Chepstow Castle

Chepstow Castle is a magnificent medieval castle occupying a spectacular defensive position on vertical cliffs above the River Wye. The castle is aligned predominantly east to west over rising ground and is constructed of stone, rubble, and dressed stone.

The main entrance lies at the east through the Outer Gatehouse, which comprises twin round towers with battered bases. These towers feature cruciform and plain arrow slits at three levels, later square-headed windows with mullions and trefoil-headed tracery. The central double arched gateway contains portcullis slots, remains of a barbican, murder holes, and metal-reinforced wooden double doors, with a high detached arch above.

Adjacent to the south is a stretch of battered curtain wall standing almost to battlement level with arrow loops. This adjoins Marten's Tower, which is D-shaped in plan with rectangular corner turrets. One turret has a high east-facing arched window. The tower features deep spur buttresses, deep arrow loops at three levels, trefoil-headed lancets, and deep coped battlements with arrow slits, crowned by eroded stone figures from the 14th century. A later Tudor window of two lights has been inserted.

The curtain wall continues at a right angle, slightly curved and following the crest, with signs in the masonry of alteration and rebuilding including a blocked arch. Two wide buttresses and a range of rectangular cannon slots line the top, forming the south wall of the lower bailey. At the junction between this and the south wall of the middle bailey stands a round tower with battered base, three storeys, battlements, and arrow slits. Further west is a second D-plan tower with battered base, battlements, and arrow slits.

The curtain wall continues to adjoin the rectangular Great Tower, whose outer wall of five bays is separated by pilasters of large square stone blocks. Originally without windows, a 13th-century insertion has been made. The curtain wall extends from the upper end, enclosing the upper bailey and extending to the outer face of the Corner Tower. This tower features ashlar quoins standing to battlement height with cruciform arrow slits, two round-arched windows at wall-top level, a blocked arch to the plinth, and a low large blocked arrow loop.

At the west end stands the Barbican complex. A tall circular corner tower on a rocky outcrop features cruciform arrow slits at three levels on all angles. The wall between tower and barbican is curved, rising from bare rock intact to battlements and incorporating arrow slits. The tall Barbican Tower itself rises from high bare rock in front of the west gateway. Its sides are battered for three-quarters of their height. Three large arrow slits sit below a corbel table beneath the battlements. A tall outer arch, remodelled in the 20th century, fronts a pointed inner arch with portcullis slots within the pointed tunnel vault and heavy double doors.

The north side of the castle complex stands directly on the river cliffs and can only be seen from a distance, but follows the same sequence. At the east lower end, the outer wall of the great hall, kitchen, service block, and chamber block adjoins the east side of the outer gatehouse.

Within the castle walls, the Outer Bailey is entered via the Outer Gatehouse at the east, which leads immediately on the right to the hall range. This comprises a chamber block, kitchen, service rooms, and great hall. A modern entrance and shop have been constructed under the chamber block. The upper rooms probably provided accommodation for Bigod's household officers and guests. From outside, the range displays asymmetrical windows, one with a quatrefoil head.

The kitchen sits between the chamber block and cross passage as a tall room, probably formerly with a central hearth. It features a tall two-light transomed window with quatrefoil head opening onto the outer bailey. The wall stands to battlement level with arrow slots. A service passage with a wide pointed chamfered arch separates the kitchen from the hall range. Because of the rising ground, the passage unusually incorporates additional rooms. Lower service rooms are entered through steeply pointed arches from the main passage, which also leads to stairs descending to a rib-vaulted cellar. The buttery and pantry are adjacent to the hall at intermediate level, with a large private chamber above, now used as a display area. Renewed paired arched lights open to the bailey.

A square embattled corner entrance tower with angle buttresses has been renewed and glazed with a similar transomed window. Paired arched lights sit under a double hood-mould above. A pointed arched doorway in the uphill face led externally to the Great Hall, which could also be reached internally by stairs from the cross passage. The hall was open to the roof and would have had a dividing timber screen at the service end and a dais with high table at the upper end, opposite three pointed arched service doorways.

Marten's Tower at the far side of the lower bailey is entered through a pointed-arched doorway with a studded wooden door of wide planks with heavy iron hinges, protected by a portcullis. The flat rear face of the D-shaped plan fronts the bailey with projecting corner towers. The tower stands to battlement level and was still inhabitable in the early 19th century. Small trefoil-headed lights appear at the upper level. An inward-facing 16th-century transom and mullion window with cusped heads to the lights under a square hoodmould has been inserted. The now floorless interior has wide embrasures to openings on three levels and a windowless basement. A chamfered pointed-arched doorway leads to the mural tower staircase. An upper chapel window features floral ornament. The battlements remain intact and provide access to the wallwalk.

The Middle Bailey is entered through what was originally an outer gateway to the earlier complex, a large projecting round tower to the right with arrow slits. A later Tudor insertion of doors and fireplaces includes a pointed-arched doorway of two orders with massive boarded studded wooden double gates with heavy hinges. Remains of Tudor buildings stand against the adjoining wall. A round corner tower to the left is incorporated into the curtain wall. The inner side of the wall also displays later features.

The south curtain wall range, reinforced with buttresses and extending from the round tower, has a wall-walk behind 17th-century musket slots and access to the D-shaped wall-tower. At the upper end stands the earliest structure, the Great Tower or Hall Keep. Steps lead up to an entrance on the two-bay east side, which features a square-headed Norman doorway with chip-carved tympanum and two orders of round arches. The north side is similar to the south, which is incorporated into the curtain wall but includes windows. Originally, the hall was lit by three small round-arched windows on this riverside. A 13th-century modification included inserting heavily moulded pointed-arched first floor windows with quatrefoil tracery, mullions, and transoms. An internal Norman wall arcade retains some surviving plaster, and at the upper gable end are two round openings.

Adjacent outside is the gallery, a passage through a double-arched doorway between the Keep and the riverside wall with stepped chamfered-arched openings.

The Upper Bailey is small and narrow, bounded at the lower end by the end wall of the Keep and at the upper end by the Corner or South West Tower, built to provide domestic accommodation for persons of high status, including Countess Isabella de Clare, wife of William Marshal. Windows have wide embrasures edged with roll moulding and remains of painted plaster. The outer wall has been removed, but that which remains stands to battlement level.

A high pointed-arched doorway of two orders on the upper side, with a wooden gate with studs and heavy hinges, leads to a wooden bridge to the barbican. The defensive walls here are intact. Two upper storeys serve the barbican tower and gatehouse. A wall-walk on corbels retains intact merlons, with a range of internal round-arched embrasures to the arrow slits. At the south-west, the corner tower, now open, originally had a timber inner-facing wall. A postern gate sits at the lower angle.