Cowbridge has a population of 4,250 and is one of the principal
market towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, which has a total
population of 121,300.
Situated in the heart of the Vale, on the banks of the River Thaw, Cowbridge has a long and distinguished history. The main street, where once Roman
soldiers marched, is said to have remained largely unchanged in layout for almost 2,000 years. It is believed to have
remained a small village up until 1250 when one of the Lords of Glamorgan, Richard de Clare was responsible for creating
the new Borough of Cowbridge, from the manor of Llanblethian.
By the 14th century it was one of the largest towns in Wales with a population of 1,300. Although the number of inhabitants fluctuated during the Middle Ages, it was prospering again by the 18th century, and has remained one of the most influential towns in the Vale of Glamorgan. The church has a curious Early English tower, and near it are some fragments of the ancient town walls and one of the gateways. The Grammar School was founded in the time of James II. The neighbouring hill of Stalling Down was the scene of a sanguinary encounter between Glyndwr and the English forces in 1405.