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Newport-on-Tay is really a small town but the locals still like to think of it as a village. Most of the development of the village has taken place in the last 200 years although there have been ferries crossing the Tay here for centuries before that. In those early days Newport was made up of cottages around the shore and harbour areas with a population of around 100. Newport was on the main coaching route, linking the Tay and Forth ferries, for travellers to Edinburgh, then a day's journey away. Infamously, Newport's place in history is marked in John Wesley's diary as the village where no-one would offer him food or lodging on his long journey south......
In those days Newport was called Seamills after the meal mills which stood near the water. Gradually the name changed to New Dundee, then Newport-Dundee and finally Newport. In 1823 a new pier was constructed to Thomas Telford's design affording improved ferry services and giving a tremendous effect on the development of the village helping it expand rapidly. The ferries did make a difference to the type of village Newport would become by the middle of the century. Newport became a real attraction as a convenient holiday resort for Dundee's businessmen and their families, and was fast becoming a dormitory suburb of Dundee. It was the arrival of the railways that encouraged Dundee business men to bring their families to Newport permanently enjoying lower rates, the purer air and sea bathing. The village developed further with the arrival of the railways. As early as 1854 plans were mooted for bridges over not only the Tay but the Forth too - these were not thought possible. However, plans were drawn up in 1863 and work began at Wormit bay at 1871. In 1878 the new bridge was opened with a connecting rail link to Tayport via 2 stations at Newport benefiting the village greatly. One year later on the 28th December 1879 the Tay rail bridge collapsed, resulting in the loss of a train and all on board.. A replacement bridge was opened in 1887 giving a train service once more. Newport now had a good transport system provided by trains and ferries and this continued until the 1960s when a road bridge was built across the Tay. The new bridge was opened in 1966 and this meant the end of the ferries and the railways. The last ferry sailed on the 18th August 1966 and the last train ran on the 5th May 1969. Newport is in the parish of Forgan. The original Church of Forgan - now ruined - was situated on the back road to Tayport and probably dates back to the 14th Century. Many interesting stones can be found in the old kirkyard surrounding the church. In 1841 a new parish church was built on the Leuchars-Newport road replacing the Forgan Church. Due to rapid increase in growth of population in Newport a new establishment church of St Thomas's was built in 1871 in the village. Not long after the opening of Forgan Kirk in 1841 came the Disruption in the Church of Scotland in 1843 and the Newport Free Church was founded call St Fillans Free Church situated in the village. By 1981 these three churches were united. St Fillans was demolished in 1979. The oldest church in the village, first formed in 1801 was the Congregational Church, they met for worship in many different meeting houses until a new church was built in 1868 and situated at the bottom of Kilnburn. This church closed in 1986. In 1881 Trinity Church or the United Prebysterian was built at the bottom of the High Street. Episcopalians met from 1883 and money was raised to build a church which was opened in 1887. Members of St Phillans Catholic Church met in Robert Street until their church was built in 1893. The opening of the Tay Road Bridge meant the end of the ferry and train service. There is still great nostalgia for that era. The road bridge meant a new chapter in the life of Newport, but one thing that has not changed is the friendliness of the community within Newport.
compiled by Moira McHardy A full history of Newport can be found in "Newport-on-Tay" by Mairi Shiels |
