In Wales, as in England and Northern Ireland, a town is any settlement which has received a charter of incorporation, more commonly known as a town charter, approved by the monarch[citation needed]. Fifty-five boroughs in Wales were given parliamentary representation in 1536, but the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 recognised only 20 Welsh boroughs[citation needed]. Subsequent urban growth led to the designation of other places as boroughs, including Wrexham, Rhondda, Barry and Merthyr Tydfil, but many other settlements were only granted the status of urban district.[1] The Local Government Act 1972 allows civil parishes in England and Wales to resolve themselves to be town councils.
Cities are also listed (in bold). Until the 16th century, a town was recognised as a city if it had a diocesan cathedral within its limits. The city of St Davids, with a population of about 2,000, received its city status in this way. St Asaph acquired city status in 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.[2]
