a county of Wales, bounded by Radnorshire, on the north; Cardiganshire and Caernarvonshire, on the west; Herefordshire and Monmouthshire on the east; and by Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire, on the south. It is 35 miles in length, 30 in breadth, and about 100 in circumference. It is surrounded with hills, which renders the air in the valleys pretty temperate. The soil on the hills is very flinty, but the streams descending from thence into the valleys render them fruitful both in corn and grass. The chief commodities here are corn, cattle, fish, and otter's fur, besides manufactures of cloth and stockings. The principal rivers are the Usk, the Wye, and the Yrwon. The chief towns are Brecknock, Bealt, and Hay.

Two miles to the east of Brecknock is a large lake, called Brecknock Meer, and by the Welch Llyn Savaddan; it is two miles in length, and nearly the same in breadth. It contains plenty of otters, tench, perch, and eels. The county sends one member to parliament. It is in the diocese of Landaff, and contains 61 parishes, and is divided into five hundreds.