Historic Counties of Wales - The Counties

The Counties

1. The earldom of Pembroke and lordship of Glamorgan pre-date the Edwardian conquest.
2. These counties originate in 1282, following King Edward I's conquest.
3. These counties originate in 1535, with the Laws in Wales Act, 1535, converting the remaining Marcher Lordships into counties.
4. Despite being created at the same Act as the other counties, Monmouthshire was included with England for some legal purposes until 1974. In many cases the formulation "Wales and Monmouthshire" was used. The Welsh, however, have always considered Monmouthshire to be part of Wales.

The 1535 Laws in Wales Act had the effect of abolishing the marcher lordships within and on the borders of Wales. In the border areas, several were incorporated in whole or in part into English counties. The lordships of Ludlow, Clun, Caus and part of Montgomery were incorporated into Shropshire; and Wigmore, Huntington, Clifford and most of Ewyas were included in Herefordshire.

The historic counties established by 1535 were used as the geographical basis for the administrative counties, governed by county councils, which existed from 1889 to 1974. The historian William Rees said, in his "Historical Atlas of Wales": (published 1959) "... the boundaries of the modern shires have largely been determined by the ancient divisions of the country. The survival of these ancient local divisions within the pattern of historical change constitutes a vital element in the framework of the national life and helps to preserve its continuity."