The Castle Inn on Newport High Street is the oldest pub in Newport. Its site was first licensed in 1550, and the building you drink in today dates from the 17th century. It's a proper old pub: low ceilings, dark wood, stone floors and a real fire in winter. It also comes with the best legend in town, a secret tunnel to Carisbrooke Castle.
At a glance
- Address: 91 High Street, Newport, PO30 1BQ
- Phone: 01983 522528
- Open: 11am to 11pm, until 1am Friday and Saturday (per CAMRA)
- Dogs: welcome
- Good for: a pie and a pint in town, history, a fire on a winter evening
The historySection titled The history
The Castle Inn is Grade II listed. The listing records that the site received its first licence in 1550. The present building is 17th century, and a datestone reading 1684 is set in the front. CAMRA notes that a fire that year led to the front wall being rebuilt in Dutch brick. The frontage was altered again in the early 20th century, and the rear was extended in the late 1960s. The bar was once five small rooms (one of them licensed for weddings) and is now a single room.
The Carisbrooke Castle tunnelSection titled The Carisbrooke Castle tunnel
The Castle Inn's most famous story is that a secret tunnel once ran between the pub and Carisbrooke Castle, about a mile and a half away. According to the legend, Charles I used it to slip out for a drink while he was held prisoner at the castle in 1647-48. Another version says he drank here under armed guard.
There's no evidence a tunnel ever existed, and digging one that far would have been a huge undertaking. But it's a good story to tell over a pint. If you want the real history of the king's imprisonment, Carisbrooke Castle itself is open to visitors.
The rougher side of townSection titled The rougher side of town
Local stories say the upstairs rooms once served as a brothel, back when this end of Newport was the rough part of town. We haven't found a documentary source for that, so treat it as pub lore.
The foodSection titled The food
The Castle Inn is a good place to eat in Newport, with generous portions. The pies are the highlight: almost a match for the ones at The Crown Inn in Shorwell, which is high praise from us.
The beerSection titled The beer
Beer isn't where the Castle Inn excels. CAMRA lists two changing ales, usually one dark and one light from national breweries, alongside the mainstream lagers you'd expect.
If you're after local beers, Newport has better options. Newport Ale House on Holyrood Street is one of the smallest pubs on the island and was IW CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2019 and 2023. The Bargeman's Rest on Little London Quay is a big harbourside pub with a wide beer range.
The atmosphereSection titled The atmosphere
The atmosphere at the Castle is great. It's dark, cosy and old, with a real fire in winter. CAMRA also lists a garden (the outdoor area has been enlarged) and occasional live music. It's a lovely place to spend an evening.
Getting thereSection titled Getting there
The pub is on the High Street in the middle of Newport, a short walk from the bus station, where buses arrive from Cowes, Ryde, Sandown and the rest of the island. There are pay-and-display car parks around the town centre.
More pubs in NewportSection titled More pubs in Newport
- The best pubs in Newport: our Newport shortlist
- The Man in the Moon: Newport's Wetherspoons, in a converted 1848 chapel (no dogs, though)
- Cafés in Newport, if it's too early for a pint
- All our Isle of Wight pub reviews
SourcesSection titled Sources
- Our own visits
- Castle Inn, Newport: listed building entry: British Listed Buildings (Grade II, 1550 licence, 1684 datestone)
- Castle Inn, Newport: CAMRA (hours, facilities, beer; updated August 2026)
- Newport Ale House wins pub of the year: IW Observer
- The Bargeman's Rest: Visit Isle of Wight
