, and the cottages facing us at the end of Backhall Street are circled in red.

Actually Cross Street is unusual in as much as it changes to Boddington Terrace and then back to Cross Street just before it meets Mill Street. Only a few days ago a perplexed taxi driver told me he had stopped his car and walked up and down Cross Street looking for a certain house but was unable to find it. The reason was that the property was in the other part of Cross Street near Mill Street.

I know absolutely nothing about the artist, Chas Page. You can see his painting of the Bell, Ultra Pontem by following this link. If you know anything about him, or have any of his paintings of local views please contact us using the form at the foot of the page.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to find 'new' pictures of old Caerleon. If you have anything we could feature as 'Picture Of The Month' please let us know via the form below.