Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych) is a county in north-east Wales, running from the Irish Sea coast to the Berwyn mountains. It covers 323 square miles (837 km2), had a population of 95,818 at the 2021 census, and is run from County Hall in Ruthin.
Rhyl is the largest town. The modern county was created in 1996 and does not share the boundaries of the historic county of the same name, which extended further east into what is now Wrexham.
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Welsh name | Sir Ddinbych |
| Area | 323 sq mi (837 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 95,818 |
| Density | 114 people per km2 (297 per sq mi) |
| Welsh speakers | 22.5% (2021 census) |
| Largest town | Rhyl |
| County town | Ruthin (Rhuthun) |
| City | St Asaph (Llanelwy) |
| Council | Denbighshire County Council |
Towns and Villages in Denbighshire
The county has 112 named towns, villages and hamlets, listed alphabetically from Aberwheeler to Waen Goleugoed. Rhyl, Prestatyn, Denbigh, Ruthin, St Asaph, Rhuddlan, Llangollen and Corwen are the towns; the rest are villages of the Vale of Clwyd, the Clwydian Range and the Dee valley.
- Aberwheeler
- Berwyn
- Bettws Gwerfil Goch
- Bodelwyddan
- Bodfari
- Bontuchel
- Bonwm
- Brookhouse
- Bryn Eithen
- Bryn Saith Marchog
- Bryneglwys
- Carrog
- Castell
- Clawdd Poncen
- Clawdd-newydd
- Clocaenog
- Commins
- Corwen
- Cwm
- Cyffylliog
- Cynwyd
- Denbigh
- Derwen
- Dre-gôch
- Druid
- Dyserth
- Efenechtyd
- Eryrys
- Fedw
- Ffordd-las
- Four Crosses
- Galltegfa
- Geinas
- Gellifor
- Geufron
- Glascoed
- Glyn-Dyfrdwy
- Graianrhyd
- Graig
- Graig-fechan
- Green
- Groes Efa
- Groesffordd Marli
- Gwaynynog
- Gwyddelwern
- Hendrerwydd
- Henllan
- Hirwaen
- Llanarmon-yn-Ial
- Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd
- Llandegla
- Llandrillo
- Llandynan
- Llandyrnog
- Llanelidan
- Llanfair-Dyffryn-Clwyd
- Llanferres
- Llanfwrog
- Llangollen
- Llangwyfan
- Llangynhafal
- Llanrhaiadr
- Llantysilio
- Llanynys
- Llidiart Annie
- Llidiart-y-Parc
- Loggerheads
- Maeshafn
- Marian Cwm
- Meliden
- Melin-y-Wig
- Mynydd-llêch
- Nant-y-Patrick
- Nantglyn
- Newmarket
- Pant
- Pant-pastynog
- Pen-llain-wen
- Pen-y-stryt
- Pengwern
- Peniel
- Pentre
- Pentre’r-felin
- Pentre-celyn
- Pentre-dwfr
- Pentre-Llanrhaeadr
- Pentrefelin
- Plâs-Llanrhydd
- Pont-Ystrad
- Prestatyn
- Prion
- Pwll-glâs
- Rhewl
- Rhiwbebyll
- Rhuallt
- Rhuddlan
- Rhydymeudwy
- Rhyl
- Rhôs
- Rug
- Ruthin
- Saint Asaph
- Saron
- Soar
- Tafarn-y-Gelyn
- Terfyn
- Trefnant
- Tremeirchion
- Trevor Uchaf
- Ty’n-y-cefn
- Waen
- Waen Goleugoed
Geography
The Vale of Clwyd runs south from the coast at Rhyl through Rhuddlan, St Asaph, Denbigh and Ruthin, a broad and fertile trough between two ranges of hills. To the east the Clwydian Range rises to Moel Famau at 554 metres, on the boundary with Flintshire; to the west the Denbigh Moors climb towards Conwy.
The south of the county is different country again: the River Dee cuts through Corwen and Llangollen below the Berwyn mountains, where Cadair Berwyn reaches 830 metres on the boundary with Powys. Wrexham lies to the south-east and Gwynedd to the south-west.
The coast between Rhyl and Prestatyn is low, sandy and defended by sea walls, with the Dee estuary beginning just beyond Gronant.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 95,818 residents, broadly flat on 2011. Around half live in the coastal towns of Rhyl and Prestatyn; the Vale of Clwyd holds most of the rest, and the Dee valley and the moors are sparsely settled.
Welsh is spoken by 22.5% of residents aged three and over, the sixth highest share in Wales. The proportion is much higher in the Vale of Clwyd and around Corwen and Llandrillo than on the coast.
Rhyl and Prestatyn together form a built-up area of around 46,000 people. Denbigh, Ruthin and Llangollen are the market towns, and St Asaph, with a cathedral and around 3,400 residents, is one of the smallest cities in Britain.
Economy and Local Life
The coast lives on tourism and caravan holidays, with Rhyl’s SC2 waterpark and Prestatyn’s beaches and Offa’s Dyke path start-point among the main draws. Rhyl has been the focus of long-running regeneration work.
Inland the Vale is dairy and beef country, with livestock markets at Ruthin and St Asaph. The OpTIC centre and business park at St Asaph carry optoelectronics and precision engineering firms, and Denbighshire’s public sector employment is concentrated in Ruthin and Denbigh.
Llangollen hosts the International Musical Eisteddfod each July, which has brought choirs and dancers from around the world to the town since 1947.
History
Rhuddlan Castle, finished in 1282, was where Edward I issued the Statute of Rhuddlan the following year, setting out the government of the conquered principality. Denbigh Castle followed in 1282, and Ruthin Castle the same decade.
St Asaph Cathedral traces its foundation to the sixth century, making it one of the oldest sees in Britain. William Morgan, who translated the Bible into Welsh in 1588, was later its bishop and is commemorated by the translators’ memorial outside.
Thomas Telford’s Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, opened in 1805 just over the boundary in Wrexham, carries the Llangollen Canal whose feeder runs from the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen. The canal and aqueduct are a World Heritage Site.
Getting There
The A55 expressway crosses the north of the county past Rhuddlan and St Asaph. The A525 links Rhyl to Denbigh, Ruthin and Wrexham, the A494 runs from Ruthin to Corwen, and the A5 passes through Llangollen and Corwen on Telford’s Holyhead road.
Rhyl and Prestatyn are on the North Wales Coast Line, with direct trains to Chester, Crewe, Manchester and London Euston. There is no passenger railway in the Vale of Clwyd south of Rhyl; the Llangollen Railway is a heritage line running west to Corwen. Liverpool and Manchester airports are the nearest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Denbighshire?
95,818 at the 2021 census, across 323 square miles.
What is the largest town in Denbighshire?
Rhyl, on the coast. Prestatyn, Denbigh and Ruthin follow.
How many villages are there in Denbighshire?
This directory lists 112 named towns, villages and hamlets.
Is the modern county the same as historic Denbighshire?
No. The historic county reached further east and south, taking in Wrexham and Llanrwst. The present county was formed in 1996 and includes parts of historic Flintshire and Merionethshire.
How many people in Denbighshire speak Welsh?
22.5% of residents aged three and over at the 2021 census.