Newport
The Shropshire town of Newport is based in the English West Midlands. It is part of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin. This is a market town that is well known for its agricultural past. Newport lies on a ridge of sandstone in an area which was thought to have been a lake around the Ice Age. Some evidence has been discovered in the area of ancient man fishing in the lake at that time.
The town of Newport itself was primarily put together in the 12th century. It is thought that it was specially constructed as a Norman New Town. At this point in history it was part of Edgmond manor and was ruled by Roger de Montgomery, the Earl of Shrewsbury. The town that was built here was ultimately designed to be separate to Edgmond.
The town was also given its charter to hold a market at around this time. The main layout of the town today still follows the Norman layout. The Normans liked to create a wide main thoroughfare through the towns that they built to make access and transporting goods simple and quick and this kind of layout can be evidenced in Newport.
In medieval times Newport was well known for its wool, fish and leather trading. The town was close to a number of fisheries and provided fish for the king and his court until around the 13th century. In the mid 1600s Newport suffered from a major fire which destroyed many of the medieval buildings that existed at the time in the town. Many of the buildings that were put up over the years as replacements here are still standing and are fine examples of Georgian architecture.
Over the years Newport has also played a major part as a stop on the main regional coaching route between Chester and London. In the 19th century the industrial boom brought Newport on to the canal and railway networks and saw the building of the town’s Market Hall.
Visitors to Newport also often enjoy taking a trip to the nearby Lilleshall Abbey which was established in the 1100s and which still has some existing Norman features. The Deer Park on the edge of the town is also worth a visit - this is also home to the annual Newport Show. The town still holds a variety of markets including an ‘Old Time’ market
Links: