Llangollen, #1 on this list · Photo: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0

Clwyd rankings · History

Most historic towns in Clwyd

Llangollen ranks first on history among Clwyd’s 39 towns of 2,500+; 10 of the 39 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The History Grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): listed buildings, monuments and registered parks (Historic England, Cadw), per resident and as a count, and homes built before 1919. The rank across England and Wales sits beside each letter. How grades work

Llangollen

3,048 people

A⁺

Better than almost every UK town·#10 of 2,156 in England and Wales

Llandudno

14,699 people

A⁺

Better than almost every UK town·#14 of 2,156 in England and Wales

Llanfairfechan

3,547 people

A⁺

Better than 97% of UK towns·#47 of 2,156 in England and Wales

All 39 towns, ranked

History grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England and Wales links to the national list.

Every town in Clwyd →

Find a town

39 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Llangollen3,048 peopleA⁺#10 of 2,156 nationallybetter than almost every UK town

2Llandudno14,699 peopleA⁺#14 of 2,156 nationallybetter than almost every UK town

3Llanfairfechan3,547 peopleA⁺#47 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 97% of UK towns

4Denbigh8,072 peopleA⁺#57 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 96% of UK towns

5Ruthin5,700 peopleA#93 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 94% of UK towns

6Conwy15,706 peopleA⁻#271 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 85% of UK towns

7Ruabon3,414 peopleA⁻#287 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

8Colwyn Bay29,273 peopleA⁻#295 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

9St Asaph3,483 peopleA⁻#368 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 80% of UK towns

10Hope4,422 peopleA⁻#419 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 78% of UK towns

11Gresford4,948 peopleB⁺#490 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 74% of UK towns

12Hawarden14,284 peopleB⁺#515 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 73% of UK towns

13Holywell7,741 peopleB⁺#557 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 72% of UK towns

14Wrexham44,781 peopleB⁺#604 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 70% of UK towns

15Rhyl26,982 peopleB⁺#617 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 69% of UK towns

16Mold9,890 peopleB#818 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 60% of UK towns

17Chirk3,930 peopleB#849 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 58% of UK towns

18Brynteg9,229 peopleB#897 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 56% of UK towns

19Penmaenmawr2,762 peopleB#904 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 56% of UK towns

20Rhuddlan3,791 peopleB⁻#954 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 54% of UK towns

21Rhostyllen2,760 peopleB⁻#972 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 53% of UK towns

22Acrefair and Cefn-mawr6,905 peopleB⁻#994 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 52% of UK towns

23Bagillt5,943 peopleC⁺#1,178 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

24Coedpoeth4,738 peopleC⁺#1,198 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 43% of UK towns

25Rhosllannerchrugog12,789 peopleC⁺#1,209 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 43% of UK towns

26Abergele8,531 peopleC⁺#1,227 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 42% of UK towns

27Shotton6,500 peopleC⁺#1,354 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 36% of UK towns

28Penrhyn Bay4,201 peopleC#1,406 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 33% of UK towns

29Prestatyn16,678 peopleC⁻#1,612 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 24% of UK towns

30Flint12,776 peopleC⁻#1,675 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 21% of UK towns

31Connah's Quay16,768 peopleD#1,810 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 15% of UK towns

32Buckley13,562 peopleD#1,840 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 13% of UK towns

33Gwersyllt7,112 peopleD#1,886 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 11% of UK towns

34Mynydd Isa4,738 peopleD#1,900 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 10% of UK towns

35Aston2,847 peopleD#1,937 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 9% of UK towns

36Penyffordd3,822 peopleD#1,991 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 7% of UK towns

37Broughton6,532 peopleD#2,001 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 7% of UK towns

38Kinmel Bay9,016 peopleD#2,004 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 6% of UK towns

39Llay4,666 peopleD⁻#2,089 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 3% of UK towns

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most historic town in Clwyd?

Llangollen ranks first on history among 39 towns, with an A+: better than almost every UK town. Llandudno and Llanfairfechan follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The History Grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): listed buildings, monuments and registered parks (Historic England, Cadw), per resident and as a count, and homes built before 1919. The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers Clwyd’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in Clwyd is on the county page.

Go deeper

More Clwyd lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Clwyd rankings →

Best places to live39 towns · #1 Penyffordd Best small towns28 towns · #1 Penyffordd Most affordable towns39 towns · #1 Rhyl Safest towns39 towns · #1 Mynydd Isa Healthiest towns39 towns · #1 Penyffordd Best towns for jobs & income39 towns · #1 Gresford Most walkable towns39 towns · #1 Llandudno Towns with the lowest flood risk39 towns · #1 Aston and 3 more Best towns for the outdoors39 towns · #1 Prestatyn Towns with the most civic life39 towns · #1 Llangollen Towns with the highest household incomes39 towns · #1 PenyfforddDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax39 towns · #1 Acrefair and Cefn-mawr and 10 moreDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters39 towns · #1 LlandudnoDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers39 towns · #1 Connah's QuayDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers39 towns · #1 Llanfairfechan and PenmaenmawrDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts39 towns · #1 LlandudnoDescribed, no letters Driest towns39 towns · #1 RhylDescribed, no letters Wettest towns39 towns · #1 PenmaenmawrDescribed, no letters

Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Cadw listed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered historic parks and gardens via DataMapWales, October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.