Abergavenny, #1 on this list · Photo: Cornishstrongbitter at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Gwent rankings · History

Most historic towns in Gwent

Abergavenny ranks first on history among Gwent’s 38 towns of 2,500+; 7 of the 38 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

Abergavenny

13,689 people

A⁺

Better than 95% of UK towns·#78 of 2,156 in England and Wales

Monmouth

10,330 people

Better than 91% of UK towns·#141 of 2,156 in England and Wales

Risca

15,194 people

Better than 87% of UK towns·#226 of 2,156 in England and Wales

All 38 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 Gwent →

Find a town

38 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Abergavenny13,689 peopleA⁺#78 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 95% of UK towns

2Monmouth10,330 peopleA#141 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 91% of UK towns

3Risca15,194 peopleA#226 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 87% of UK towns

4Blaenavon5,637 peopleA#245 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 86% of UK towns

5Pontypool29,070 peopleA⁻#373 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 80% of UK towns

6Newbridge7,582 peopleA⁻#425 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

7Chepstow11,939 peopleA⁻#442 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 77% of UK towns

8Newport130,882 peopleB⁺#484 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 75% of UK towns

9Caerleon7,329 peopleB⁺#496 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 74% of UK towns

10Rhymney4,998 peopleB⁺#600 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 70% of UK towns

11Abercarn5,123 peopleB#852 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 58% of UK towns

12Tredegar14,534 peopleB#856 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 58% of UK towns

13Llanbradach3,766 peopleB#879 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 57% of UK towns

14Bedwas6,463 peopleB⁻#941 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 54% of UK towns

15Ystrad Mynach11,856 peopleB⁻#965 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 53% of UK towns

16New Tredegar3,280 peopleB⁻#1,067 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 49% of UK towns

17Ebbw Vale19,635 peopleB⁻#1,110 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 47% of UK towns

18Abersychan7,495 peopleC⁺#1,173 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

19Bargod8,034 peopleC⁺#1,296 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 39% of UK towns

20Undy and Magor5,742 peopleC⁺#1,361 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 36% of UK towns

21Brynmawr5,250 peopleC⁺#1,370 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 35% of UK towns

22Abertridwr and Senghenydd5,639 peopleC#1,383 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 34% of UK towns

23Aberbargoed4,412 peopleC#1,398 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 34% of UK towns

24Caerphilly33,104 peopleC#1,430 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 32% of UK towns

25Blackwood12,621 peopleC#1,447 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 32% of UK towns

26Pontllanfraith9,363 peopleC#1,450 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 31% of UK towns

27Abertillery10,248 peopleC#1,453 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 31% of UK towns

28Blaina4,553 peopleC#1,454 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 31% of UK towns

29Fleur-de-lis and Pengam3,102 peopleC#1,477 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 30% of UK towns

30Nantyglo4,548 peopleC#1,513 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 28% of UK towns

31Cwm2,507 peopleC#1,524 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 28% of UK towns

32Nelson4,235 peopleC#1,556 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 26% of UK towns

33Oakdale6,126 peopleC⁻#1,604 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 24% of UK towns

34Cwmbrân47,075 peopleC⁻#1,623 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 23% of UK towns

35Caldicot9,813 peopleC⁻#1,758 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 17% of UK towns

36Langstone2,912 peopleD#1,853 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 13% of UK towns

37Rogerstone7,546 peopleD#1,868 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 12% of UK towns

38Pen-pedair-heol3,787 peopleD#1,891 of 2,156 nationallybetter than 11% of UK towns

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most historic town in Gwent?

Abergavenny ranks first on history among 38 towns, with an A+: better than 95% of UK towns. Monmouth and Risca 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 Gwent’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in Gwent is on the county page.

Go deeper

More Gwent lists

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

All Gwent rankings →

Best places to live38 towns · #1 Rogerstone Best small towns25 towns · #1 Rogerstone Most affordable towns38 towns · #1 New Tredegar Safest towns38 towns · #1 Pen-pedair-heol Healthiest towns38 towns · #1 Undy and Magor Best towns for jobs & income38 towns · #1 Rogerstone Most walkable towns38 towns · #1 Monmouth Towns with the lowest flood risk38 towns · #1 Nantyglo Best towns for the outdoors38 towns · #1 Chepstow Towns with the most civic life38 towns · #1 Brynmawr Towns with the highest household incomes38 towns · #1 RogerstoneDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax38 towns · #1 Aberbargoed and 17 moreDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters38 towns · #1 CaldicotDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers38 towns · #1 Undy and MagorDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers38 towns · #1 Ebbw ValeDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts38 towns · #1 Undy and MagorDescribed, no letters Driest towns38 towns · #1 CaldicotDescribed, no letters Wettest towns38 towns · #1 New TredegarDescribed, 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.