BRECON, or BRECKNOCK, the capital of the county of the same name, a market and borough town, 145 miles N. by W. from London, picturesque situated in a fine open valley, at the confluence of the Honddu the Tarell and the Usk, and nearly in the centre of the country. There are three main streets, with several smaller ones. The houses are for the most part constructed of stone, and are generally well built. Brecon has a fine old church, partly of the Norman period. There are two other churches, and two Independent, two Baptist, and one Calvinistic Methodist chapel.
The corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, four aldermen, and twelve councillors. The borough has returned one member to parliament since 1536. Constituency in 1832, 336. The assessed taxes yield annually L.1259, and the annual value of real property paying income-tax is L.24,941. There are weekly markets, and several fairs in the course of the year. The quarter-sessions and assizes are held here.
Brecon has a foundation called the College of Christ Church, of which the Bishop of St David's is ex officio dean. This has hitherto been entirely inefficient, but there is now
Breda (1854) some prospect of reformation in the management. It is proposed also to transfer the college of St David's at Lampeter to this town. The ruins of the ancient castle are unimportant: they are inclosed in the beautiful grounds of the Castle Hotel. There are some fine Roman and other remains in the immediate vicinity. Pop. of municipality (1851) 5673. Inhabited houses, 1147. (J. a-w-d.)