MORE than 20 acres of protected Chepstow woodland are up for sale for £750,000.

The woods are situated between the historic Piercefield Park at Chepstow Racecourse and the River Wye.

The ancient and derelict Piercefield House sits close to the southern edge of the woodland and is not included in the sale.

The land extends from behind the mansion and along the river in a dogsleg shape. There are five ancient monuments to be protected in the woods. These include ancient camps 18th century follies, and sites created at the birth of the Wye Valley Walk.

One of the sites is an 18th century grotto originally built as a garden feature. the rocky cavern is decorated with stalactites and shells and gives views across the Wye Valley. The interior walls display the remnants of the iron and copper slag as well as quartz mortar with which it was once coated. The grotto was built within the defences of an Iron Age hillfort and has been described to be of national importance with the strong possibility of the presence of achaeological features and deposits.

Also protected in the land is Giant's Cave, described of national importance for its potential to enhance knowledge of prehistoric settlements, rituals and funerary practices.

The cave is a curving tunnel cut into the rock face of which the Wye Valley Walk passes. The cave is made up of a large chamber with subsidiary chambers and low walling. The bastion outside the cave gives added interest to its structure at the point from which echo effects were once created using mounted guns to fire across the valley. A statue of a giant once stood above its entrance.

The land is also protected by the Wye Valley AONB in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) form part of several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The woodlands also are affected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO), which is broken into five sections.

Access to the woods can only be gained from the A466 Monmouth to Chepstow road or a right of way through the main entrance to Chepstow Racecourse

The sporting, timber and mineral rights of the land are included in the sale.

The land will be sold with its current rights of way, public and private.