Under a red rug lays the tomb of Henry Marten. He was a signatory to King Charles I's death warrant. Marten was later imprisoned in Chepstow Castle until his death in 1680. His memorial tomb stone includes an acrostic epitaph.
The Monk kindly lifted the red carpet near the West door, and swept the dust from Martens tomb stone, before explaining the significance of his acrostic epitaph.
"Henry Marten (1602 - 1680) was an British lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1640 and 1653. He was an ardent republican and a regicide of King Charles I of England.
Close to the West door under a protective red carpet is the tomb of Henry Marten, close friend of Oliver Cromwell, and signatory to Charles 1st death warrant. Marten was imprisoned for many years in Chepstow Castle in the tower that still bears his name, until his death in 1680." Text Source: (
visit link)
"The Benedictine priory was founded following the building of the castle in 1068. The five western bays survived to become a parish church that was added to in 1841. A Norman nave with simple arcades and the late Norman west front survive. A fine decorated doorway is not to be missed." Text Source: (
visit link)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.
St Mary's Church, Chepstow "was founded around 1072 as a Benedictine priory by William fitzOsbern and his son Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford. FitzOsbern had been granted the Lordship of Striguil by his second cousin King William in gratitude for his support in the Norman conquest of England, and was responsible for starting the building of a new castle overlooking the River Wye on the border with the kingdoms of Wales." Text Source: (
visit link)
Main events in the history of this site:
"pre 1071: Foundation - Chepstow was founded by Earl William fitz Osbern, lord of Chepstow Castle, as an alien priory of his foundation of Cormeilles in Normandy. It was the first Norman house founded in Wales.
c.1291: Wealth - According to the Taxatio Ecclesiastica the priory received £7 7s 2d annually in assized rents and 6s 8d from its courts.
1387: Royal custody - The priory was seized and handed to royal commissioners until the prior of Chepstow paid a significant sum for having retained custody of the house since the start of the war.
1391: Custody - On 13 October the king granted Chepstow Priory to Giles Wenlok, clerk, as farmer of the priory, during the French wars.
1394-1398: Custody - From 1394 until 1398 there were no monks at Chepstow; in June 1398 John Workman, a monk, was granted keepership of the farm of the priory and Benedict Cely, knight and royal marshal, was given custody of the house.
1442: Independence - Chepstow became an independent priory with a community of English monks.
1458: Custody - On 25 July Chepstow was granted to God’s House, Cambridge.
1534: Numbers - At this time the community comprised a prior (Roger Shrewsbury) and one monk who subscribed to the Act of Supremacy.
c.1535: Wealth - According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus the priory had an income of over £32.
1536: Dissolution - The house was surveyed on 30 May 1536 and dissolved 6-7 September that year.: Text source: (
visit link)