THE President of France and the Prince of Wales have been invited to attend Chepstow Castle’s 950th anniversary.

Le Grand Pique-Nique takes place in the castle on Friday, July 7, and the Chepstow/Cormeilles Twinning Association has sent out the invites to celebrate the historic Wyeside fortress and the unique link between the Welsh and French towns.

Chepstow Castle, the oldest stone castle in the UK, was built a year after the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror’s cousin William Fitzosbern, who came from Cormeilles in Normandy.

Called Striguil by the Normans after the Welsh for ‘river bend’, it occupied a strategic point at an important crossing point on the River Wye, a major artery of communications inland to Monmouth and Hereford.

After a year in which primary schoolchildren have been undertaking projects associated with the 950th anniversary, Year 6 pupils are coming together for Le Grand Pique-Nique.

As well as the VIPs, invitations have also been extended to the President du Conseil Regional de Normandie, the Mayor of Cormeilles, the Mayor of Chepstow and the Presidente of the Cormeilles-Chepstow Jumelage.

Isabelle Roberts, chairman of the Chepstow-Cormeilles Twinning Association said: “I may not be around to celebrate the 1000th Chepstow Castle anniversary, but most of the schoolchildren attending will be.

“It would be good if in 50 years’ time they can look back and say “I was there for the 950th”. What a great time we had.”

Having estabilshed Cormeilles Abbey in 1060, Chepstow’s first Norman visitor in 1067 was also instrumental in establishing the Chepstow Priory, on the current site of St Mary’s Priory Church.

Fitzosbern, who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings, also founded Monmouth Castle as a wooden fortress before his death in 1071.

He is reputed to be buried somewhere in the grounds of the ruins of the former abbey in France, having returned to his home region.

The twinning association between the two towns, one of the oldest in the UK, was officially founded some 40 years ago.