Here lyeth entombed the body of Theodorick, king of Morganuck, or Glamorgan, commonly called St. Thewdrick, and accounted a martyr because he was slain in a battle against the Saxons, being then Pagans, and in defence of the Christian religion. The battle was fought at Tintern, where he obtained a great victory. He died here, being in his way homeward, three days after the battle, having taken order with Maurice his son, who succeeded him in the Kingdom, that in the same place he should happen to decease a church should be built, and his body buried in the same; which was accordingly performed in the year 600. {244} Within a short distance of Mathern is MOINSCOURT, another deserted ecclesiastical mansion, attributed to the erection of Bishop Godwin, and also occupied as a farm-house. This exhibits a handsome Gothic porch defended by two lofty turrets: within the court-yard are the two Roman inscribed stones mentioned by Gibson in the supplement to Camden, and said to have been brought from Caerleon: one of these appears to have been a votive altar; the other records the repairing or rebuilding of the temple of Diana by T. H. Posthumius Varus. CHAP. XVI. CHEPSTOW—FINE SCENERY OF ITS VICINAGE—THE CASTLE—CHURCH, AND BRIDGE—PIERCEFIELD—CHARACTER OF THE LATE MR. MORRIS. Upon meeting our horses at the village of St. Pierre, we proceeded towards Chepstow, and in a few minutes were surprized with a range of naked cliffs, rising in appearance from the tract of verdure before us; a venerable wood shadowed the brow of the rocks, in front of which rose a forest of masts with waving pennants. This singular combination resulted from the position of CHEPSTOW and its port, in an abrupt hollow, inclosed by considerable heights in every direction. The whole unfolded itself like a map beneath us, as we descended to the town; an irregular-built trading place, but where the well-furnished houses and opulent establishments of many of the inhabitants engaged in business prove the success of their commercial enterprize: yet the town, having no manufactories, depends altogether on the carrying trade. [Picture: Chepstow Castle]