The South Wales town of Newport, on the River Usk, was a powerhouse of Britain’s Industrial Revolution; social change, characterised by the Chartist movement and new technologies built from steel and powered by coal, combined to create a new way of life. Author Andrew Hemmings shows how the city left behind its Roman and medieval past to develop into a modern commercial and industrial centre, proud of its docks and shipping industry. Along the way he tells the story of Tredegar House, a Restoration mansion that was the home of the flamboyant Morgan family, with tales of riotous parties, dark arts, war heroism and various animal menageries.

In more recent times, the city has opened up the Newport Wetlands and Wales Coast Path to visitors, as well as providing filming locations for Doctor Who and The Man from Uncle. Secret Newport delves beneath the surface of this fascinating town, revealing hidden facts that even most local people don’t know.