scenic viewpoint
Devil's Pulpit
A narrow limestone pinnacle perched above the Wye Valley near Tintern Abbey, offering a dizzying view down through the forest canopy.
6 km · about 10 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomWales
Chepstow
Wales, United Kingdom · Europe
About Chepstow
Chepstow works well as a base: 10 minutes from Tintern, 6km from A466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth).
Chepstow is in Wales, United Kingdom, with about 12,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Tintern, about 6 km away.
Chepstow (Welsh: Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about 2 miles (3 km) above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western end of the Severn Bridge. It is the easternmost settlementRead more
in Wales, situated 16 miles (26 km) east of Newport, 28 miles (45 km) east-northeast of Cardiff, 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Bristol and 110 miles (180 km) west of London.
Chepstow Castle, situated on a clifftop above the Wye and the old bridge, is often cited as the oldest surviving stone castle in Britain. The castle was established by William FitzOsbern immediately after the Norman Conquest, and was extended in later centuries before becoming ruined after the Civil War. A Benedictine priory was also established within the walled town, which was the centre of the Marcher lordship of Striguil. The port of Chepstow became noted in the Middle Ages for its imports of wine, and also became a major centre for the export of timber and bark, from nearby woodland in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. In the late eighteenth century the town was a focus of early tourism as part of the "Wye Tour", and the tourist industry remains important. Other important industries included shipbuilding – one of the First World War National Shipyards was established in the town – and heavy engineering, including the prefabrication of bridges and wind turbine towers. Chepstow is also well known for its racecourse, which has hosted the Welsh National each year since 1949.
The town had a population of 12,350 at the 2011 census, decreasing to 11,900 (rounded to the nearest 100) at the 2021 census. It is served by the M48 motorway, and its accessibility to the cities of Bristol, Newport and Cardiff means it has a large number of commuters. It is administered as part of Monmouthshire County Council, and is within the Monmouthshire UK parliamentary constituency and Monmouth Senedd constituency. Chepstow is on the western bank of the Wye, while adjoining villages on the eastern bank of the river, Tutshill and Sedbury, are in England. The population of the built-up area including these villages was 15,600 in 2021.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Chepstow?
Within an hour or so of Chepstow: Devil's Pulpit (6 km), A466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth) (6 km), Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean (Star Wars, Merlin, Doctor Who) (16 km), Clifton Suspension Bridge (21 km).
Are there any good drives near Chepstow?
The nearest famous roads are A466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth), Cheddar Gorge Road (B3135) and Gospel Pass.
Where is Chepstow?
Chepstow is in Wales, United Kingdom, about 6 km from Tintern.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 11,900
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Wales
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.6409, -2.6768
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Chepstow
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
A466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth)
A wooded riverside road through a designated AONB past Tintern Abbey, gentle and beautiful rather than challenging.
6 km · about 10 min drive
film location
Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean (Star Wars, Merlin, Doctor Who)
The moss-covered rock maze in the Forest of Dean appears in The Force Awakens, Merlin and Doctor Who.
16 km · about 20 min drive
bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Isambard Kingdom Brunel's iconic 1864 suspension bridge soaring 75m above the Avon Gorge at Bristol, still carrying traffic and glowing with lights after dark.
21 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Symonds Yat Rock
A famous viewpoint 504 feet above the River Wye, where peregrine falcons nest and the river performs a dramatic horseshoe bend.
23 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Skirrid Fawr (Ysgyryd Fawr)
A landslipped 486m ridge above Abergavenny whose split profile gave rise to the legend it cracked at the Crucifixion.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Castle Combe
A film-set medieval village of honey cottages with no visible modern intrusions, often called England's prettiest village.
35 km · about 40 min drive
film location
Castle Combe (Doctor Dolittle, War Horse, Stardust)
Often called England's prettiest village; it was the seaside town of Puddleby in the 1967 Doctor Dolittle and appears in War Horse and Stardust.
35 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Chepstow
- Right hereDevil's PulpitA narrow limestone pinnacle perched above the Wye Valley near Tintern Abbey, offering a dizzying view down through the forest canopy.
- Right hereA466 Wye Valley (Chepstow to Monmouth)A wooded riverside road through a designated AONB past Tintern Abbey, gentle and beautiful rather than challenging.
- 21 kmClifton Suspension BridgeIsambard Kingdom Brunel's iconic 1864 suspension bridge soaring 75m above the Avon Gorge at Bristol, still carrying traffic and glowing with lights after dark.
- 23 kmSymonds Yat RockA famous viewpoint 504 feet above the River Wye, where peregrine falcons nest and the river performs a dramatic horseshoe bend.
- 32 kmSkirrid Fawr (Ysgyryd Fawr)A landslipped 486m ridge above Abergavenny whose split profile gave rise to the legend it cracked at the Crucifixion.
- 36 kmSugar Loaf (Y Fal)A 596m conical hill above Abergavenny with a 360-degree view over the Usk valley and the Black Mountains; easy from the car park.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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