COWBRIDGE, a market town and municipal borough of Glamorganshire, Wales, with a station on the G.W.R. branch from Llantrisant to Aberthaw, 12m. W. of Cardiff and 7m. S.E. of Bridgend; pop. (1931) 1,018. The town lies in a wide valley at a bridging of the Thaw, probably on the Roman road from Cardiff westwards. After the Norman conquest Cowbridge grew up as an appanage of the castle of St. Quentin, half a mile to the south west. It was walled round before the 13th century, and the south wall and gateway still remain. During the Tudor and Stuart periods Cowbridge was almost the chief town of Glamorgan. A borough by prescription until 1682, the town was then incorporated by Charles II. The corporation was dissolved in 1883, but a new charter was granted in 1887. From 1S36 to 1832 it was a con tributory parliamentary borough, and from 1832 to 1918 returned a member contributorily with Cardiff and Llantrisant.
Since 1918 it has been included in the Pontypridd parliamentary area. The buildings of the grammar school, re-founded in 1685, were erected in 1847 by Jesus college, Oxford, by which body the school is administered. St. Mary's church, of early English style, has a fine embattled tower. The town is now wholly agricultural, and has good markets and cattle fairs.