Caerleon, the ancient Roman village, recently was unsuccessful with its hopes to reach top title of UK Town of Culture. A winner has not been announced yet, however, Welsh towns, Pontypridd and Port Talbot were both shortlisted. The prize for the winner of the competition is set to be up to £3 million in grants to support the town’s cultural heritage and development.
With Caerleon’s rich history, beautiful surroundings, and local patriotism – many residents were left confused as how they fell short of the list.
The idea was first developed back in the early months of this year when newport/newport-council/">Newport City Council supported the bid for Caerleon to be involved within the UK Town of Culture 2028 competition. It seemed quite appropriate due to the town’s very significant part in multiple parts of history; including both Welsh and Roman. Founded in AD 74-75, the Romans originally called Caerleon by the name of ‘Isca’. The small village as most know it as today was one of Roman Britain’s biggest and most significant military bases, sharing the podium alongside two other historic towns, Chester and York. Now in 2026, the Roman Empire has long collapsed but several ruins stand the test of time to remind us of the legendary architects and engineers that once lived. This includes the Roman baths, barracks and amphitheatre that are spread across the village. Caerleon is also thought to have played a major role within King Arthur’s story, however, this can be argued to be mostly legendary and not fact.
With all of this, it is easy to understand why Caerleon locals are so confused. Newport City Council described the competition as an “opportunity to showcase Caerleon’s history, independent businesses and community spirit” back in February, which gained lots of traction throughout not only Caerleon, but also the whole of South Wales. Locals now worry about the development of Caerleon‘s heritage.
Caerleon gaining popularity and fame attracted visitors, and this year, brought countless visitors from all over the world to embrace Welsh culture and history at its finest.
In July earlier this year, the shortlist was announced and among the names of 15 towns across the UK were South Wales towns, Pontypridd and Port Talbot. The winner is set to be announced on the 31st of March 2027 and although Caerleon will not hold the title, people across Wales are crossing their fingers for a Welsh winner.
