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A quiet backwater with a busy Medieval past, now bursting with wildlife and a town hall with no town...
Town Lane, Newtown, Isle of Wight, PO30 4PA
Asset | Opening time |
---|---|
Newtown National Nature Reserve | Dawn - Dusk |
Nature Reserve Visitor Point | 10:00 - 17:00 |
Old Town Hall | Closed |
Second-hand books for sale within the Visitor Point.
Tea and coffee available within the Visitor Point for a donation.
Car parking charges apply. When parking, members can scan their membership cards at the car parking machine and non-members can pay by phone or cash.
Toilets are available in the car park.
Dogs are welcome if kept on a lead at all times. To help us protect wildlife, please stay on paths.
Nature reserve: Fairly level paths, muddy when wet. Car parking charges apply. Toilets. Dogs on leads welcome - please stay on paths. Suitable for wheelchairs on Town Copse and Seabroke bird hide. Town Hall: 10 steps to entrance, stairs to other floors.
Located within the car park.
10 steps with handrail to entrance of Old Town Hall. Stairs to other floors.
Path suitable for wheelchairs through Town Copse and to Seabroke bird hide. Can be muddy when wet.
Newtown is in the north of the Isle of Wight, and reached by minor roads off the main A3054 road between Newport and Yarmouth.
There are many footpaths on the Isle of Wight: consult Ordnance Survey Landranger Map 196 or OS Explorer OL29. The waymarked Isle of Wight Coast Path passes through Newtown.
Newtown is about a mile (1.5km) from Shalfleet, which is served by Southern Vectis buses between Newport and Yarmouth. For details of bus timetables see www.islandbuses.info.
The 'Round the Island' cycle path passes through the centre of Newtown.
We're very sorry but the Old Town Hall is currently closed to visitors as it is undergoing conservation monitoring. There's still the Visitor Point to explore and plenty of wildlife to discover on a walk around the nature reserve.
Discover all about visiting Newtown, Isle of Wight, with your four-legged friend. Newtown is a one pawprint rated place.
A quiet backwater with a busy medieval past, now bursting with wildlife and a town hall, but with no town.
Secluded creeks and waterways, and picturesque natural harbour filled with both native and visiting birds, making this one of the best sites on the Island for birdwatching.
Flower-filled meadows and ancient woodlands with rare butterflies and red squirrels.
This small and quirky 17th-century building is the only remaining evidence of Newtown's former importance as a Rotten Borough, saved for the nation by the Ferguson's Gang in the 1930s.
Spend a day at the Isle of Wight’s only nature reserve and discover wildflower meadows, a network of secluded creeks and waterways, and a town hall without a town.
Experienced paddleboarders and canoeists are welcome to take to the water at Newtown Harbour. Follow our guide on how to safely enjoy these activities without disturbing wildlife.
Take a gentle stroll through the varied habitats of the island's only National Nature Reserve, and visit a hamlet with a colourful past.
A farm worker’s cottage a short walk from Compton Bay and with views of chalky cliffs and grazing cows.
One half of a pair of farm workers’ cottages close to Compton Bay close to the best surfing spots.
Set in a quiet backwater on the Newtown National Nature Reserve, this rustic, cosy cabin is surrounded by coastal paths and meadows, so it’s the perfect spot for a nature-filled break.
A large private garden and roses tumbling across its stone front make this cottage a stunning place to stay.
A beautifully restored farmhouse with plenty of space for the whole family and a large garden.
A converted Victorian house on the seafront at Cowes, with views of ships from the windows and garden.
An ‘off the grid' period cottage that takes you back in time, Longstone is a rural hideaway set halfway up Mottistone Down.
On the seafront at Cowes, this beautiful 19th century house is full of original features.
The nature reserve
This is the only National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight. It is a beautiful retreat that has something to offer boat owners, walkers, wildlife enthusiasts and historians or just those in search of peace and tranquility. You can wander past flower-rich hay meadows, through ancient woodlands with rare butterflies and red squirrels, and look out over salt marsh and the clear waters of the harbour, bobbing with sailing boats in the summer and alive with birds in the spring and winter. For those on the water it is a beautiful place to explore and a good way to look out for wetland wildlife.
Newtown Harbour was saved in the 1960s from the threat of a nuclear power station being built near the harbour entrance. The efforts of local people conducting wildlife surveys proved to the authorities how special the place is. The landscape has remained little changed for decades and the pattern of fields reflects Newtown's Medieval origins.
The town hall
Tucked away in a tiny hamlet adjoining the National Nature Reserve, the 17th-century Old Town Hall is the only remaining evidence of Newtown's former importance.
It's hard to believe that this tranquil corner of the island once held often turbulent elections before sending two Members to Parliament.
Now a quiet backwater, Newtown was once a medieval town that went on to play a huge role in the brickmaking and salt production industries. Discover more about its history.
Discover the latest episode of the National Trust Podcast to uncover the identities of the people behind the secretive Ferguson's Gang, who helped to save Newtown Old Town Hall from ruin. Unravel a tale of intrigue, mischief and mayhem that made a lasting impact on British heritage.
We carefully look after Newtown’s meadows so that they are filled with delicate wildflowers in summer, which support colourful butterflies and important insects.
Join today and help protect nature, beauty and history – for everyone, for ever. Enjoy access to more than 500 places with National Trust membership.