England–Wales border after Harold's death at the Battle of Hastings, Wales was again divided without a leader to resist the Normans. Immediately after the Norman conquest of England, King William installed one of his most trusted confidants, William FitzOsbern, as Earl of Hereford. By 1071 he had started the building of Chepstow Castle, the first castle in Britain built of stone, near the mouth of the Wye. It served as a base from which the Normans continued to expand westward into south Wales, establishing a castle at Caerleon and extinguishing the Welsh kingdom of Gwent. William also installed Roger de Montgomerie at
Wye River, Victoria parks, the Seasonal Foreshore, located close to the main beach, and the BIG4 Wye River Holiday Parkin the valley, which is privately owned and operates all year round. There is one pub, the Wye Beach Hotel (formally known as "The Rookery Nook Hotel") and a general store Wye General which also contains the post office and a cafe. In recent years, the numbers of Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales seen around the shores are increasing as the whale populations recover as well as other species such as Bottlenose Dolphins. Wye River has a Country Fire Brigade and a Surf