Chepstow Castle

Today we went to Chepstow Castle and everyone enjoyed climbing the walls and towers. This is a part of the castle front gates now protected from the worst of Welsh weather as the gates date back to no later than 1190 making them the oldest castle gates in Europe.

Additional interest for us is that Earl Roger Bygod built the great hall about 1280 and by all accounts it was spectacular. I have a friend in Louth who is a direct descendant of Roger Bygod so that made the visit even more interesting. The great hall was for entertaining and ceremonial visits and had finely carved windows, painted plasterwork and painted floor tiles. I still think it would have felt cold and damp as the drizzle fell on us!