Photographs of Newport Parrog

Newport Pembrokeshire, should not be confused, with other Newport’s in Wales or the UK. Newport Pembs is unique and though the size of a village, it actually boasts a town charter.

The coastal part of Newport is known as the “Parrog” for that is where the township's first settlement was.

The houses along the sea front, to the west of the old port area, date back to the end of the 19th Century.

Newport was then an important trading harbour and many fine sailing ships were built here.

Some of these ships have been recorded as taking early settlers to North America.

The houses along the harbour wall vary in style and size considerably. Changes in Architecture and particularly in the size of the houses probably reflect the changes in prosperity of the port at different times.

The houses are now mostly colour washed, making this area of the town very picturesque, attractive, desirable and an expensive area to live in.

Newport Parrog and Newport Sands are separated by the estuary and the river Nevern (Nyfer in Welsh).

Newport Parrog beach is tidal and there is only a small amount of sand at high tide.

There is slipway for boat launching and a boat club has been established at the far end of the car park in one of the old warehouses.

This are is very popular in the evening when you can sit and enjoy wonderful sunsets over the whole of Newport bay, south to Cemaes head and north to Morfa head.

Newport estuary boasts some stepping stones in the water (accessible at low tide) which act as a short cut between both beaches. Traditionally these are associated with the medieval pilgrims who were travelling to St David's via Nevern.

There was a bridge here in the Middle Ages, but according to tradition it was removed in the 1600's to prevent an epidemic from reaching the town from Nevern parish.

Until 1894, when the precursor to the present bridge was built, the stepping stones were used at low tide and a ferry boat operated when the tide was high.

The northern side off the estuary is Newport beach (Traeth mawr in Welsh), this is approximately a mile of sandy beach at low tide, it is fantastic long stretch which sweeps around and up the estuary as well as fronting Newport bay.

Newport’s beach is maintained and protected by the Pembrokeshire coast National park it is backed by sand dunes, it has a blue flag award and has a surf lifesaving hut which is manned during the summer months.

It is also quite unique in that it still allows cars to park on part of the beach, which helps make a family picnic at the sea side very easy to organize.

There is also a good sized car park just above the beach and the Coastal bus service the Poppit rocket uses this as one of its designated stopping points.

The views from both beaches are stunning. Newport bay is often a popular place for the dolphins and porpoise to play in the relative shelter of both headlands.