Chepstow Port Wall, Medieval defensive wall in Chepstow, United Kingdom
Chepstow Port Wall is a medieval defensive structure that curves from the castle toward the River Wye in a half-circle shape, built from carefully cut stone blocks. The structure includes an internal walkway and crenellations typical of military architecture from that period.
The wall was built in the 1270s by Norman nobility to control who could enter the market and collect trade taxes. This fortification became central to how Chepstow developed as a protected trading place.
The wall separated the market area from the surrounding countryside, shaping how the town functioned as a trading center during the Middle Ages. Walking along it today, you notice how it controlled which areas were inside and which were outside the protected space.
You can view the remaining sections best from Garden City Way, where marked pathways give you a clear view of the medieval stonework. Walking slowly and viewing it from different angles helps you understand how it was constructed and what it once protected.
Inside the wall lay not just houses and markets, but also pastures, fruit orchards, and shipyards that used the river. This reveals that the barrier protected an entire, self-contained economic zone rather than just a simple town center.
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