CITY 

Introduction: 

Newport is a Welsh port and industrial city sitting at the mouth of the River Usk, where the river meets the Bristol Channel. The current population is 145,700. 

Brief History: 

Originally created by the Normans in 1093 the following century saw a castle built alongside the River Usk. A bridge was built over the river and in the 14th century a guild was formed. The Friars arrived and opened a hospital but the town was burned to the ground in 1402, which was easy as all the buildings were made of timber. 

By the 1500’s the town had a small haven and traded with Bristol and Bridgewater. The industries at this time were leather tanning, soap making and starch making. There were also many tradesmen. Even though a Guildhall was built in the 16th century, Newport was still a small town. 

The eighteenth and nineteenth saw the arrival of the industrial revolution and with  coal and iron production, the population grew rapidly, from 1000 in 1801 to 67,000 in 1901. This, of course, brought a canal, railway, sewers, gas lights, police etc., all that a town needed. 

The twentieth century saw many more new facilities and in the 1920’s slum clearance was started and new council housing built. Post WW2, although still a flourishing town the pattern of industry began to change. A steelworks was built but the coal and shipbuilding disappeared. 

Newport then gradually became a hi- tech town. In 1949 St. Woolos Church became a cathedral and in 2002 the town became a city. The city centre is currently being refurbished for the benefit of its 145,700 inhabitants. 

Things to Do: 

Tredegar House:

This beautiful 17th century house is an architectural gem of Wales. The house belonged to the Morgan family, one of which became a hero in the Charge of the Light Brigade. As well as the fantastic interior there is a formal garden and ninety acres of parkland. The nearest station is Newport, two miles away, and buses 30  (Newport to Cardiff) and 36 (Celtic Springs to Newport Bus Station) are just a five minute walk away.

Travelling by road towards the house by the A48 or M4 (exit 28)  look for the brown “Historic House” signs. Use sat nav NP10 8YW. There is a pay and display car park. There are dining facilities and a shop. Entrance is £8 for adults and £4 for children. 

Newport Museum and Art Gallery:

This venue covers the history, culture and environment of Newport from pre historic times to the twentieth century. Located on Jack Frost Square the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday and has a shop. Further information can be obtained by emailing:- museum@newport.gov.uk . 

Newport Cathedral:

St. Woolos  Church ( a corruption of Gwynnllyw) was made a cathedral of the Church of Wales in 1949. With some Anglo Saxon remains the cathedral was improved by the Normans, added to in the middle ages and works continued to the 1960s. Located at the top of Stow Hill it offers excellent views over the city. The cathedral is open until 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 4pm Saturday and 8pm Sunday.

To visit by car enter satnav NP20 4EA. There is on street parking. Alternatively, there is bus 5A (circular route) from Newport Railway Station. There is also a gift shop. 

Civic Centre:

The building is a Grade II listed Art Deco building located in Godfrey Road. The main point of interest is the clock tower which has a collection of 12 murals, by German artist Hans Feibusch, which depict the history of the city in Celtic times to the building of George Street Bridge over the River Usk. 

Belle Vue Park:

Opened in 1894, this Victorian park has a rockery, bandstand, conservatories and a pavilion. It also contains some rare species, including Himalayan Magnolias and Tulip tree and in autumn is a riot of colour. The park which is open until dusk has a café which provides hot and cold food and drinks.

The park can be approached from Cardiff Road, Belle Vue Lane and Waterloo Lane. There is a free car park at the entrance. There is a bus stop, route 30, at Cardiff Road entrance. 

Caerleon:

This village lying to the north of Newport contains magnificent Roman remains in the form of a fortress, (Isca Augusta), baths and amphi theatre. Open until 5pm Monday to Saturday and until 5pm on Sundays, entrance is free. There is also a shop.

Lying in the Vale of the Usk, the village is interesting in its own right, with much further history and interesting buildings, together with pubs and cafes etc..

Lying on the Newport to Cwmbran road it is served by buses 27, 28, 28b, 29 and 29b. 

Big Pit:

A 33 minute drive away, using the A4043 and A4042 is the Big Pit which is a real coal pit and is the National Coal Museum. There is much of interest including Mining Galleries, Pithead Baths, Historic Colliery Buildings and an Underground Tour.

The underground tour starts with being kitted out in typical mining safety equipment and after descending 90 metres below ground a miner takes you on a tour. The tour takes 50 minutes and you are shown the coal faces, engine rooms, stables and tram way.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a café for refreshments. Open until 5pm daily, the underground tours are open 10am to 3.30pm.

The museum is located in the town of Blaenavon which also has the historical ironworks. As well as industrial relics to see there is a social content in the form of worker’s cottages being restored to the way they were in the works heyday.

For full travel information check out www.traveline-cymru.info . 

Chepstow Castle:

Located in Chepstow on top of cliffs overlooking the River Wye, the castle is the oldest surviving post-Roman fortification in Britain. The castle is open to the public and visitors can walk along the battlements and enter Marten Tower. Bus route 74 connects Newport with Chepstow and Arriva trains operate between the two towns. 

Night Life:

Although nowhere near the largest city in the land, a fair range of night clubs exist. These are concentrated in Market Street, Stow Hill and Griffin Street areas. Alongside are a good selection of bars and pubs. 

For more cultural offerings there are Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre, The Dolman Theatre and Newport Centre. For What’s On check out Newport City Council web site www.newport.gov.uk . 

For ten pin bowling the Megabowl is open until 11.30pm all week. This can be found at Newport retail Park, adjacent to the Southern Distribution Road in the south east of the city.

Ice Skating is provided, along with many other facilities, at the Celtic Manor Resort, at NP18 1HQ. This venue hosts major golf tournaments, swimming, fishing etc. Buses 19a, 26 and 74 serve this venue. 

There are a couple of gay venues in the city but for a bigger choice Cardiff is only a few miles away. 

Eating Out:

The city centre and surrounding villages possess a good range of eating establishments. As well as national foods, restaurants and pubs provide cuisines from many places, including Spain, Italy, China, Far East and Indian Sub Continent.

Newport Retail Park contains a range of popular fast food outlets.

The city centre and malls contain a mixture of cafes and take aways. 

Shopping:

A reasonable shopping choice can be found in the city. There is an independent department store and other major national chains in Commercial Street and a new mall called Friars Walk has a national department store and many more known shops. Other places to visit are the Victorian Arcade, Kings Way Shopping Centre and various retail parks. Local owned shops and boutiques mix amongst the big names.. 

Accommodation:

A good night’s sleep can be found in establishments from 5 star, through to international and national chains and budget hotels, down to guest houses and pubs, in Newport and surrounding area. 

Transport: 

Buses:

Forty six, Newport Bus, bus routes serve the city centre, suburbs and nearby towns, including Cardiff, Chepstow, Cwmbran and Monmouth.  Stagecoach also provides services that cover the local area. Most of these buses terminate at the bus or railway stations. 

Road:

The M4, which passes just behind Newport city centre, connects Swansea and London via Swindon and Reading. To the north east the A48 connects Chepstow and the A40 to Gloucester, Cheltenham and Oxford.

Northwards the A449 leads to Monmouth and the A4042/A465 takes you to Cwmbran,  Abergavenny and Hereford. 

Railway:

First Great Western run through Newport on the London Paddington to Swansea route. Westward, connections at Cardiff and Swansea allow you to cover the Welsh rail system. Eastward, connections at Bristol, Reading and London give access to routes throughout England and Wales.

North from the city Arriva trains serve Cheltenham, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Chester and Manchester. Full details from www.nationalrail.co.uk . 

Air:

The nearest airport is Cardiff which can be connected to Newport by either bus or taxi. Bristol airport is readily reached by using National Express or Greyhound bus. 

Taxis:

Four firms run taxi services in Newport.