About

Chepstow Castle is a must-visit as the oldest post-Roman stone castle in the UK (with the oldest castle doors in Europe!). It is a beautifully preserved masterpiece of medieval engineering, perched high above the Wye Valley like a history lesson in stone.

There’s no better place in Britain to see how castles gradually evolved to cope with ever more destructive weaponry – and the grandiose ambitions of their owners. For more than six centuries Chepstow Castle was home to some of the wealthiest and most powerful men of the medieval and Tudor ages.

Building was started in 1067 by Earl William fitz Osbern, close friend of William the Conqueror, making it one of the first Norman strongholds in Wales. In turn William Marshal (Earl of Pembroke), Roger Bigod (Earl of Norfolk) and Charles Somerset (Earl of Worcester) all made their mark before the castle declined after the Civil War.

Magnates and power-brokers were constantly on the move. Chepstow was just one residence in their vast estates – an impressive shell into which they would bring their gold and silver vessels, rich silk and brightly painted furniture.

Nowadays Chepstow Castle is managed by Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government, and has many fantastic events throughout the year, from re-enactments and falconry displays, to live music and theatre.