Sudbrook was built as a model village in 1873-86 by Thomas Walker, contractor for the Severn Tunnel (NPRN 43002). , for his workmen, and for later railway staff. Black Rock cottages were the first to be built, in 1877; the Terrace was built in 1882 and Marine Terrace, the last major row, in 1884. There are nine brick, 2-storey terraces of houses, plus a terrace of ten houses constructed 1882-4 of concrete blocks.

Surviving communal buildings are the school, post office and infirmary. The site is dominated by the tunnel pump house (NPRN 34970) , which contained six Cornish beam engines to pump 20 millions gallons of water a day from the Great Spring. Also to be seen are the fan house and two other pump houses once containing a single Bull engine and a beam engine. Steam power was withdrawn in 1964 and the engines dismantled. Immediately east of the village are remains of ship-building slipways (late nineteenth - early twentieth century), whilst one mile east is the railway cutting and jetty base of New Passage Ferry, which preceded the tunnel.

B.A.Malaws & C.Parry, RCAHMW, 4 August 2011.

Source: A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of South East Wales, AIA, 2003