Gwent is a preserved county and a former local government county in south-east Wales. It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent.
It consisted of most of the former administrative county of Monmouthshire and the county borough of Newport, along with Brynmawr and Llanelly from Brecknockshire. Under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 it was abolished on 1 April 1996.
The name however remains as one of the preserved counties of Wales used for certain ceremonial purposes, and it also survives in various titles, e.g., Gwent Police, Royal Gwent Hospital and the Newport Gwent Dragons rugby team.
When it existed, the administrative area was divided into several districts: Blaenau Gwent, Islwyn, Monmouth, Newport and Torfaen.
The successor unitary authorities are: In 2003 the preserved county of Gwent expanded to cover the whole of Caerphilly county borough. |