Cowbridge is believed to have been founded in the late eleventh century by Robert St. Quentin, a Norman knight of FitzHamon, on a site that is of Roman origin (NPRN 307254). The town maintains its original medieval plan, and a good portion of the early town walls (NPRN 307612) survive, including the South Gate, originally one of four such gates. Cowbridge received its borough charter in 1254 from Richard de Clare, who leased plots of land to `responsible citizens?. By the fourteenth century the town had grown to be one of the largest in Wales, and though the medieval period saw fluctuations in population, the town maintained its position. The former town hall, now serving as a museum, is believed to date back as far as the Elizabethan period, having been once a prison, later converted to the town's Guild Hall.

The town is known for its fairs, and for esteemed former residents, including David Lloyd George, Britain's only Welsh Prime Minister, and Iolo Morganwg, who devised the rituals for the National Eisteddfod.

K Steele, RCAHMW, 23 January 2009