Things you didn't know about... Gwent

Gwent—the county that isn't
Gwent was made a formal government county in 1974, but was then abolished in 1996. It remains, however, a "preserved county" for ceremonial purposes, and the name lives on in titles such as the Newport Gwent Dragonds rugby team.

Gwent has had its Dark period
In the Dark Ages, the kindom of Gwent was the area between the rivers Usk and Wye and the Severn Estuary.

Gwent's literary revival
In the 19th and 20th centuries, writers began using the name "Gwent" as a romantic way to refer to the county of Monmouthshire.

Gwent is well-fortified—and we don't mean booze
The Normans built and fortified a large number of stone castles in the region. It still has the highest density of Norman castles in the United Kingdom.

Gwent—is this the real life? Or is it just fantasy?
Gwent is home to the Rockfield Studio, set up in a farmhouse in the 1960s—and where Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975.

Life's a ditch in Gwent
Offa, King of Mercia in the 8th century, built a great earthwork running through Gwent from the Severn estuary to the Welsh cast as a defensive boundary to his realm. Today Offa's Dyke is a popular spot for hiking.

Gwent—the biggest show in town
The Monmouth Agricultural Show dates back to 1794, and is the biggest in Wales.

They're philosophical in Gwent...
Bertrand Russell, the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician and philosopher, was born in Gwent in 1872.

Don't mess with Gwent—it has superhero connections
Cartoon hero Dangermouse's ever-present sidekick Penfold has an aunt that lives in the Gwent town of Abergavenny.

The hills are alive in Gwent
Gwent's marvellous Black Mountains inspired the setting for Bruce Chatwin's prize-winning novel On The Black Hill, made into a film starring Bob Peck in 1987.