Newport Castle

Visitor Notice

This site is now open to view or visit.

In line with Welsh Government advice and guidance, we have started to reopen a selection of our unstaffed heritage sites in a safe and controlled way — for the benefit of local communities.

We are pleased to announce that this monument is now open and is free to view or visit with no pre-booking required. Please adhere to our new visitation guidelines, act responsibly and be respectful towards the site and its local area at all times.

Site opening times, parking and other available facilities at our reopened sites may have changed. Please check this site’s webpage carefully for specific updates.

For further information on what to expect and how to stay safe during your visit, please read our FAQs page.

Overview

Final remains of a significant waterfront fortress

Though it has largely been swallowed up by the modern-day city, you can still get a sense of Newport Castle’s scale by viewing it from the bridge across the River Usk. From here, its central tower with water dock come into view, flanked by two further towers which mark the fortress’s north and south ends.

The castle’s curtain wall was originally surrounded by a deep moat, which was filled with water at high tide – a key benefit of its riverside location. Built in the 14th century, it replaced an earlier motte-and-bailey castle close to the cathedral on Stow Hill.