Mason's Guide (1876) - Newport

Newport stands in the centre of the Island, of which it is the metropolis, but now by no means the largest or most important place. It is a borough and market town, and being situated on the river Medina, is a place of considerable trade. It is connected by railway with Ryde, Ventnor, Sandown, Shanklin, and Cowes. Newport is regularly built, having five principal streets, which are crossed by others almost at right angles, affording at the points of intersection space sufficient for the holding of markets, for which they are used. The general appearance of the town is plain and business-like rather than ornamental, and from its central position, and its facilities for trade, amongst which may be mentioned its excellent water mills, it must continue the entrepot of the commerce of the Island. We should not omit to notice that there is a large factory here for the manufacture of lace, but now unused for that purpose. In early times, Carisbrooke, which had sprung up with the fortress, was the capital of the Island; but when this petty sovereignity merged into the crown, Newport rapidly increased. It received a charter from Richard de Redvers in 1184, and another from Isabella Fortibus between 1260 and 1292, and was incorporated in the first year of James I. The corporation consists of a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors, being nine for each of the two wards into which the town is divided. By the last Reform Bill, Newport now sends one member to Parliament instead of two.

[Description(s) from Mason's Guide to the Isle of Wight (1876)]