Chepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle, begun by William FitzOsbern in 1067, was the first Norman stone castle in Wales. Perched above the River Wye, it anchored the southern end of the Welsh Marches and controlled the crossing into Wales.

Why it mattered

• First stone castle in Wales
• Anchor of the Welsh Marches
• Built by William FitzOsbern

Architecture and the site

• Great Tower (among the oldest surviving in Britain)
• Curtain walls along the cliff

Chronology (selected)

• 1067: FitzOsbern begins building in stone
• 1189: William Marshal expands the castle

Further reading

• Rick Turner, "Chepstow Castle" (2006)

Hub essays

• Region context: normans in wales and the march and the shared bibliography.
• Castles and fortification: Norman castles — motte to stone.

On the map

Use Open on map to fly to this pin in the Norman expansion era. Layers are teaching overlays — pair them with charters, excavation reports, and the works above.