ICathedral · listed 1952Brecon CathedralOn the list as Cathedral Church of St John the EvangelistPhoto: David Merrett from Daventry, England · CC BY 2.0
Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist · Photo: David Merrett from Daventry, England · CC BY 2.0A+History Grade
History of Brecon · Cadw
522 listed buildings, 6 of them Grade I
Cadw counts them inside Brecon’s built-up area, 632 for every 10,000 residents. It also has 4 scheduled monuments. 29% of its homes were built before 1919. We have photos of 24 of its listed buildings and 5 old views of the town. Brecon grades A+ for history: #1 of 7 in Powys.
Listed buildings
522
632 per 10,000 residents
Grade I
6
exceptional interest
Grade II*
27
more than special interest
Scheduled monuments
4
nationally important sites
Homes built before 1919
29%
typical UK town 15%
In pictures
Brecon in 32 photos and old views
Tap a photo to step through them full screen.
Chapter House and Diocesan Centre (with Canonry Flat and Clergy House)Grade I listed
Brecon CastleScheduled monument
Canal Bridge at S end of Gasworks LaneGrade II listed
The George HotelGrade II listed
Former Bethel Chapel (Boots), including Re-built Wall to rearGrade II listed+27See all photosPhotos from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the building’s page or its official list entry.
Through time
Brecon from 1610 to 1910
An old map and 5 old photos and postcards, in date order. All public domain, made before 1950.
c. 1610
c. 1786
c. 1865
c. 1865
c. 1865
1910sPublic domain, from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server. Each credit opens the image’s page with its full description and history.
The map
Where Brecon’s history is
Every Grade I and II* building, monument and historic park, over the age of each neighbourhood’s homes.
Grade IGrade II*Scheduled monument400 m from Ely Tower
Homes built before 1919, by neighbourhoodunder 10%10–25%25–50%50%+
6 of 6Grade I buildings stand within 400 m of Ely Tower, a five-minute walk. So do 320 of the 522 listed buildings.
1 of 5neighbourhoods have mostly pre-1919 homes; in the oldest, 70% were built before 1919.
Hover a dot for its name; tap one with a photo to open it.
522 listed buildings by grade
6 Grade I27 Grade II*489 Grade II
Cadw lists buildings of special architectural or historic interest in three grades: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest, Grade II* for particularly important buildings of more than special interest, and Grade II for buildings of special interest. Listing protects the whole building, inside and out.
Every entry on Cadw’s register of listed buildings whose point lies inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. One list entry can cover a terrace or a group of buildings. Neighbourhood dots: the population-weighted centre of each Census 2021 output area, coloured by its neighbourhood’s (LSOA’s) share of homes built before 1919 (Valuation Office Agency, March 2025).
Grade I
The 6 Grade I listed buildings in Brecon
Buildings of exceptional interest, about 1.6% of all listed buildings; 6 of these stand within 400 m of Ely Tower. 5 are photographed. Each opens its own page, with the official list entry.
IChurch · listed 1952Chapter House, Clergy House And DeaneryOn the list as Chapter House and Diocesan Centre (with Canonry Flat and Clergy House)Photo: Philip Pankhurst · CC BY-SA 2.0
IChurch · listed 1976Chapel and Remains of Nave of Former Friary at Christ CollegePhoto: Alan Hughes · CC BY-SA 2.0
IPublic · listed 1952Remains of the Great Hall of Brecon CastlePhoto: Tyssil · CC BY-SA 3.0
IChurch · listed 1952The Canonry And Vestries, Cathedral Of St John The BaptistOn the list as The Deanery and Vestries, Cathedral of St John the EvangelistPhoto: Andy Dingley · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1976Ely TowerOn the list as Ely Tower of Brecon Castle
Grade II*
The 27 Grade II* listed buildings in Brecon
Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 16 are photographed.
II*Public · listed 1952Block of Buildings at Christ College to SE of School ChapelPhoto: David Luther Thomas · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Public · listed 1952Y Gaer (cultural hub)On the list as Brecknock MuseumPhoto: Dominic Nelson · CC BY-SA 4.0
II*Inns & shops · listed 1952Brecon Castle HotelPhoto: cowbridgeguide.co.uk · CC BY 3.0
II*House · listed 1961Church HousePhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Church · listed 1952St Mary's ChurchOn the list as Church of St MaryPhoto: Mick Lobb · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1961Hamilton HousePhoto: Derek Harper · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Walls & gates · listed 1952Morgannwg House, including Forecourt Wall and RailingsPhoto: Philip Pankhurst · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1952No.4 Lion Street, including Forecourt Gate & RailingsPhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Church · listed 1976Plough Welsh Independent Chapel And United Reformed ChurchOn the list as Plough United Reformed ChurchPhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1952Rutland House, including Forecourt Wall, Piers & Iron RailingsPhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1976The County HousePhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1976Tower of Medieval Town Wall to rear of No.3 Buckingham PlacePhoto: Tyssil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Show the other 15
II*House · listed 19521 Buckingham PlacePhoto: No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0
II*House · listed 19522 Buckingham PlacePhoto: No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0
II*Inns & shops · listed 196420 Ship StreetPhoto: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 19523 Buckingham PlacePhoto: No Swan So Fine · CC BY-SA 4.0
House · listed 1976Boleyn House and Flats round Rear Courtyard and Stone Flagged Pavement
House · listed 1952Cantre Selyf
House · listed 1952Nos 12 & 12a
Church · listed 1976Priory Walls, including North, West and Postern Gateways
House · listed 1976The Elms
House · listed 1952Tithe Barn, Brecon Cathedral
Inns & shops · listed 195246 High Street Inferior
House · listed 19525 Glamorgan Street
House · listed 19525 St Mary Street
House · listed 19526 Glamorgan Street
Historic streets
The Watton has the most listed buildings
Streets by the listed entries with an address on them. One entry can be a whole terrace, so long rows count once.
The Watton73 listed
The Struet49 listed
High Street Inferior28 listed · 1 II*
Castle Street14 listed
Bridge Street12 listed
Camden Road11 listed
Ship Street11 listed · 1 II*
Lion Street10 listed
Ffrwdgrech Road9 listed
Watergate9 listed
High Street Superior8 listed
Free Street7 listed
Of the 522 entries, 317 are named by a street address; the rest are named buildings such as churches, halls and bridges.
What’s protected
Most of Brecon’s listed buildings are homes
Every listed building sorted by what its list name says it is.
Houses, terraces & villas369
Inns, shops & warehouses98
Public & civic buildings22
Churches, chapels & priories21
Walls, gates & bridges11
Memorials, crosses & tombs1
369 entries (71%) are houses, terraces and villas. 21 are churches, chapels and priories, including 4 of the 6 Grade I buildings.
Buildings are sorted by Cadw’s broad class for each building, else by words in its name; an entry named only by its address counts as a house.
Grade II
489 Grade II listed buildings
Most listed buildings are in this grade, which covers buildings of special interest. Open any building to read its official list entry.
The first 150 of 489 Grade II listed buildings, A to Z
Barclay's BankBarn at Sunny BarnBeacon PharmacyBlock 12 at BarracksBlock 18 (H Block)Block 4 (RMP Office)Blocks 14 and 15 (Sphinx House and Officers' Mess), including front garden wallsBlocks 21 and 23 (HQ Block and Rear Block)Boar's Head PHBorderers Guest HouseBoundary Wall along The Watton, Brecon BarracksBoundary Wall to the Rear of the Plough United Reformed Church, and Police StationBraehead, including Gatepiers and Front Wall with railingsBrecon County LibraryBrecon MarketBrecon Presbyterian Church, including Hall to rearBrecon Rugby ClubBridge StreetBuilding immediately to W of former Watergate MillBuilding occupied by SpectrumBuilding to E of Keep at BarracksBuilding to NW of St Mary's Church TowerBuilding, excluding rear block of No.9 in Chapel StreetBull's Head HotelCamden CourtCanal Bridge at S end of Gasworks LaneCanal and former Hay Railway bridge to SW of Toll Gate CottageCastle BridgeCastle HouseCatholic Church of St MichaelChurch of St David, LlanfaesChwarae Teg PHClarence Inn, including Rear Wing to No.25Cobbled Setts in front of Nos.21a to 27 (Consec) and Steps outside Nos.21 & 21aCobbled Steps and PathwayCommunity Centre, including Boundary and Retaining WallsCourt HouseDan-y-GlwydDanygaer MillDinas ViewDrover's ArmsEly HouseForecourt Wall, Piers, Railings & Gates of Brecon Presbyterian ChurchForecourt Walls & Railings to the Brecknock MuseumForecourt Walls, Piers, Gates and Railings to Watergate Baptist ChurchFormer BarnFormer Bethel Chapel (Boots), including Re-built Wall to rearFormer Brecon BreweryFormer Canal Weights & Measures Office at Canal BasinFormer Cemetery LodgeFormer Cottage next to George HotelFormer Garden Wall to Nos.3 & 4 Glamorgan Street (now Wall to Car Park)Former Rear Wing of No 2 Wheat StreetFormer Stable Block to Rear of No 4 Belle Vue RoadFormer Watergate MillFormer outbuilding to rear of the Punchbowl InnFront Wing of St Michael's HallFryer's Yard and North HouseGarden Retaining Wall to Nos.11 & 12 The PosternGarden Retaining Walls & Railings to Nos.9 & 10 The PosternGarden Wall and Railings at Nythfa LodgeGarden Wall in the Postern to Priory Hill HouseGarden Wall to rear of Havard and Morgannwg HousesGarden Wall to rear of No 5Garden Wall to rear of No.3 Buckingham Place to SE of Medieval TowerGatepiers and Gates at CemeteryGatepiers and Railings at Entrance to TawelfaGateway in Wall opposite Havard HouseGlasfrynGremlin HotelHSBC BankHouse to rear of 1 Wheat StreetHouse, including Garden Wall & RailingsHouse, including Garden Walls and RailingsHouse, including Garden Walls, Piers Railings, and GatesHouse, including Garden Walls, Piers Railings, and GatesHouse, including Rear Wing with NW Elevation in Free StreetHouse, including iron railings and gates.Huntingdon HouseLansdowne Hotel, including block to rear in Lansdowne TerraceLloyd's TSBLondon CottageLychgate and Flanking WallsMarkets Tavern HotelMount Street House including forecourt wall and railingsMuseum at Brecon BarracksNational Westminster BankNiblettsNibletts and Salad BowlNo 6 & 7 Bellevue RoadNo.1 Bethel SquareNo.1 King Street including dwarf walls and iron railingsNo.1 Tregunter Place, including forecourt Wall and RailingsNo.10 Pendre, including Garden Walls, Railings & GatesNo.10 Priory Hill, including Forecourt Walls and RailingsNo.11 Pendre, including Garden Walls, Railings & GatesNo.18 Llandaff Row (Old Castle Farm B & B)No.2 Tregunter Place, including forecourt Wall and RailingsNo.20 Llandaff RowNo.21 Llandaff RowNo.22 Llandaff RowNo.3 Tregunter Place, including forecourt Wall and RailingsNo.38 Free Street including Railings and GatesNo.4 Tregunter Place, including forecourt Wall and RailingsNo.5 St John's TerraceNo.5 Tregunter Place, including forecourt Wall and RailingsNo.6 St John's TerraceNo.9 Pendre, including Garden Walls, Railings & GatesNythfa LodgeOffice including rear wingOld College HallOrchard HouseOxford HousePair of Telephone Call-boxes immediately to S of St Mary's Church TowerPair of Telephone Call-boxes outside former yard of Old Post OfficePembreyPenlan Lodge, including railings and gatePillar Box in Forecourt of Brecknock MuseumPost Box outside No.8 The StruetPost Box outside No.9 The WattonPostern HousePowell Art Centre, Christ CollegePresbytery to the Catholic Church of St Michael, including boundary wallPriory BridgePriory Hill House, including Railings & Service Wing at West EndPriory LodgePriory WellPunch Bowl Public HouseRear Garden Wall to No.5 Lion StreetRear Garden Wall to Nos.18 to 21 Castle StreetRear Garden Walls of No.4 Lion StreetRuperra House, including pavement cobbles to front.Sarah Siddons PHSection of Town Wall at Watton MountShop, including former Theatre to rearSilurian HouseSomerfieldSt John's Mount & Mews CottageStone Setts in front of Nos.3-9 Orchard Street, and Stone Flags in front of Nos.6-8 Orchard Street.Stone Wall to NE of Castle Hotel which faces River Honddu, including Stone Outbuilding at N endSunny BarnTawelfaTelephone Call Box opposite Brecknock MuseumTelephone Call-box on pavement outside No.13 The WattonTelephone Call-box outside No.10 The StruetThe AlmonryThe Duke of Wellington MonumentThe George HotelThe Keep at Brecon BarracksThe Old Museum
Conservation areas
1 conservation area covers 15% of Brecon
Areas the council protects as a whole: demolition and changes to how buildings look need consent, and trees are protected.
Brecon 197047 ha
47 hain conservation areas, of 315 ha inside the built-up area.
474 of the 522 listed buildings stand in one.
Cadw’s conservation areas via DataMapWales. Hectares are the part of each area inside the built-up area.
How the list grew
More than half of Brecon’s listed buildings were added in one year, 1976
The year each building now on the list was first listed.
1976 · 3491961 · 621952 · 57
19501960197019801990200020102020
The first 57 entries were listed in 1952, 4 of the 6 Grade I buildings among them. 349 came in 1976. Only 1 has been added in the last 15 years.
Monuments & landscapes
Monuments, parks and gardens
Designations that overlap the town by a tenth of their area or half a hectare.
4 scheduled monuments
Nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, protected by law; work on them needs consent from the Welsh Government (Cadw).
Brecon BridgePost Medieval/Modern; Bridge
Brecon CastleMedieval; Motte and Bailey
Town Wall and Gatehouse at Captain's WalkMedieval; Town Wall
Town Wall at Watton MountMedieval; Town Defences
History Grade
Brecon grades A+ for history
Protected heritage and the age of the town’s homes, against all UK towns.
Protected heritage, for its size and in all (569 points, 689 per 10,000 residents)More than almost every UK town
Homes built before 1919 (29%)More than 83% of UK towns
Two measures, each ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, with protected heritage counting twice as much as the age of homes. Protected heritage counts each listed building by its grade (Grade I three points, II* two, II one), each scheduled monument and battlefield two, and each registered park or garden by its grade; it is ranked both per 10,000 residents and as a total, so a village with one fine church doesn’t outrank a historic city. The second measure is the share of homes built before 1919, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records. History is a character grade: it describes the town and isn’t part of the overall grade.
Homes by age
29% of Brecon’s homes were built before 1919
Every home by when it was built, from council tax records, against England & Wales (the dark tick).
28%
Before 1900
1.5%
1900–18
1.5%
1919–29
5.4%
1930s
6.6%
1945–54
9.1%
1955–64
10%
1965–72
9.3%
1973–82
12%
1983–92
3.7%
1993–99
5.6%
2000–08
2.9%
2009–15
3.9%
2016–25
BreconEngland & Wales
28% of homes are Victorian or older, against 16% across England and Wales. The busiest period since was 1983–92, which added 12% of today’s homes.
Valuation Office Agency, council tax stock of properties by build period, 31 March 2025, for the neighbourhoods (LSOAs) that make up the town, split by where their residents live. Homes with no recorded build period (0 here) are left out; 1939–44 is not a period in the data.
Born here
19 notable people born in Brecon before 1900
Their lives on one timeline, earliest first.
Gwladys
Sibyl de Neufmarché
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Hugh Price
William Wynter
Thomas Coke
Sarah Siddons
Theophilus Jones
John Evan Thomas
Emma Packe
Frances Hoggan
Ernest Howard Griffiths
William Llewellyn Thomas
Frederick Bowley
S. F. Newcombe
George Ruddick
Olive Wheeler
Frank Hoddinott
Richard Maybery
6007509001050120013501500165018001950
Sarah Siddons1755–1831 · Welsh actress (1755-1831)
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham1478–1521 · English noble (1478-1521)
FH
Frances Hoggan1843–1927 · British doctor (1843-1927)
Thomas Coke1747–1814 · Welsh-American clergyman (1747–1814); Bishop of the Methodist Episcop…
Ernest Howard Griffiths1851–1932 · British physicist (1851-1932)
S. F. Newcombe1878–1956 · British Army officer (1878–1956)
Gwladys500– · Welsh saint
JT
John Evan Thomas1810–1873 · Welsh sculptor (1810-1873)
Everyone born in Brecon → Birthplaces from Wikidata; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.
Towns its size
Brecon has the 14th most Grade I buildings of 732 towns its size
Places of 5,000–13,000 people outside London, by Grade I listed buildings.
Brecon6
#1 of 732for listed buildings per resident (632 per 10,000). Brecon, Dartmouth and Malmesbury lead.
13 have more. The typical town its size has 0.
Neighbours
Listed buildings in the places around Brecon
| Town | People | Listed | Grade I | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecon | 8,257 | 522 | 6 | A+ |
| Talgarth | 1,252 | 28 | 0 | A |
| Llangynidr | 1,038 | 11 | 0 | A− |
In brief
Brecon in brief
For its size, Brecon has more listed heritage than 99% of UK towns. In all there are 522 listed buildings, 6 of them Grade I, including Brecon Cathedral. Of its homes, 29% were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town. Ely Tower sits at the heart of it all, with 6 of the town’s Grade I buildings within 400 m.
Only 13 of the 732 towns nearest its size have more Grade I buildings. A conservation area has protected part of it since 1970. Of the whole list, 71% are houses, terraces and villas. Otherwise the figures are ordinary: it also has 4 scheduled monuments.
Questions about Brecon’s history
How many listed buildings are there in Brecon?
Cadw lists 522 buildings inside Brecon’s built-up area: 6 Grade I, 27 Grade II* and 489 Grade II.
What are the Grade I listed buildings in Brecon?
6, including Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, Chapel and Remains of Nave of Former Friary at Christ College, Chapter House and Diocesan Centre (with Canonry Flat and Clergy House), Ely Tower of Brecon Castle, Remains of the Great Hall of Brecon Castle and The Deanery and Vestries, Cathedral of St John the Evangelist.
Which street in Brecon has the most listed buildings?
The Watton (73), The Struet (49) and High Street Inferior (28) have the most listed entries named by an address. One entry can be a whole terrace.
Are there scheduled monuments in Brecon?
Yes, 4 scheduled monuments, including Brecon Bridge, Brecon Castle, Town Wall and Gatehouse at Captain's Walk and Town Wall at Watton Mount.
How many conservation areas are there in Brecon?
1, covering about 47 hectares of the town. The largest is Brecon.
When were Brecon’s buildings listed?
The first in 1952; the most, 349, in 1976.
Are there old photos of Brecon?
Yes: 5 public-domain photos and postcards from 1786 to 1910, and an old map from 1610, all on this page.
Who was born in Brecon?
Among people born before 1900: Sarah Siddons (1755), Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1478), Frances Hoggan (1843), Thomas Coke (1747) and Ernest Howard Griffiths (1851).
How old are the homes in Brecon?
29% of homes were built before 1919 and 36% before 1940, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records (March 2025).
Listed buildings, scheduled monuments and historic parks and gardens: Cadw, © Crown copyright, via DataMapWales.
Sources: 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 · Cadw conservation areas via DataMapWales (October 2026). 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.