Chepstow Port Wall

After the Norman conquest of England and parts of south Wales, Chepstow developed as an important port and trading centre within the Marcher Lordship of Striguil, the town's name deriving from meaning a trading place. The town and its priory were defended by its castle, established in 1067 and reconstructed and extended in stone on several occasions. The port was known for its exports of timber and bark, and its imports of wine from Gascony, Spain and Portugal. Because of its status as a Marcher lordship, dues were levied by the local lord, outside any direct control by the English crown. It has been suggested, but not confirmed, that the priory, castle and river crossing may originally…

The wall is, on average, about 5 m high and 2 m thick. It was built without any substantial foundations, and is faced with roughly squared blocks of stone ashlar and filled with rubble. It originally had a walkway along the inside and battlements along the top, and at least 11 outward-facing semi-circular towers, each about 8 metres in diameter. In some stretches there was a dry ditch outside the wall. It is uncertain whether the wall originally extended from the castle wall itself, or from a point across the Dell, a steeply sided valley which forms a natural moat on the south side of the castle.