Cowbridge has a population of 4,250 and is one of the principal towns in the Vale of Glamorgan, which has a total population of 121,300.

Situated in the heart of the Vale, Cowbridge has a long and distinguished history. The main street, where once Roman soldiers marched, is said to have remained largely unchanged in layout for almost 2,000 years. It is believed to have remained a small village up until 1250 when one of the Lords of Glamorgan, Richard de Clare was responsible for creating the new Borough of Cowbridge, from the manor of Llanblethian.

By the 14th century it was one of the largest towns in Wales with a population of 1,300. Although the number of inhabitants fluctuated during the Middle Ages, it was prospering again by the 18th century, and has remained one of the most influential towns in the Vale of Glamorgan.