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Newport in Monmouth County England History and GeographyNEWPORT, a sea-port and incorporated market town, in the parish of ST. WOOLLOS, upper division of the hundred of WENTLLOOG, county of MONMOUTH, 25 miles (S.W.) from Monmouth, and 146 (W.) from London. The population is returned with the parish. This place, called by Giraldus Novus Burgus, or New Town, in contradistinction to the ancient city of Caerleon, arose out of the declining greatness of that celebrated station. Here Robert, Earl of Gloucester, natural son of Henry I., erected a castle for the defence of his possessions, whence it was denominated Castell Newydd, or New Castle: from him it descended through several noble families, till, on the execution of Edward, Duke of Buckingham, it was, together with the lordship, seized by Henry VIII. The town is pleasantly situated on the river Usk, which is navigable for vessels of large size, and crossed by an elegant stone bridge, about four miles from its junction with the Severn: it consists principally of a long narrow street, which extends from an eminence, on which is the parish church, to the river, and forms part of the mail road from Bristol to Milford-Haven; the streets are paved, and brilliantly lighted with gas; and the inhabitants are supplied with water under an act of parliament obtained in the 7th of George IV. Several new and handsome buildings in progress evince the rapid improvement of the town. Book-clubs and a reading-room have been established; and races are held in the first week in July. Newport possesses a good haven, and, by means of its river and a canal which communicates with it, has become a place of great trade. The chief articles of export are, iron and coal from the counties of Monmouth and Brecknock, and tin-plate from the neighbouring districts, which, with other commodities, are shipped here for Bristol and the adjacent counties, also for Ireland, France, the Mediterranean, and America: the exports for 1829 were, of iron, one hundred and eight thousand seven hundred and twenty-six tons; of coal, four hundred and seventy-one thousand six hundred and seventy-five tons: the imports consist of provisions and other articles of general consumption. The number of vessels which entered inwards from foreign ports in 1826, was fifteen British and twelve foreign; and the number which cleared outwards, fifty-two British and twenty-two foreign; and the number of vessels belonging to the port in 1828, was twelve of one hundred tons', and thirty-nine below that burden. Ship-building is extensively carried on; nine ships were built and registered here in 1825, and ten in 1826. Two branches diverge from the main canal, which passes through the town, one of which unites with the Brecon and Abergavenny canal: a rail-road, consisting of three lines, leads hence to the iron-works, which are about twenty-four miles distant. Here is a custom-house, and a collector and a comptroller of the customs are stationed at the port. The markets are on Wednesday and Saturday; and fairs are held on Ascension-day, April 30th, September 19th, and November 6th, for cattle of all kinds; during their continuance courts of pie-powder are held. The first charter appears to have been granted by Edward II., but that under which the town is now governed is dated in the 21st of James I. The corporation consists of a mayor and twelve aldermen, with a recorder and steward: the mayor is elected by the steward of the manor, and on his election nominates two water-bailiffs for the port, two for the town, constables, clerk of the market, and other officers: vacancies in the court of aldermen, and the offices of recorder and town clerk, are filled up by the corporation. The mayor, two senior aldermen, and the steward of the manor, are justices of the peace, with power to hold courts of session for offences committed within the borough, which has not been exercised for the last twenty years, all offenders being committed for trial to the house of correction for the county. A court of requests, for the recovery of debts to any amount, formerly held by the mayor, is also disused. The sheriffs' county court is held here, alternately with Monmouth, every month. Newport returns one member to parliament, conjointly with Monmouth and Usk: the right of election is in the resident burgage inhabitants: the number of voters is about one hundred, and the mayor is the returning officer. The freedom is obtained by birth, marriage, apprenticeship within the borough, gift, and purchase. The parish church of St. Woollos is situated at the outskirts of this town; the tower is said to have been built by Henry III., as a reward for the successful resistance of the inhabitants to Simon Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and was formerly ornamented with the statue of that monarch, part of which is still preserved: the church exhibits specimens of various styles of architecture; the nave is Norman, and is entered by a fine arch of that style; the aisles are Anglo-Norman. A mariners' church, for the accommodation of seamen entering this port, has been recently constructed between Newport and Pillgwenlly, on the Caerdiff road. There are two places of worship for Baptists, four for Independents, two for Wesleyan Methodists, and a Roman Catholic chapel. A Lancasterian school for boys, and a National school for girls, together capable of accommodating about three hundred children, are supported by voluntary contributions: in 1824, another school for boys, on the National system, was erected by Rowley Lascelles, Esq., for the instruction of the children of Pillgwenlly; it is under the superintendence and management of the directors of the Tredegar Iron Company and is supported by means of subscription. The only vestiges of an ancient castle, now converted into a large brewery, are the external walls and three strong towers: this fortress was evidently intended as a protection to the inhabitants of the surrounding country, from the incursions of the Normans and the English, when Monmouthshire formed a part of the principality of Wales. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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