National Gazetteer (1868) - Newport

NEWPORT, a parish, seaport, and market town, municipal and parliamentary borough, in the West Medina liberty, in the Isle of Wight division, of county Hants, 5 miles S. of Cowes, 7 S.W. of Ryde, and 82 S.W. from London. It is situated on a gentle elevation, and is bounded on the E. by the chief branch of the river Medina, and on the W. by a small stream which joins the latter at the quay, when it becomes navigable to the Solent sea-channel at Cowes. Newport is a flourishing and rising town, and is a polling-place and the capital of the island. Its prosperity was greatly accelerated by the decay of the adjoining and more ancient town of- Carisbrooke, which was formerly a market town, but was not so well situated for commerce as Newport.

It was first chartered by Richard de Rivers, or Redvers, Earl of Devon, in the reign of Henry II., and the Countess Isabella de Fortibus, who called it the new borough of Medina, and invested the burgesses with all the market tolls, and other privileges. Henry VII. granted to the corporation the petty customs within all the ports and creeks of the island, which charter was confirmed by Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth. The borough was first incorporated by James I., and received the grant of a further charter from Charles I. The town is now governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors, and is divided into two wards.

The old town consists of five principal streets, which are crossed by three others at right angles, besides several rows of modern villas. The streets are well paved, and lighted with gas, and contain many shops, &c. There are two banks, a savings-bank, concert and assembly rooms, masonic hall, mechanics' institutes, gas-works, museum, and guildhall. This last is a Grecian structure of the Ionic order, erected in 1816, from designs by Nash, at an expense of £10,000. The upper part comprises the townhall, council chamber, and other offices; and the basement forms an excellent market-place.

A brisk trade is done in iron, timber, and malt, and an extensive export trade in flour and wheat. Much local business is transacted in the sale of general provisions, for which there is a brisk demand from the neighbouring rural districts. The manufactories consist of lace-making, mats, brushes, and lute strings. The magistrates meet at the townhall every Saturday, and sessions for the island occur quarterly.

The gaol, situated in Holyrood-street, has recently been converted into a police station. The municipal and parliamentary boundaries of the borough are coextensive, and comprised in 1861, 7,934 inhabitants; while the parish of Newport contained only 3,819. It first returned representatives to parliament in the 23rd year of Edward I., and then not again until the 27th of Elizabeth, from which period it has constantly sent two members, the mayor being the returning officer. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Winchester, value £175, in the gift of Queen's College, Oxford.

The church, which was originally built in the reign of Henry II., was dedicated to St. Thomas-a-Becket, and was the burial-place of Elizabeth, Charles I.'s daughter, and of Sir Edward Horsey, Captain of the Isle of Wight, whose monument bears date 1582. The church has been entirely rebuilt within the last few years, his late Royal Highness the Prince Consort having laid the foundation stone on the 24th of August, 1854. The present structure is in the early English style of architecture, with a lofty tower containing a peal of eight bells. There are also two other churches, both of modern erection-viz:, St. John's, at Node Hill, and St. Paul's, in Cross Lane. There are clerical and popular libraries, besides reading-rooms, and a museum of Natural History and local antiquities, open to the public on Saturdays.

The parochial charities produce about £216 per annum. There are almshouses and several benevolent and provident clubs. The grammar school was founded in 1612; and here Charles I. negotiated with the parliamentary commissioners in 1648. The school-house has recently been enlarged and improved, at the expense of the Rev. A. Wallace, M.A., chaplain of the corporation. There are places of worship for the Independents, Wesleyans, Baptists, Roman Catholics, and Unitarians; also National, British, and infant schools. Newport is the birth-place of James, a divine and antiquary, who wrote the "Corruptions of Scripture." Near the town are the house of industry for the poor of the island, 300 feet by 27, built in 1770, Parkhurst barracks and infirmary, with accommodation for 3,000 soldiers, the house of correction, and Carisbrooke Castle. Newport is the headquarters of the island militia. Market days are on Wednesday and Saturday for corn and provisions, and every alternate Wednesday for the sale of cattle. Fairs are held at Whitsuntide and Michaelmas; also a statute fair at the latter date for the hiring of servants, here called "bargain days."

BROADLANDS, a hamlet in the parish of Newport, West Medina liberty, Isle of Wight, in the county of Hants, 1 mile from Newport, and 4 from Osborne. Most of the inhabitants are employed in the extensive lace manufactory of Messrs. Henry and William Nunn, which is situated in this village, and which was visited in February, 1863, by the Prince and Princess of Hesse. The wedding robes of the Princess Alexandra of Demark, now Princess of Wales, were manufactured here.

WHITCOMBE, a hamlet in the parish of Newport, Isle of Wight, county Hants, 1 mile S.W. of Newport.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]