St Briavels

Our journey from Chepstow Castle to Goodrich Castle took us past a small village called St Briavels.

We had a quick glance at the castle and the village but didn't stay very long. Although lovely and very ruined, the castle wasn't the real attraction of St Briavels, instead it was the place name which drew me here and the name's connection to Brent Dyer's Chalet School books.

Elinor M Brent Dyer, author of the 60 plus Chalet School books, chose to name the island, to which the Chalet School evacuates during World War Two, St Briavels. As she was living in Hereford at the time of writing the Island chunk of the Chalet School, it is fair to assume that she found inspiration in the village name of St Briavels.