Newtown is a market town in Powys, Wales, lying on the upper reaches of the River Severn and historically part of Montgomeryshire. It expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries as a centre for textile and flannel manufacture, with the coming of better transport links bringing mills and workshops whose legacy is still visible in the town’s streets and older buildings.
Today Newtown mixes light industry, agriculture and local services with a lively cultural scene - including contemporary exhibitions at Oriel Davies Gallery - and acts as a gateway to the surrounding hills and the Cambrian Mountains. The town has a strong regional identity shaped by its industrial past, regular markets and community events, and a population that reflects both Welsh and English-speaking traditions.