Newport Academy

Newport Academy is an Independent Chapel, dating back to 1702, with an extension added in 1725, and subsequently altered. It is now used as artists' studios. The building is constructed of brick in an English Garden Wall bond, with a slate roof. The front facade faces southwest and is simply detailed, featuring a brick dentil cornice, horizontal and raking to the gable. A rendered semi-circular panel is set within the pediment. The ground floor has a central 12-pane cast-iron window with a round head, and similar square-headed 16-pane windows either side, with the left window having 12 panes. Above, a central blind window is flanked by three further iron windows; the outer left window appears to be original, made of timber with a fanlight. A stone panel, now heavily eroded, formerly displayed the date above the central ground-floor window. The building continues to the northwest end, partly in stone, and accommodates an entrance featuring a 6-panelled door within a Tuscan pilastered doorcase, with a triglyph frieze, dentils, and a modillion cornice. Five significantly eroded grave slabs are attached to the chapel's front, commemorating William Kend, Charles Redden (a linen draper), Mary Mardy (died 1830), William Henry Chapman (died 1845), and an eroded sandstone tablet. Modern lean-to structures are attached to the rear and sides.

Inside, the chapel has an unusual rectangular plan, extended to the north. Within the main body is an arcade of three depressed arches on pilasters along the rear wall. The interior features a shallow-pitched boarded ceiling with exposed purlins. It has been stripped out and an upper floor inserted, strengthened to support its former use as a telephone exchange.

Originally described as "all that new built or new erected house, Chappel of Meeting Place", the 1725 extension included the provision of side galleries. As the community grew, the chapel was replaced in 1880 by the present Congregational church (now United Reformed Church), which provided seating for 400 and catered for the expanding free church community.