Chepstow – Cas-Gwent in Welsh – is a historic walled town in South East Wales.
Sitting on the River Wye, which forms the border with England just over the picturesque 1816 iron bridge, it is probably best known for its castle – the oldest stone-built castle in the country – and its racecourse.
But it has much mo r e to offer. Historically, it commanded the entrance to the River Wye and was an important trading and shipbuilding port – activities which lasted well into the 20 th century. A stronghold of the Norman conquest, it became a centre for the wine trade and later for the export of timber and bark for the English navy. As the castle fell into ruin, the town was an important stop on the Wye Tour, the start of the British tourist industry.