Introduction
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There is no hard evidence that there was a village in Bray before the coming of the Anglo-Normans, but it seems likely that a settlement grew up around the ford on the river near the church of Derdach (St. Paul's)
The first Anglo-Norman settlement in Bray was carried out by Walter de Riddlesford. In 1173 de Riddlesford built a castle in Bray. This castle is no longer in existence. It was built on a rocky promontory at the rear of a house named 'Clonmore' on the Herbert Road where the site can be seen by walking up Church Terrace, also to be seen in Church Terrace are St. Paul's Church and Churchyard and the remains of Bray Military Barracks Nearby is Bray Bridge. The first bridge on this site was built in 1666 and the existing one was built in 1856.
There was three other castles built in the Bray area, Little Bray Castle built in 1459 is no longer in existence, the site is now a supermarket car park 
Oldcourt Castle built by the Earl of
Ormond in 1433 
and Fassaroe Castle built by 'Master Tresover' in 1536 
Other antiquities to be seen in the Bray area are St. Valery's Cross 
which is not far from Fassaroe Castle, Kilsaran Cross 
which can be seen at Fairy Hill, Kilcroney Church in the
grounds of Kilcroney House 
and Raheen-a-Cluig 
the ruins of a 13th century church on the lower slopes of Bray Head.
Films made in the area
The following are some of the films made on location in the Bray area:
- Far and Away starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman - Kilruddery House
- Henry V - starring Laurence Olivier - Powerscourt.
- Michael Collins - starring Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts - Carlisle Grounds.
- The Commitments - directed by Alan Parker - Bray Head Hotel.
- The Miracle - directed by Neil Jordan - The Promenade.
- My Left Foot - starring Daniel Day Lewis and Brenda Fricker - St. Kevin's Square.