CHEPSTOW, market town and river-port of Monmouth shire, England, on the Wye, 2m. above its junction with the Severn, and on the G.W.R. Pop. of urban district (193I) As the key to the passage of the Wye, Chepstow (Estrighorel, Striguzl) was the site successively of British, Roman and Saxon fortifications. Domesday Book records that the Norman castle was built by William Fitz-Osbern to defend the Roman road into South Wales. The castle occupies a hill site on the western bank of the river. It was founded in the I I th and rebuilt in the 13th century. It was subsequently granted to the earls of Pembroke, and after its reversion to the crown, Edward II. granted it to Thomas de Brotherton. It passed, through Margaret, Lady Se grave, to the dukes of Norfolk, from whom, after again reverting to the Crown, it passed to the earls of Worcester. It was con fiscated by parliament but restored to the earls in 166o. The church of St. Mary, originally the conventual chapel of a Bene dictine priory, has some old features. The borough must have grown up between 131o, when the castle and vill were granted to Thomas de Brotherton, and 1432, when John duke of Norfolk died seised of the castle, manor and borough of Striguil. In 1524 the earl of Worcester granted a new charter to the bailiffs and burgesses of the town, which had fallen into decay. This was sustained until the reign of Charles II., when, some dispute aris ing, the charter lapsed and the town was afterwards governed by a board of twelve. A port since early times, when the lord took dues of ships going up to the forest of Dean, Chepstow had no ancient market and no manufactures but that of glass, which was carried on for a short time within the ruins of the castle. A local trade during the 19th century was handicapped by the narrowness and depth of the channel and the consequent tidal bore. There is a race-course 12m. N.W. of the town.