Usk, United Kingdom

The town was laid out in rectangular building plots, centred on the market square. Markets were originally held in Twyn Square, twyn being a Welsh word for "hillock".

The town was owned by the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford until 1314, when it was claimed by the Earl of Ulster through marriage. It descended in the female line to Lionel Duke of Clarence, the son of Edward III and through him to Mortimer Earl of March, Marshal of England. His nephew, Richard Duke of York then inherited and it became a favourite residence of his. At the death of Richard III in 1485 it was given by Henry VII to his son Arthur, Prince of Wales. In 1544 it became part of the dowry of Queen Katherine Parr and on the death of Catherine it was granted by Edward VI to the Earl of Pembroke. Its location meant that it was inevitably frequently caught up in the border disputes between the English and the Welsh in this section of the Welsh Marches.

Usk was the birthplace of Adam of Usk. His chronicle records the 'Welsh Revolt' in 1403, when Owain Glyndŵr burned Usk to the ground while gaining control of much of South Wales from the English under King Henry IV and his son, later to become King Henry V. The important Battle of Pwll Melyn in 1405 occurred immediately north of Usk Castle, when English forces routed their Welsh opponents, causing much loss of life, including that of Owain's brother Tudur. After their defeat, three hundred Welsh prisoners were executed in front of the castle. In 2005 the 600th anniversary of the battle of Pwll Melyn was commemorated by a son-et-lumiere show at the castle.

The town appears as "Uck" and "Branbuga" on the Cambriae Typus map of 1573.

The Great House of the town, later subdivided into smaller units, was built on Old Market Street in the mid-16th century for the Williams family. Its original entrance was at the rear of the present building, and faced onto gardens and meadows. Though much altered, the building retains many original features including chimney stacks and decorative plaster ceilings.

The town market was moved from Twyn Square in 1598 to a location closer to the river, at New Market Street. The Old Town Hall was built on the street at the same time; this was later partially rebuilt at several times during the 19th century, and is now used by the Royal British Legion.

In 1621 the wealthy Midlands wool merchant Roger Edwards, the owner of Allt-y-Bela in Llangwm, founded Usk Grammar School.

The first stone bridge at Usk, replacing one of wood, was built to the designs of Welsh architect William Edwards. Unlike the bridge downstream at Caerleon, it withstood the great floods of 1795. The bridge was strengthened and widened in 1836, but two of its arches were destroyed by floods in 1877 and later replaced.

In 1769 a Congregational chapel was built in Twyn Square. It was rebuilt, in the Gothic style in 1863, with a turret for one bell and room for 400 worshippers. The Jubilee Town Clock was originally positioned directly in front of the church.

From the late 18th century, Usk became well known for the high quality of its japanware, a process of decorating metals by applying a lacquer to tinplate. The process, known as Pontypool japan, was first developed in the west by Thomas Allgood of nearby Pontypool and was taken on in Usk in 1763 by his grandsons Thomas and Edward Allgood. Products from Usk included tin trays, jardinières, and coal boxes. However output declined with changing fashions in the 19th century, and the last Usk japanware was produced in 1860 on the site of what is now Bunning's builders' merchants.

Usk was a thriving market town in the first part of the 19th century, when many of its existing buildings were constructed, and into the Victorian era, although its population fell in the second half of the century as a result of agricultural depression.