Chepstow

Chepstow Welsh: Cas-gwent
Chepstow Castle and bridge.
Population	14,195
OS grid reference	ST535935
Principal area	Monmouthshire
Ceremonial county	Gwent
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CHEPSTOW
Postcode district	NP16
Dialling code	01291
Police	Gwent
Fire	South Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
UK Parliament	Monmouth
List of places UK Wales Monmouthshire

Chepstow (Welsh: Cas-gwent) is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is next to the border with England. It is built beside the River Wye, close to where it joins with the River Severn. It is near the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway. It is 16 mi (26 km) east of Newport and 124 mi (200 km) west of London. Named Striguil in Norman times (from a Welsh word meaning bend in the river), by the 14th century it had its current name - from the Old English ceap/chepe meaning market, and stowe meaning place. In Welsh it's called Cas-Gwent, meaning castle of Gwent.^[1]

Chepstow is famous for its castle, the oldest stone castle still standing in Britain, and for Chepstow Racecourse which is home to the Welsh Grand National. The course was officially opened in 1926. Chepstow Racecourse is just 16 miles from Bristol, making it easy to access from England via the Severn Bridge.^[2]

Chepstow's past includes shipbuilding and salmon fishing, the export of timber and oak bark and the import of wine. And in the 18th century the town became popular with visitors following the Wye Tour. Chepstow Museum tells the story of the Wye Tour, and is a short walk from the beautiful Regency iron bridge known as the Old Wye Bridge.

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