The town is slightly north of the centre of the island, located in the civil parish of Newport and Carisbrooke.

[1][2] It has a quay at the head of the navigable section of the River Medina, which flows northwards to Cowes and the Solent.

[3] Mousterian remains, featuring tools made by Neanderthals at least 40,000 years ago, were found at Great Pan Farm in the 1970s.

In 1377 an invading French force burnt down much of the town while attempting to take Carisbrooke Castle, then under the command of Sir Hugh Tyrill.

The Treaty was repudiated by Oliver Cromwell upon returning from defeating the Scots at the Battle of Preston.

The town's position as an area of trade accessible to the sea meant it rapidly took over from nearby Carisbrooke as the main central settlement, eventually absorbing the latter as a suburb.

[7] The Drill hall in Newport opened as the headquarters of the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in 1860.

The main A3020 and A3054 roads converge as Medina Way between the busy roundabouts at Coppins Bridge and St Mary's Hospital.

The nearest city to the town is Portsmouth, about 13 miles (21 km) north-east on Portsea Island, adjoining the mainland.

Seaclose Park in Newport, on the east bank of the River Medina, has since 2002 been the location for the revived Isle of Wight Music Festival, which is held once a year.

In 2018, an application was approved unanimously by the Isle of Wight council for a new stadium off the racecourse roundabout near Newport.

This will be the new stadium for Newport (IW) F.C., so that St George's Park can be turned into an out-of-town retail area.

Television signals are received from the nearby Rowridge TV transmitter which is situated south west of the town.

The Isle of Wight College stands to the north of the town centre, close to St Mary's Roundabout and the large industrial estate.

Between 1807 and 1811 they were held by two future prime ministers: Arthur Wellesley, later to become the Duke of Wellington (who was also elected to two other seats at the same time) and Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston.

The local patron arranging the deal was Sir Leonard Holmes, who made it a condition that they never visited the borough.