[5] The first market charter was granted by Henry I, and over time the name changed from Novus Burgus, to Nova Porta, to Newborough and finally to Newport in about 1220.

Newport sits on a sandstone ridge on the eastern border of the Welsh Marches and west of the Aqualate Mere, the largest natural lake in the English Midlands.

There is evidence of pre-historic fishing in the area as two ancient log boats were uncovered one mile (1.6 km) from Newport.

The villages of Church Aston, Chetwynd and Longford are adjoined to the south of Newport, though they remain in separate parishes.

The village of Edgmond is located just to the west, separated by Cheney Hill, Chetwynd Park and the currently truncated Shrewsbury and Newport Canal.

[10] At the time of the Norman Conquest, the land where Newport sits formed part of the manor of Edgmond, which William I gave as a gift along with the county of Shropshire to Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury.

The wide main street was designed for its market, and the narrow burgage plots running at right angles to it are typical of Norman architecture and planning, though today only Newport Guildhall and Smallwood Lodge are clear signs of Tudor buildings, due to the 1665 fire which destroyed most of the High Street.

The many half-timbered buildings surviving from the late medieval and Tudor periods confirm Newport's success, leading to the first market charter which was granted by Henry I.

One of the main reasons for Newport's early wealth was the surrounding fisheries and the chief service of the burgesses, being that of taking fish to the Royal court wherever it might be.

The governing body consisted of a Lord High Steward, deputy steward, two water-bailiffs and 28 burgesses, but the corporation was abolished by the Municipal Corporation Act of 1883, and a Local Board was formed, which, under the Local Government Act 1894, gave place to an urban district council.

By the 19th century, Newport was surrounded by large estates that came right to the verge of the town, determining size and development.

These estates exerted a powerful influence on the town, something obvious in the deference shown and respect paid to these landed families until at least the First World War.

On the west between Lilleshall and the town was the Longford Estate of the Talbots, Earls of Shrewsbury, sold in 1789 to Ralph Leake of Wellington who had made his fortune in the East India Company.

In the 1960s to early 1970s, when the population of Newport was nearer 3000, over a third of the local workforce was employed at Serck Audco Valves, Greenwood Moore, Kwiz Feather Flights etc.

[citation needed] On 23 November 1981, an F1/T2 tornado which formed over the nearby civil parish of Chetwynd later moved over Newport, causing some damage in the town.

[14] At Harper Adams University College just outside Newport in Edgmond, on 11 January 1982 the English lowest temperature weather record was broken (and is kept to this day): −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F).

[7] Newport is now predominantly a commuter town, with people travelling to Telford, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Wolverhampton and beyond for employment.

[15] The next stage of the regeneration, which was mainly focused on the High Street area of the town and Central square, involved re-surfacing the High-Street pavements and changing the design of the High Street around the Puleston Cross, removing the cobblestones and replacing them with paving and the traced outline of the ancient market hall.

After the fire of Newport in 1665 the old Norman buildings were replaced with grander Georgian architecture, which hid the work yards behind.

[23] Towards the top end of the town is the Combat Stress centre, built in 1908 as the infirmary for the Newport Workhouse; it was subsequently developed as accommodation for elderly ladies until its closure in 1995.

They include a Norman west door and part of the front, considerable remains of the church besides, and traces of domestic buildings.

The cemetery contains a chapel built at the same time and is bounded at the public roadside by fine wrought iron railings and gates.

The cemetery was originally laid out with four oval lawns around a cross-shaped set of roads with the chapel centrally placed.

The Football Association, Medical and Exercise Science Department is based at Lilleshall Hall on the outskirts of the town.

[34] The Newport and Market Drayton Advertiser, is the town's weekly newspaper, in publication since 1854, has premises located on St Mary's Street.

All are published by Shropshire Newspapers Ltd. Nova Magazine, first published in 1994 as Nova News, is a free monthly magazine distributed to Newport, Church Aston, Edgmond, Tibberton, Hinstock, Forton, Sutton, Norbury, Gnosall, Outwoods, Moreton, Sheriffhales, Muxton and Lilleshall.

Just outside the town is Edgmond Hall, used by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council for outdoor activities for school students.

The former Stafford to Shrewsbury Line once ran through the town, but due to cuts Newport (Salop) railway station was closed in September 1964 and has now been dismantled.

Cycle maps for these routes are available from the Newport Visitor Information centre, located in the Pop Up Shop on Wellington Road.

[40] The town sits on the Way for the Millennium walkway which is 40 miles (64 km) long, and heads toward Stafford, passing through several villages on the way.