Rodney Parade became the headquarters of Newport Athletic Club in 1877 following the decision by Godfrey Charles Morgan, the 2nd Lord Tredegar to provide land at a peppercorn rent so that the townsfolk could partake in healthy recreation.
Newport cricket club had been created in 1834 and played initially on the Marshes, before merging in 1875 with the town’s rugby club to create the Newport Cricket, Athletic and Football Club. Following the acquisition of the fifteen and a half acre site from Lord Tredegar, the Rodney Parade site was levelled, drained and turfed at a cost of just over £300, whilst a running track was laid out around the circumference of the sports field which was initially shared by the cricketers and rugby players. With cricket on the up, and Monmouthshire CCC having been formed, in 1892 the Tredegar Estate provided an additional five acres of land so that a purpose-built cricket ground could be developed to the south of the rugby ground.
Monmouthshire joined the Minor County Championship in 1901 and during June that year a larger pavilion was created, as seen below. During the winter of 1934/35 Monmouthshire merged with Glamorgan and the following summer, Rodney Parade staged its inaugural County Championship fixture as Leicestershire met Glamorgan.
County cricket continued to be staged at Rodney Parade until 1990 when a plan was agreed for the redevelopment of Rodney Parade. This involved the construction of a new school on the cricket ground, with Newport CC moving to a new venue to the south of the town at Spytty Park.
