In Wales, a Celtic system of division called

cantrefi A cantref ( ; ; plural cantrefi or cantrefs; also rendered as ''cantred'') was a Wales in the Early Middle Ages, medieval Welsh land division, particularly important in the administration of Welsh law. Description Land in medieval Wales was divid ...

(a hundred farmsteads) had existed for centuries and was of particular importance in the administration of the Welsh law. Following the

Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 () or the Acts of Union (), were Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), acts of the Parliament of England under King Henry VIII of England, causing Wales to be incorporated into the realm of the Kingdom of Engl ...

, Wales was divided into a similar system of ''hundreds'' to be aligned with England. Wales was divided into hundreds following the

. This resulted in the creation of five new counties (

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

Brecknockshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1 ...

Radnorshire Radnorshire () was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974, later becoming a Districts of Wales, district of Powys from 1974 to 1996. It covered a sparsely populat ...

Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire ( ) was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was named after its county town, Montgomery, Powys, Montgomery, which in turn was named after ...

and

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, Flintshire to the east, Wrexham to the southeast, Powys to the south, and Gwynedd and Conwy to the west. Rhyl is the largest town, and Ruthi ...

) from the Marches of Wales. Combined with the transformation of the Lordships of Pembroke and Glamorgan into new counties, with the existing counties of Cardiganshire, Caernarfonshire and Flintshire (created by the

Statute of Rhuddlan The Statute of Rhuddlan (), also known as the Statutes of Wales ( or ''Valliae'') or as the Statute of Wales ( or ''Valliae''), was a royal ordinance by Edward I of England, which gave the constitutional basis for the government of the Principal ...

) this gave Wales thirteen counties.

Anglesey

Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...

was divided into six hundreds: *

Dindaethwy Dindaethwy was in medieval times one of two commotes of the cantref of Rhosyr, in the south-east of the Isle of Anglesey. It was between the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay (to the south), and the Irish Sea and Red Wharf Bay (to the north). It incl ...

* Llifon *

Malltraeth Malltraeth (origin: ''Mall'' (corrupt, blasted, desolate, + ''Traeth'' (beach))) is a small village in the southwest of Anglesey, in the community of Bodorgan. It is now at the end of a large bay, which used to extend much further inland, alm ...

* Menai *

Talybolion Talybolion was a commote in the Hundred of Cemaes. The parishes of Llanfwrog and Llanbadrig Llanbadrig is a village and community (Wales), community (and former Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral ward) in Anglese ...

Twrcelyn Twrcelyn is an electoral ward in the north of Anglesey, Wales. It includes the communities of Amlwch, Llanbadrig, Llaneilian, and Rhosybol. Twrcelyn elects three county councillors to the Isle of Anglesey County Council. Twrcelyn was created ...

Brecknockshire

was divided into six hundreds. *

Builth Builth Wells (; ) is a market town and community in the county of Powys and historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, lying at the confluence of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part of the Wye Valley. In 20 ...

* Crucywel *

Defynnog Defynnog, (sometimes found as Devynock in some historical documents), is a small village in the community (Wales), community of Maescar in the historic county of Brecknockshire, Wales, now lying within the unitary authority area of Powys. It lies ...

Merthyr Merthyr Tydfil () is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydfil, daughter of Kin ...

Pencelli Pencelli is a small village within the community of Talybont-on-Usk in the county of Powys, Wales, and the historic county of Brecknockshire. The Welsh name signifies the 'end of (a) grove'. It lies just to the southeast of Brecon in the Brecon B ...

Talgarth Talgarth is a market town, community (Wales), community and electoral ward in southern Powys, Mid Wales, about north of Crickhowell, north-east of Brecon and south-east of Builth Wells. Notable buildings in the town include the 14th-century ...

Caernarfonshire

Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire (; , ), previously spelled Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales. Geography The county ...

was divided into ten hundreds: * Commitmaen * Creuddyn * Dinlaen *

Eifionydd Eifionydd () is an area in north-west Wales covering the south-eastern part of the Llŷn Peninsula from Porthmadog to just east of Pwllheli. The Afon Erch forms its western border. It now lies in Gwynedd. The commote of Eifionydd formed the no ...

* Cafflogion *

Isaf The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386 according to the Bonn Agreement, which outlined t ...

* Uchaf * Nanconwy * Is Gwyrfai * Uwch Gwyrfai

Cardiganshire

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

was divided into five hundreds. *Genaur Glyn *Ilar *Moyddyn *Penarth *Troedyraur

Parishes

Until 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Cardiganshire was divided into the following parishes. Chapelries are listed in italics. ¹a chapelry to Llanddewi Brefi in Penarth hundred

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

was divided into eight hundreds. * Carnwyllion * Catheiniog * Caeo * Cedweli * Derllys * Elfed * Is Cennen * Perfedd

Parishes

In the medieval period Carmarthenshire was divided into the following parishes:

Denbighshire

was divided into six hundreds: * Broomfield *

Chirk Chirk () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales, south of Wrexham, between it and Oswestry. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 4,468. Historically in the historic counties of Wales, traditional coun ...

* Is Aled * Is Dulas *

Ruthin Ruthin ( ; ) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and Rhewl. The name comes from the Welsh ''rhud ...

Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...

Flintshire

Flintshire Flintshire () is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, the Dee Estuary to the north-east, the English county of Cheshire to the east, Wrexham County Borough to the south, and Denbighshire to the west. ...

was divided into five hundreds: *Coleshill * Maylor *

Mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal ...

Prestatyn Prestatyn (; ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Historically a part of Flintshire, it is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. Prestatyn has a population of 19,085. Origin of name The name Prestatyn d ...

Rhuddlan Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in Denbighshire, Wales. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. It gave its name to the Welsh district of Rhuddlan ...

Glamorgan

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

was divided into ten hundreds: *

Caerphilly Caerphilly (, ; , ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Wales. It is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley and separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly Mountain. It is north of Cardiff an ...

Cowbridge Cowbridge () is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for elections to ...

Dinas Powys Dinas Powys (; also spelt "Dinas Powis" in English) is a town and community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. Its name means "fort of the provincial place" and refers to the Dinas Powys hillfort, Iron Age hillfort which ...

Kibbor Kibbor is one of the hundreds of Glamorgan created by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 corresponding approximately to the commote of ''Kwmwd Kibwr'' (Ceibwr in contemporary Welsh) of the former Senghenydd cantref ''Cantref Breinyawl'' with the addit ...

Llangyfelach Llangyfelach is a village and community located in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Llangyfelach is situated about 4 miles north of the centre of Swansea, just west of Morriston. It falls within the Llangyfelach ward. To ...

Miskin Miskin () is a village approximately south of Llantrisant in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The origin of the village was a small hamlet (place), hamlet known as New Mill, which grew up around New Mill farm. Miskin is part of ...

Neath Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...

* Ogmore *

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

Merionethshire

Merionethshire Merionethshire, or Merioneth ( or '), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the North West Wales, north-west of Wales. Name 'Merioneth' is a ...

was divided into five hundreds: *

Ardudwy Ardudwy () is an area of Gwynedd in north-west Wales, lying between Tremadog Bay and the Rhinogydd. Administratively, under the old Kingdom of Gwynedd, it was first a division of the sub kingdom (cantref) of Dunoding and later a commote in i ...

Edernion Edeirnion or Edeyrnion is an area of the county of Denbighshire and an ancient commote of medieval Wales in the cantref of Penllyn. According to tradition, it was named after its eponymous founder Edern or Edeyrn. It was included as a Welsh t ...

* Ystumanner * Penilyn * Tal Y Bon and Mawddwy

Monmouthshire

was divided into five hundreds: *

Abergavenny Abergavenny (; , , archaically , ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a "Gateway to Wales"; it is approximately from the England–Wales border, border with England and is loca ...

* Caldicot * Rhaglan *

Skenfrith Skenfrith () is a small village in Monmouthshire, south-east Wales. It is located on the River Monnow, close to the border between Wales and England, about north-west of Monmouth. History and amenities The Welsh placename ''Ynysgynwraidd'', ...

Usk Usk () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, northeast of Newport. It is located on the River Usk, which is spanned by an arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. Usk Castle, above the town, overlooks the ancient cr ...

Wentloog Wentlooge (), sometimes known as Wentloog, is a community in the southwest of the city of Newport, South Wales, in the Marshfield ward. The community includes Peterstone Wentlooge and St. Brides Wentlooge and in 2011 had a population of 737. ...

Montgomeryshire

was divided into eight hundreds: * Cawrse *

Deuddwr ; ; ) was a medieval commote (''cwmwd'') in the cantref of Ystlyg in the Kingdom of Powys. It lay at the east of the kingdom, bordering England to the north, the cantref of Mechain to the north-west and, within Ystlyg, the commotes of Ystrad Ma ...

Llanfyllin Llanfyllin ( – ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Powys, Wales. The community (which measures 41.8 square kilometres) population in 2021 was 1,586 and the town's name means ''church or parish'' (Llan (placename), llan) ''o ...

Machynlleth Machynlleth () is a market town, community and electoral ward in Powys, Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had a po ...

Mathrafal Mathrafal near Welshpool, in Powys, Mid Wales, was the seat of the Kings and Princes of Powys probably from the 9th century until its destruction in 1213 by Prince Llywelyn the Great. Location On the banks of the River Banwy, just above its ...

* Montgomery * Newtown *

Pool Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

was divided into seven hundreds from the

Laws in Wales Act 1535 Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

: * Castlemartin * Cemais *

Cilgerran Cilgerran (previously Kilgerran or Cil-Garon) is both a village, a parish, and also a community, situated on the south bank of the River Teifi in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was formerly an incorporated market town. Among Cilgerran's attractions ...

Dewisland 250px, The cantref of Pebidiog in ancient Dyfed The Hundred of Dewisland (often written "Dewsland") was a hundred in northwest Pembrokeshire, Wales. Formerly the pre-Norman cantref of Pebidiog, it included the city and the peninsula of St Davids ...

Dungleddy image:LDDeugleddyfCymydau.png, 200px, Ancient Kingdom of Dyfed, Dyfed showing Deugleddyf Cantref and its "commotes" image:LDDungleddyHundred.png, 200px, Pembrokeshire showing Dungleddy Hundred The Hundred of Dungleddy was a hundred (country subd ...

* Narberth * Rhos

Parishes

Below is a table of parishes in the medieval period (note: these do not necessarily equate to the pre-1974 civil parishes due to changes in the 19th and 20th centuries). Chapelries are listed in ''italics''.

Radnorshire

was divided into six hundreds: *

Cefnllys Cefnllys is an abandoned ghost village, formerly a medieval castle town and borough, near Llandrindod Wells in Radnorshire (now part of Powys), Wales. The settlement was founded during the 13th century by the Mortimer family in order to streng ...

Colwyn Colwyn may refer to: Wales * Colwyn Bay – town in north Wales ** Bay of Colwyn Town Council – town council in north Wales * Colwyn (district) – former district and borough in north Wales ** Colwyn Borough Council – former council in nort ...

* Knighton *

Painscastle Painscastle () is a village and community in Powys (formerly Radnorshire), Wales which takes its name from the castle at its heart. It lies between Builth and Hay-on-Wye, approximately 3 miles from the Wales-England border today. The communi ...

* Radnor *

Rhayader Rhayader (; ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Powys, Wales, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic county of Radnorshire. The town is from the source of the River Wye on Plynlimon, the highest point of the Cambri ...

References

{{Geography of Wales Local government in the United Kingdom

Anglesey

Brecknockshire

Caernarfonshire

Cardiganshire

Parishes

Carmarthenshire

Parishes

Denbighshire

Flintshire

Glamorgan

Merionethshire

Monmouthshire

Montgomeryshire

Pembrokeshire

Parishes

Radnorshire

See also

References