Chepstow Castle

[smallhobbit]

In a normal world this week I would have been in London for a few days, visiting exhibitions and seeing plays.  Alas, it was not to be.  But since I had the time booked off work we again went out for a couple of days.

Our first visit was to Chepstow Castle, where it chose to rain.  In fact it rained so much we abandoned any thoughts of looking round Chepstow afterwards and went straight home.  The photos are therefore not as good as I might have hoped, since it was a case of grabbing a picture and putting my phone away again before it got too wet.  Nevertheless they give a reasonable idea of what we saw.

This is the lower bailey, built in the 1190s:



And these are the main gatehouse castle doors, now stored in the hall porch.  They too date from 1190:



The castle is built on the edge of the River Wye:



The castle is now a ruin, but still very impressive:



The oldest part of the castle, the Great Tower, dates from approximately 1090 (the exact date is unknown).  Looking closely, it's possible to see the Roman tiles which were included within the tower walls:



And the view from inside the Great Tower:



 

Comments

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I know it's just the weather but it does look very atmospherically gloomy and 'something rotten in Denmark,' you know?

[smallhobbit]

Yes - it would fit that type very well. It would be a great place to stage Shakespeare.

[mightymads]

Wow, the castle looks amazing!

[smallhobbit]

It's a lovely castle - I'm hoping we'll go back again.

[corvidology]

It's a shame it was raining too hard look around Chepstow.

[smallhobbit]

We were soaked through, so it would have been no fun. Chepstow isn't too far away, so we'll go back at some point, and I've just taken out CADW membership which means we can always take another look when it's dry.

[annofowlshire]

Ah, I love Chepstow Castle. We were there September last year on our holiday. Rained heavily on the way, but then the sun came out just as we started touring. I could post some nicer weather photos if you wanted them.

Is Puzzlewood on the agenda? It’s quite nice and quite fannish what with all the shows/movies filmed there (although perhaps not your fandoms).

[smallhobbit]

I've just taken out CADW membership (they're doing an offer) so we should be able to go back on a dry day. At the moment you have to book in advance, so we couldn't change when we went.

I hadn't thought of Puzzlewood - although it looks like it's very family friendly, which means lots of children, which we try to avoid!

[annofowlshire]

Puzzlewood is traditionally very family friendly, but they also just changed it to a one-way through system which means you may be able to avoid them a bit better since you’re all going the same way and less running about the “maze” in random directions for the kiddos XD

Or wait until the summer holidays are over....

[annofowlshire]

Also the inability to let them run freely may make it less appealing to parents. (It does to me, at least.)

[smallhobbit]

I think waiting until the summer holidays are over is probably the best bet.

[scfrankles]

It's lovely that you've been able to have some trips out at least ^___^ Though what a pity about all the rain ^^"

I have to say I love your photographs - echoing Okapi, you've made the castle look rather dramatic. I'm particularly taken with the picture of the main gatehouse castle doors - you've caught them at such an interesting angle.

[smallhobbit]

We weren't going to waste all the time - and sadly there was nothing much which could have been done about the rain.

I'm glad you like the photos. Ha - the angle for the doors photo had more to do with me trying to get as much shelter as I could, rather than anything else ;)

[rusty_armour]

For once, you've visited a location that I'm very familiar with! I visited Chepstow Castle back in 2003. It was part of a location tour I took when I went to a Robin of Sherwood convention (Silver Arrow 2003). As you've probably guessed, Chepstow was an RoS film location. Anyway, I think you took some wonderful photos! As stonepicnicking_okapi said, the weather makes the castle look atmospherically gloomy. :-)

[smallhobbit]

It's nice to share photos of somewhere you know. And I'm delighted you liked them.

[adafrog]

Great pics. Thanks.

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much.

[debriswoman]

Quite forbidding looking:-)

[smallhobbit]

I rather liked it, but it would certainly make any attacker think twice.

[ellieet]

CASTLES! <3 <3 <3

I was meant to go and see David Tennant's play in the autumn and of course that's not going ahead until next year, but I'm glad you've been able to find something enjoyable all the same. :)

[smallhobbit]

We're hoping to get to see some more.

I had three things booked, but they've all either been put back a year, or the run has been cancelled. Fortunately I'm not out of pocket, because I got a refund for my accommodation.

[moth2fic]

I think I went there as a child. It reminds me of Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire - I assume they were built round about the same time. Sorry about the rain - we are having plenty of that here!

[smallhobbit]

Yes, the castles were built around the same time, and both were improved on in the same period too.

Showers I don't object to so much - they're a basic hazard - but we were soaked through (despite wearing a waterproof) and the rain was getting heavier, so going home and visiting again another day seemed like much the best idea.

[margaret_r]

I love ruined castles, they are fabulous and the history amazing. We spend hours going through them when we're in England. Your photos are great.

The weather looks very much like what we're getting at the moment, but at least we can blame it on being winter!

[smallhobbit]

Thank you very much. Yes, I enjoy exploring them.

At least we aren't both cold and wet.