NEWARK, a quoad sacra parish (for a time), in the
parish of Port-Glasgow, Lower ward of the county of
Renfrew; containing 2449 inhabitants. Newark is
united to Port-Glasgow, and the two places are termed
the burgh of Port-Glasgow and Newark, the latter forming
the eastern portion of the town. The extent of the
quoad sacra parish was about one square mile, partly
rural; but with the exception of about forty persons, the
whole population of the district, chiefly composed of ship
and other carpenters, coopers, smiths, joiners, weavers,
rope-makers, and other labouring classes, reside in the
town portion. Newark bay is now converted into a
spacious wet-dock, in which vessels of the largest burthen
can lie at any state of the tide: at its eastern extremity
stands the old decayed castle of Newark, on a
point of land. The place is ecclesiastically in the presbytery
of Greenock and synod of Glasgow and Ayr: the
church was built by subscription in 1*74, and is a plain
building, affording accommodation for about 1600 persons:
patrons, the proprietors and seat-holders. There
are several schools. See Port-Glasgow.