New Reydon
 36.8276°S, 131.3416°E | |||||
| New Reydon Xwexwéyt Retan (Alhqwawt) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||||
| |||||
| Country |  Deodeca | ||||
| • Province |  Ingerish Asperia | ||||
| • County | Goughland County | ||||
| Demonym | Reydoner, Reydie | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Lord Mayor | Hon. James Fitzjames | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • City | 125.35 km2 48.40 sq mi | ||||
| • Metropolitan area | 913.815 km2 352.825 sq mi | ||||
| Elevation | 20 m (65 ft) | ||||
| Population | |||||
| • Estimate (2021) | 445,394 | ||||
| • Census (2025) | 456,788 | ||||
| • Density | 499.86/km2 | ||||
| Postal Code | BA1 AA1 | ||||
New Reydon is the capital city of the province of Ingrean Asperia, located in the northern region of Deodeca. The city sits at the western edge of St Agnes Gulf, where the Regina River empties into Sattewena Lagoon. As the political center of Ingrean Asperia, New Reydon hosts the provincial government, along with its judicial and legislative branches. It is also home to three of the province’s major universities, reflecting its longstanding role as a center of education in the region.
The city is noted for its colonial-era architecture and expansive green spaces, with many historic buildings and monuments dating back to the early days of the Colony of Asperia (established in 1700). The local Indigenous people, the Alhqwawt, have inhabited the area for over a thousand years, making extensive use of the coastal plains, rivers, and lagoons for fishing, hunting, and navigation.
Etymology
The city’s name is derived from Reydon, a market town in Ingrea north of Winburgh. The prefix “New” reflects the city’s status as a colonial settlement. In Alhqwawt, the indigenous language of the region, the city is called Xwexwéyt Retan, which is a literal translation of 'New Reydon'. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to as Ntsélexw Q’wál̓em̓, meaning “where the river meets the still water" (likely reflecting the river meeting the lagoon).
History
Precolonial
Evidence suggests that the Alhaqwawt people have inhabited the area for over 1,000 years. Archaeological sites containing fish bones, hooks, and abandoned dwellings have been cited as key evidence. The Alhaqwawt made extensive use of the region's rivers and lagoons for fishing and navigation, and formed small, seasonally-based settlements along the coast. The area around present-day New Reydon was traditionally known as Ntsélexw Q’wál̓em̓, and the Sattewena River was considered an important route for travel and resource gathering. The nearby Goughland Lagoons are regarded as sacred by the Alhaqwawt and served as a vital landscape for food, materials, and shelter from the Gulf’s rougher waters.
Ulethan exploration and settlement
By 1690, the Speshxen people of northern Asperia had been formally recognised by the Ingrean colonial government. As negotiations progressed for the purchase of land at Baptist Bay, colonial officials began to advocate for the establishment of a new settlement further south, away from the Speshxen territory.
In December 1699, a brigade of Naval Marines and 125 settlers from Lamington assembled to establish the first colonial presence in the area now known as New Reydon. By February 1700, the settlement had been surveyed and land parcels were made available for purchase. In June of the same year, at Flagstaff Point, the Colony of Ingrean Asperia was formally proclaimed.
Early days
By the 1710s, the original colony was divided, with Kastichetshan formed from Ingrean Asperia’s southern territories. During this time, New Reydon remained a modest administrative center, with its proximity to deep inland resources making it a waypoint between inland timber operations and the Gulf trade routes.
The 1740s saw tensions rise with both indigenous groups and rival Ulethan colonial powers, particularly Ambrosia and Valony. While New Reydon was spared direct military engagement during the Glenburn Conflicts and the Colonial Skirmishes of the 1750s, it became a logistics hub and hosted a growing garrison at Califax Fort.
Early industries in the region centred around logging, with timber floated downriver to the lagoon, then loaded onto smaller skiffs for transport to ships in the Gulf. These ships would carry the timber to Lamington for milling and export. Later waves of Gaelig migrants introduced cattle and sheep farming to the inland plains. Additionally, clay deposits along the lagoon shores supported a small but thriving brickmaking industry, while stone quarried in Goughbury was used for civic and colonial buildings and shipped along the coast.
The city expanded quickly from its original layout centred around the Provincial House. Roads were constructed connecting the city to Bellara Lagoon and northward to Stockton, which initially served as the city’s primary port.
However, the shallow waters and sandbars of Sattewena Lagoon proved hazardous to shipping. By 1810, over 32 vessels had either beached or run aground near Entrance Island.
Federation Era
During the Federation debates of the late 18th century, New Reydon’s population and economy had boomed, due in part to agricultural expansion, livestock industries introduced by Gaelig migrants, and a growing university sector. The establishment of the New Reydon Institute of Learning in 1769 — later to become University of New Reydon — cemented the city’s cultural significance.
By the time Deodeca entered formal Federation discussions in the 1780s, New Reydon was an established regional capital. While it never served as the federal capital, it maintained a powerful and influential role in shaping Deodeca’s constitutional order, often compared to a “Northern Kingstown.”
The Clamash Purchase of 1842 and the resulting administrative restructuring of Deodeca greatly increased New Reydon’s political leverage. This period saw major infrastructure investment across the region. The Ingrean Asperia Main Line was developed, and a steam railway connected New Reydon directly to Baptist Bay, bolstering inland freight and travel. Meanwhile, the New Cut canal project was completed, and a safe navigational channel was dredged through Bellara Lagoon, establishing Port Reydon as the city’s new deepwater port. This marked the decline of Stockton, whose river-mouth facilities proved increasingly inadequate for the growing demands of maritime commerce.
Post-war
Geography
New Reydon sits along the Regina River, facing the Gulf of St. Agnes to the east. The city sits predominantly on coastal plains and rises slightly in elevation westwards. To the south lies Bellara Lagoon, a coastal lake that is fed by the Regina and Bellara River and is part of the larger Goughland Lagoons. The coastline is mainly undramatic with sloping beaches. Around Point-of-the-Province, several minor headlands are located. The highest point in the city is Hogarty Hill, at 102m above sea level.
Infrastructure
Demographics
| Population census[1][2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Population | Change |
| 1650 | 2,000 | — |
| 1700 | 350 | -82.5% |
| 1725 | 900 | 157.14% |
| 1750 | 2,500 | 177.78% |
| 1780 | 4,200 | 68% |
| 1810 | 6,370 | 51.67% |
| 1840 | 12,800 | 100.94% |
| 1870 | 25,400 | 98.44% |
| 1900 | 42,600 | 67.72% |
| 1930 | 55,000 | 29.11% |
| 1950 | 68,900 | 25.27% |
| 1970 | 96,300 | 39.77% |
| 1990 | 187,500 | 94.7% |
| 2005 | 308,200 | 64.37% |
| 2021 | 445,394 | 44.51% |
| 2025 | 456,788 | 2.56% |