(Welsh Dinbych, signifying a hill fort), the capital of the county of the same name, a market and borough town 179 miles N.W. from London, beautifully situated on an eminence in the vale of Clwyd, surmounted by the extensive ruins of the fine old castle. The houses are well built of stone, and there are many very handsome edifices amongst them. The public buildings are not of much pretension. There is a good modern market building lately constructed. The corporation consists of a mayor, six aldermen, and twelve councillors. In conjunction with the boroughs of Holt and Ruthin, it returned one member to parliament from 1536 to 1832, since which time Wrexham has been added as one of the returning towns. Constituency in 1832, 1131; in 1832, 858 only. The political influence is chiefly in the hands of the Myddelton Biddulphs of Chirk Castle (liberal), and the Wests of Ruthin Castle (conservative), and of the Williams Wynns of Wynnstay (conservative). The assessed taxes yield annually L2668. The annual value of real property paying income tax is L41,518. The population in 1851 was 16,614. There are weekly markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and several fairs in the course of the year. The quarter sessions are held here, but the assizes are held at Ruthin, as being in a more central situation.

A large export trade in leather and shoes, which are manufactured in the town, is carried on; but Denbigh is chiefly resorted to as an agreeable place of retirement.

Denbigh is well supplied with school accommodation. There is a foundation called the Blue Coat School which clothes and educates 24 boys. There is also a grammar-school and a commodious national, as well as British and foreign school. Near the town is a very extensive and well managed asylum for the insane of North Wales.

ancient times, was a place of great military importance, and the castle was successively vested—after having been wrested from the Welsh—in Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (who built the castle in the time of Edward I.), Roger Mortimer, and Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the favourite of Elizabeth. It was gallantly held by Colonel William Salisbury for the king during the civil wars of the revolution, but finally surrendered to the parliamentary forces under General Mytton.