Coltharts Garage

Explorer Tom Chepstow Castle stretches along a limestone cliff above the River Wye like a family argument that ran for six hundred years and left every speaker a new wall. Start near the oldest part, then follow the buildings forward through time. Few castles make their changes so easy to see, and the river below explains why anyone wanted to hold this spot. William fitz Osbern, a close ally of William the Conqueror, began building here in 1067. That makes Chepstow one of the first Norman strongholds in Wales. Later owners included William Marshal, Roger Bigod and Charles Somerset, men wealthy enough to change both the defences and the rooms. Their additions show how a castle had to answer stronger weapons while still displaying its lord's standing. The result is less one frozen medieval fortress than a long argument in stone about how to stay powerful. Walk the length of the site and notice how the cliff does some of the defensive work. The towers, gates and courtyards open different views across the Wye, while the high walls reveal building phases that a single photograph misses. Imagine the rich fabrics and portable furnishings once brought here by owners who moved among several great houses. Bare stone can make every era look equally bleak; these were also places of colour, comfort and ambition. Cadw runs Chepstow as a ticketed historic place with opening hours that change by season. A steep main approach, uneven steps and narrow upper wall walks mean it is worth checking the access guide before visiting. Rain can make some surfaces slippery. Give yourself time to move slowly from 1067 towards the later centuries; this castle has taken longer than most to finish telling its story.