These days the term waterfront tends to conjure images of marinas, luxury flats, executive cars... years ago a waterfront tended to be somewhat seedier.
Chepstow has a riverfront today where part of the town’s old harbour-side meets the River Wye, but in past times Chepstow had a real working waterfront with shipping in and out on a daily basis.
The area to the left of the river wall here was once a dry-dock where ships were repaired. The dry-dock has been in-filled and a garden and roadway run where it once was. Chepstow also had its own shipyard, but that was further down river where Fairfield-Mabey Ltd are now. Fairfield-Mabey constructed sections of the first Severn Crossing, which now carries the M48.
What remains of a slipway to the river can still be seen at the far end of the old dry-dock. Here it is below this rather battered white boat. The slipway, when cleared, can still be used for launching small craft.
I’ll be posting more images of Chepstow’s old waterfront shortly.
thehomelyyear
Pro 
How true that is about meanings or associations of place names changing over time. Probably in the past it would have either been workers or very poor people who lived on the waterfront.
N