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Cas-Gwent / Chepstow

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"CHEPSTOW, a parish, seaport, and market town, in the upper division of the hundred of Caldicott, in the county of Monmouth. It is situated in a beautiful spot on the right bank of the river Wye, 135 miles by road and 141½ by the Great Western and South Wales railways from London. Anciently the town was strongly fortified, and the fine ruins of its Norman castle, Castellum de Estrighoiel, or Striguil, of Domesday, are still in existence, and partially occupied. This castle is said to have been built about the time of the Conquest by W. Fitz-Osborne, Earl of Hereford; the Duke of Beaufort, who takes the title of Baron Herbert from it, inherits it through the Clares and Plantagenets." [Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)

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Archives & Libraries

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Bibliography

  • Barnes, John. The story of the Army Apprentices' College Chepstow 1923-1983 : a brief history. Chepstow : Beachley, 1983. 152p.
  • Brunel's tubular suspension bridge over the River Wye : reprint of the 1856 pamphlet, with additional illustrations and notes. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1970. 16p.
  • Chepstow in old photographs. Chepstow : Chepstow Museum, [1981?] 60p
  • Clash, Hilary.            The history of the George Inn, Chepstow.               Gwent Local History vol 64 1988    Welsh Journals Online
  • Cook, Brenda M            The Lonely Lady of the Mount            Gwent Local History vol 81 1996    Welsh Journals Online
  • Harris, John P. The Priory and Parish Church of St. Mary Chepstow. Chepstow : Published by the Vicar and Parochial Church Council of Chepstow, [1997] 14p.
  • Hensley, E J. St. Mary's Church, Chepstow. Weston-Super-Mare : printed by The Mendip Press, 1905. 23p.
  • Holding, Iris. Chepstow Baptist Church. Gwent Family History Society Journal 37 (1994), p. 40-1.
  • Hopkins, John T               Charity in Chepstow: the Almshouse of Thomas Powis            Gwent Local History vol 47 1979      Welsh Journals Online
  • Hyland, Cal            Magor Grant: What Bradney did not know ?          Gwent Local History 70   1991   Welsh Journals Online
  • Knight, Jeremy K. Chepstow Castle. Cardiff : Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments, 1986. 44p.
  • Rainsbury, Ann. Chepstow and the River Wye in old photographs : from the Severn to Tintern. Gloucester : Sutton, 1989. 160p.
  • Reflections : published to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of The Chepstow Society 1948-1998. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, c1998. 64p.
  • The Parish & Priory Church of St. Mary, Chepstow : guide. Chepstow : Church of Saint Mary, [198-] 12p.
  • The stranger's illustrated guide to Chepstow and its neighbourhood; with copious notices of Tintern Abbey, Wyndcliff...London : T.P. Farrar, 1846. 54p.
  • Waters, Ivor           The Salmon Fisheries at Chepstow in the Nineteenth century          Gwent Local History vol 42 1977          Welsh Journals Online
  • Waters, Ivor    The filming of Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe' at Chepstow in 1913          Gwent Local History vol 45 1978         Welsh Journals Online
  • Waters, Ivor           Henry Marten: a "Notable Fierie Spirit"         Gwent Local History vol 49 1980    Welsh Journals Online
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow town gate. Chepstow : Chepstow Town Council, 1986. 12p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Leather and oak bark at Chepstow. Chepstow : The Chepstow Society, 1970. 32p.
  • Waters, Ivor. The town of Chepstow. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1972. 38p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow clock and watch makers. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1972. 12p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Inns and taverns of Chepstow and the Lower Wye Valley. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1975. 34p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow theatres. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1975. 20p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow road bridges. Chepstow : The author, 1980. 19p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow Street Literature and Ephemera. Chepstow : The Moss Rose Press, 1989. 120p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow packets. Chepstow : Moss Rose, 1983. 139p.
  • Waters, Ivor. A Chepstow notebook. Chepstow : Moss Rose Press, 1980. 240p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow printers and newspapers. Chepstow : Moss Rose, c1981. 86p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Turnpike roads : the Chepstow and New Passage turnpike districts. Chepstow : Moss Rose Press, 1985. 60p.
  • Waters, Ivor. The port of Chepstow. Chepstow : Moss Rose, 1989. 107p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Chepstow scrapbook. Chepstow : Moss Rose Press, 1986. 125p.
  • Waters, Ivor. Mounton Valley paper mills near Chepstow. Chepstow : Moss Rose Press, 1987. 43p.
  • Waters, Mercedes. Changing Chepstow. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1970. 32p.
  • Waters, Mercedes. In and around Chepstow. Chepstow : Moss Rose, c1983. 51 leaves.
  • Wiles, Eric. Chepstow and the Chartists. Chepstow : Chepstow Society, 1985. 12p.
  • Wood, James G. The lordship, castle & town of Chepstow, otherwise Striguil : with an appendix on the lordship of Caerleon. Newport, Mon. : Mullock & Sons, 1910. 90p.
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Church History

Church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by   I.G   Jones, & D. Williams. UWP,  Cardiff, 1976. The names given towards the end of each entry are those of the informants.  Check with  Gwent RO to see what extant records are held, and possible names of chapels/churches built after 1851.

Chepstow parish; Statistics; Area 1282 acres; Population 2132 males, 2220 females, total 4332

  • Chepstow Parish Church - Attendance - morning 419+167 scholars, evening 469+54 scholars "..........the attendance for the day is nearly 1000" 2 services in English J B Gabriel, Vicar
  • St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel - Erected about 1830 Attendance - morning 100, evening 80 "I beg to remark that the Congregation belonging to this Chapel (including children) amounts to at least 200, but many of them being located at some distance in the country cannot attend but once a month" P Millea, Roman Catholic Priest
  • The Church on Hawkers Hill, Catholic and Apostolic Christians - Erected 1837 Attendance - morning 50 "(Denomination) This title is not used in an exclusive sense,. We protest against being classed under any sectarian name, or being dissenters from the Church of England" William Smith, Priest, Upper Church St
  • Beaulah Chapel, Welsh St, Independent - Erected 1835 Attendance - morning 52, evening 74 The Rev Thomas Rees (Absent)- Minister of the above Chapel. Henry Smith, Deacon, Prospect Cottage, Crossway Green, Chepstow
  • Wesleyan Methodist - Erected 1807 Attendance - morning 114+35 scholars, afternoon 75 scholars, evening 150+18 scholars Henry Lougher, Wesleyan Minister, High St, Chepstow
  • Baptist Chapel - Erected 1816 Attendance - morning 110+60 scholars, evening 150 Thomas Jones, Baptist Minister
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Church Records

See the Monmouthshire county page for links to online records

  • This list of parish records is intended as a rough guide to coverage only. Their location as stated should be confirmed with the appropriate Record Office prior to any visit.
  • [Details as published in The Parish Registers of Wales, NLW 1986 - present location/availability may vary]
  • Cas-Gwent / Chepstow, St Mary's Church - records with the Gwent RO
    MarriagesBannsBap/Bur
    1595-1611, 1695-19251779-1813, 1912-26, 1953-661595-1757, 1761-1924
    Bishops Transcripts1725-30, 1732-63, 1765-1812, 1875-96 - records with the NLW
  • Chepstow Parish Register 1595-1694  - on the People's Collection Wales site
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Cas-Gwent / Chepstow which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

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Maps

  • Family Search have an interactive map called "England and Wales Jurisdictions 1851" showing parish (and other) boundaries with optional background maps such as Ordnance Survey. There is also a Search facility, do read the guidance notes to get maximum benefit from this useful resource. See here for further background information to assist in the interpretation of this data
  • Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R., Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: History Data Service, UK Data Archive [distributor], 17 May 2001. SN: 4348. Here is a gazetteer/finding aid plus a set of overview maps to accurately identify the position of parishes within the county.
  • Map of Chepstow Parish, Monmouthshire - on the People's Collection Wales site

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference ST536927 (Lat/Lon: 51.631333, -2.672339), Cas-Gwent / Chepstow which are provided by:

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Military History

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Newspapers

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Records of Chepstow Poor Law Union, 1838-1931, including Guardians' minute books, 1838-1929; committee minute books, 1862-1927; correspondence, 1837-1930; relief order books, 1910-1924; District Medical relief books, 1912-1926; registers and returns, 1879-1929; financial records, 1836-1930; workhouse administration records, 1869-1931.  See Archives Hub

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Public Records

Chepstow Highway Board records, 1867-1898. See Archives Hub

Chepstow Parish Records: Churchwardens’ records 1739-1783, 1814-1878; Central Board of Health Correspondence and Orders 1832; Surveyor of Highways 1804-1864; Overseers of the Poor 1706-1902. See Archives Hub

Records of Chepstow Local Board, 1873-1894, and Chepstow Urban District Council, 1894-1974.  See Archives Hub

Records Chepstow Rural District Council, 1895-1974. See Archives Hub

Records of the Chepstow Water Company, 1853-1924; and Gwent Water Board minute books, 1972-1974. See Archives Hub

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Schools

Records relating to Chepstow School Board, 1872-1904. See Archives Hub

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Social Life & Customs

Handbill advertising an entertainment 'Adventures in America' by Mr. Henry Phillips at The Concert Room, Chepstow, 28 August 1845 - on the People's Collection Wales site