Discover 35 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Newport (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Newport Wetlands, Newport Market, and Tredegar House. Also, be sure to include Newport Transporter Bridge in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Newport (Wales).
Table of Contents
Newport Wetlands
Non-profit organization in Newport, Wales. Newport Wetlands is a wildlife reserve covering parts of Uskmouth, Nash and Goldcliff, in the south-east of the city of Newport, South Wales.[1]
Address: West Nash Road, NP18 2BZ Newport
Newport Market
Building in Newport, Wales. Newport Market is a traditional Victorian indoor market, in Newport, South Wales. It is an early example of a large-span cast iron-frame building featuring a glass-filled barrel roof.
Newport bus station is located immediately outside the Upper Dock Street entrance to Newport Market and a short walk from Newport railway station.
The market has been subject to plans for redevelopment since 2012.[2]
Address: Upper Dock Street, NP20 1DD Newport
Tredegar House
Mansion in Duffryn, Wales. Tredegar House is a 17th-century Charles II-era mansion on the southwestern edge of Newport, Wales. For over five hundred years it was home to the Morgan family, later Lords Tredegar; one of the most powerful and influential families in the area. Described as "The grandest and most exuberant country house" in Monmouthshire and one of the "outstanding houses of the Restoration period in the whole of Britain", the mansion stands in a reduced landscaped garden of 90 acres forming the non-residential part of Tredegar Park. The property became a Grade I listed building on 3 March 1952 and has been under the care of the National Trust since March 2012.[3]
Newport Transporter Bridge
Historic bridge with a suspended ferry. The Newport Transporter Bridge is a transporter bridge that crosses the River Usk in Newport, South East Wales. The bridge is the lowest crossing on the River Usk. It is a Grade I listed structure.
It is one of fewer than 10 transporter bridges that remain in use worldwide; only a few dozen were ever built. It is one of only two operational transporter bridges in Britain, the other being the Tees Transporter Bridge.[4]
Address: Brunel St., NP20 2JG Newport
Newport City footbridge
Cable-stayed bridge in Newport, United Kingdom. Newport City footbridge is a pedestrian/cycle bridge over the River Usk in the city of Newport, South Wales.
The bridge links the east bank of the river in the vicinity of Rodney Parade stadium to University Plaza on the west bank. It was the first major public project in Newport Unlimited's plans to regenerate the city. The bridge won a design award from the British Construction and Steelworkers Association; the George Gibby Award 2007 by the Institution of Civil Engineers in Wales; the regeneration award by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Wales as well as a highly commended by Wales Business Insider for the best regeneration project of 2007.[5]
St Woolos Cemetery
Cemetery in Newport, Wales. St Woolos Cemetery is the main cemetery in the city of Newport, Wales situated one mile to the west of the Church in Wales cathedral known by the same name. It contains four chapels, and various ornate memorials dating back to the early Victorian period, and was the first municipally constructed cemetery in England and Wales. It remains in use to this present day as the main cemetery for burials in Newport, and has been used as a filming location for the BBC series, Doctor Who as well as Sherlock.[6]
Address: 48 Bassaleg Road, NP20 3PY Newport
Newport Cathedral
Cathedral in Newport, Wales. Newport Cathedral, also known as St Woolos Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Monmouth, in the Church in Wales, and seat of the Bishop of Monmouth. Located in the city of Newport in South East Wales, its full title is Newport Cathedral of St Woolos, King & Confessor.[7]
Address: Stow Hill, NP20 4EA Newport
Newport Museum
Museum in Newport, Wales. Newport Museum and Art Gallery is a museum, library and art gallery in the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located in Newport city centre on John Frost Square and is adjoined to the Kingsway Shopping Centre.[8]
Address: 4 John Frost Square, NP20 1PA Newport
Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths
Museum in Caerleon, Wales. The Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths museum is a historical site located in the town of Caerleon, South Wales. Near to the city of Newport, it is run by the Welsh historic environment service Cadw.[9]
Address: Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths High Street, NP18 1AE Caerleon
Diverse Vinyl
Diverse Vinyl is a record store and independent record label based in Newport, Wales. It is the UK's largest retailer of new vinyl records.[10]
Address: 10 Charles Street, Newport
Newport Castle
Castle in Newport, Wales. Newport Castle is a ruined castle in Newport, Wales. It was built in the 14th century, probably by Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester or his son-in-law, Ralph, Earl of Stafford, with the purpose of managing the crossing of the River Usk. The castle was used as administrative offices for the collection of rent and dues from local tenants, and was also a residence and a garrison. In 1402 it was sacked by Owain Glyndŵr. It was in disrepair by 1522, and was taken by Oliver Cromwell's forces during the Civil War. Its use declined further in later centuries. It has been a Grade II* Listed building since 1951.[11]
Ye Olde Murenger House
Pub in Newport, Wales. Ye Olde Murenger House is a 19th-century pub with a mock Tudor front on High Street, Newport, Wales. It replaced a 17th-century pub, the Fleur de Lys, on the same site. It is named after the medieval job of a murenger, a person who collected tolls for the repair of the town walls, and is Grade II listed due to its historic interest to the immediate area.[12]
George Street Bridge
Bridge in Newport, United Kingdom. George Street Bridge is a crossing of the River Usk in the community of Victoria in Newport, South Wales. It is a Grade II* listed structure.[13]
Newport Bridge
Bridge in the United Kingdom. Newport Bridge, opened in 1927 across the River Usk in Newport, connects the High Street and Clarence Place with Newport Castle and Newport city centre.[14]
Newport Ship
Sailing ship. The Newport Ship is a mid-fifteenth-century sailing vessel discovered by archaeologists in June 2002 in the city of Newport, South East Wales. It was found on the west bank of the River Usk, which runs through the city centre, during the building of the Riverfront Arts Centre; from which process it sustained some damage. The official name of the vessel is now the Newport Medieval Ship, to help distinguish it from other historical vessels.
The ship was originally around 116 feet long and has been estimated to be of 161 tons burden - that being the number of tuns of Bordeaux wine that could have stowed in its hold. Vessels of this size were considered 'great ships' by contemporary standards and were typically used for the long-distance trade between Britain, Biscay and southern Iberia.
Dendrochronology has given a likely felling date of 1449 for the majority of the timbers. These came from the Basque region of northern Spain, an area well known for its shipbuilding industry at this time. The ship is thus likely to have been built around 1449, in or close to San Sebastian. Timbers associated with later phases of repair come from Britain, as do a large number of structural pieces dating from c.1466. These timbers have been associated with the major renovation work being carried out in Newport at the time the vessel foundered. Remnants of a cradle found beneath the ship suggested that it had been berthed for repair but then abandoned after the supports on the starboard side gave way. Many of the artefacts in the ship, such as coins, pottery and plant remains, suggest that it was trading with Portugal in the 1450s-60s.
Although there were no initial plans to preserve the ship in its entirety, local people campaigned eagerly to ensure this, leading to the foundation of the Friends of the Newport Ship. Initial estimates suggested that preservation would cost about £3.5 million and this sum was eventually found by the Welsh Assembly Government and Newport City Council. All of the ship's timbers have subsequently been raised and transferred to a dedicated industrial unit which the local council describes as "now the biggest wood conservation centre in the UK", where preservation and research continue. Due to its size, it has not been possible to display the ship in the basement of the new arts centre, as was originally proposed.[15]
Fourteen Locks
Fourteen Locks is a series of locks, also known as the Cefn Flight, on the Crumlin arm of the Monmouthshire Canal at Rogerstone in Newport, South Wales. The flight of locks was completed in 1799 and raises the water level 160 ft in just 800 yd. This is one of the steepest rises for a major run in the UK which, combined with the sheer number of locks, makes it one of the most significant in the country. The run of locks includes a series of embanked ponds, pounds, sluices and weirs to control the water supply, with no set of gates shared between individual locks. It therefore comprises a flight of locks rather than a lock staircase.[16]
Address: Cwm Lane, NP10 9GN Rogerstone
National Roman Legion Museum
Museum in Caerleon, Wales. The National Roman Legion Museum is a museum in Caerleon, near Newport, south-east Wales. It is one of three Roman sites in Caerleon, along with the Baths museum and the open-air ruins of the amphitheatre and barracks. It is part of the wider network of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.[17]
Address: High Street, NP18 1AE Caerleon
Penhow Castle
Historical landmark in Penhow, Newport, Wales. Penhow Castle, Penhow, Newport dates from the early 12th century. Extended and reconstructed in almost every century since, it has been claimed to be the oldest continuously-inhabited castle in Wales. The castle is a Grade II* listed building.[18]
The Riverfront
Theatre. The Riverfront is the principal and newest theatre and arts centre in the City of Newport. It is located on the west bank of the River Usk on the Bristol Packet Wharf in the city centre. Designed by architectural firm Austin-Smith:Lord, the centre was opened on 23 October 2004.[19]
Address: Bristol Packet Wharf, NP20 1HG Newport
Belle Vue Park
Park in Newport, Wales. Belle Vue Park is a large Victorian public park in the west of the city of Newport, in South Wales. It was awarded a Green Flag Award in 2008 and has maintained the status for over a decade since.[20]
Address: 68 Cardiff Road, NP20 2EG Newport
Caerleon Bridge
Bridge in Caerleon, United Kingdom. Caerleon Bridge is a bridge crossing of the River Usk at Caerleon in the city of Newport, Wales, carrying the B4236 road from Caerleon-ultra-Pontem into Caerleon itself.
The stone built bridge was built by David Edwards between in 1806 and 1812 as a replacement for the previous wooden bridge. Prior to the opening of the A449 dual carriageway a few miles to the east in 1972, the narrow bridge and streets of Caerleon carried the trunk road from Newport to Raglan via Caerleon Bridge. A steel and concrete footbridge was attached in 1974.
The bridge is the furthest upstream of the twelve bridges over the River Usk within the city boundaries of Newport.
The foundation stone of the original Newport Bridge is set into the stonework of Caerleon Bridge bearing the inscription "This bridge was erected at the expense of the County by David Edwards and his two sons William and Thomas. Completed AD MDCCC."[21]
Newport Center
Leisure centre in Newport, Wales. The Newport Centre is a leisure centre in Newport, South Wales. The Newport Centre is located in Newport city centre on the west bank of the River Usk adjacent to the Kingsway Shopping Centre. It holds events such as concerts, conferences and exhibitions. The centre hosted the Welsh Open snooker tournament from 1992 until 1998, and also from 2005 until 2014, as well as international business conferences and exhibitions. The centre also has suites overlooking the leisure pool and elsewhere; The Riverside Suite, Castle Room, Kingsway Suite, Usk Room, Treetops Suite, and the Emlyn Rooms.[22]
St Cadoc's Church
Church in Caerleon, Wales. St Cadoc's Church is a Church in Wales church located in Caerleon, Newport, Wales and is Grade II* listed. It is one of many buildings associated with the travels of St Cadoc.
Caerleon is the historically important site of the Roman legionary fortress of Isca Augusta. St Cadoc's Church stands over the principia (headquarters), where the legionary standards were kept and statues of the Roman emperors venerated. The earliest surviving part of the church dates back to just after the kingdom of Glywysing was overrun by the Normans during the twelfth century and is thought to be the work of Hywel ap Iowerth, who was also the founder of the Cistercian Llantarnam Abbey.
The current church is in the Perpendicular style, which was fashionable in the fifteenth century. The tower, which stands at the southwest corner of the church, has a lower stage that was probably part of the original Norman church, incorporating twelfth/thirteenth century lancet windows. The church features a series of impressive stained-glass windows depicting the life of Christ and symbolising the faith and devotion of the saints associated with Caerleon.
St Cadoc's Church has been designated as Grade II* listed since 1951, as a centrepiece of the village with a fine medieval tower.[23]
The Mynde
The Mynde is a historic site and property located in Caerleon on the northern outskirts of the city of Newport. The town is the historic site of the Isca Augusta Roman Fortress.[24]
Address: Castle Lane, Newport
The NEON
Building in Newport, Wales. The former Newport Odeon, currently trading as The NEON, is a large Grade II listed building in the city of Newport, South Wales.
It is located at the junction of Clarence Place and Chepstow Road on the east side of Newport city centre, near Newport Bridge. The building is one of the few true examples of Art Deco architecture in Newport.[25]
West Usk Lighthouse
Wedding venue in Wales. West Usk Lighthouse is a Grade II-listed building on the Severn Estuary at the mouth of the River Usk south of the city of Newport, South Wales.[26]
St John's Church
The Church of St John is a Victorian Church in Wales parish church in Maindee, Newport, Wales.[27]
Isca Augusta
Roman amphitheater in lush surrounds. Isca, variously specified as Isca Augusta or Isca Silurum, was the site of a Roman legionary fortress and settlement or vicus, the remains of which lie beneath parts of the present-day suburban village of Caerleon in the north of the city of Newport in South Wales. The site includes Caerleon Amphitheatre and is protected by Cadw.
Headquarters of the Legion "II Augusta", which took part in the invasion under Emperor Claudius in 43, Isca is uniquely important for the study of the conquest, pacification and colonisation of Britannia by the Roman army. It was one of only three permanent legionary fortresses in later Roman Britain and, unlike the other sites at Chester and York, its archaeological remains lie relatively undisturbed beneath fields and the town of Caerleon and provide a unique opportunity to study the Roman legions in Britain. Excavations continue to unearth new discoveries; in the late 20th century a complex of very large monumental buildings outside the fortress between the River Usk and the amphitheatre was uncovered. This new area of the canabae was previously unknown.[28]
Newport Retail Park
Shopping centre in Newport, Wales. Newport Retail and Leisure Park is an out-of-town shopping centre in the city of Newport. The centre opened in January 1996, South East Wales. It is located in the Lliswerry area of the city and is accessed via the Southern Distributor Road.[29]
Address: Newport, Spytty Road
Caerleon
Town in Wales. Caerleon is a town and community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies 5 miles northeast of Newport city centre, and 5.5 miles southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hillfort. Close to the remains of Isca Augusta are the National Roman Legion Museum and the Roman Baths Museum. The town also has strong historical and literary associations: Geoffrey of Monmouth elevated the significance of Caerleon as a major centre of British history in his Historia Regum Britanniae, and Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King while staying in Caerleon.[30]
City Bridge
Through arch bridge in Newport, Wales. City Bridge is a crossing of the River Usk in the city of Newport, South Wales. It was opened in 2004 as part of the construction/re-generation of the Southern Distributor Road/A48 in Newport.
The bridge is the second most-southernly crossing of the River Usk in Newport, lying north of Newport Transporter Bridge.[31]
Tredegar House Country Park
Park in Newport, Wales. Tredegar Park is a 90-acre public park situated in the western Coedkernew area of the city of Newport, South Wales. It lies close to junction 28 of the M4 motorway connecting London and West Wales.[32]
St Mark's
The Church of St Mark is a Church in Wales parish church located on Gold Tops, Newport, Wales. It is a Newport landmark and is part of the Benefice of the Cathedral parish of Newport.[33]
Address: 5 Serpentine Rd, NP20 4PF Newport
Newport Civic Centre
Building in Newport, Wales. Newport Civic Centre is a municipal building in Godfrey Road in Newport, South Wales. The civic centre, which is the headquarters of Newport City Council, is a Grade II* Listed building.[34]
Address: Godfrey Road, Newport
John Frost Square
John Frost Square is a large public space in the centre of Newport, South Wales, named after the Chartist leader, John Frost. It was redeveloped as part of the Friars Walk shopping and leisure complex in 2014 and 2015.
Major features on John Frost Square include the Newport Museum, Library and Art Gallery, the north entrance to Kingsway Shopping Centre and the headquarters of the Monmouthshire Building Society.[35]