The local name "Whitewall" may relate to the same causeway, which would have connected the village to a small now-vanished harbour on the Severn Estuary known as Abergwaitha or Aberweytha.

[9] The earliest parts of the building date from the 13th century, at about the same time as it was handed by Gilbert Marshal, Earl of Pembroke to the Abbey of Anagni in Italy.

It has a rich variety of habitats, including damp hay meadows, sedge fen, reedbed, scrub, wet woodland, a large pond and numerous reens.

It is the richest site in Wales for wetland beetles and soldier-flies,[12] and its pattern of drainage ditches and other features have remained unchanged since the 14th century.

[citation needed] In 2007 a M4 relief road was proposed for Newport which was to be built to the west of the village utilising the existing motorway junction.

Monmouthshire County Council relocated many of its office-based staff to Innovation House at Magor, on the Wales 1 Business Park beside the motorway, in 2011.

This followed the need to vacate its offices at the former Gwent County Hall at Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, due to "concrete cancer" in the building.

[20] The station closed, along with Undy Halt, in November 1964; although the goods yard remained open until 1965 for cement trains connected with the building of the M4 motorway.