Usk

Sister cities

• Graben-Neudorf

History

The Roman legionary fortress of Burrium was founded on the River Usk by the military commander Aulus Didius Gallus, around AD 55. He moved his XX Valeria Victrix legion into the area from its earlier base at Glevum (Gloucester). It was the earliest legionary fortress in Wales and although the site was constricted by hills, subject to flooding, and not on a navigable river, it did offer good communications inland up the river. The fortress at Usk was surrounded by ramparts and covered a large area. However, by around 75 AD, its disadvantages had become apparent and the Romans relocated their permanent military base further south to Caerleon, leaving only a small auxiliary fort and civilian settlement at Usk. Many of the Roman finds from Usk are now housed in the National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon. The town was laid out in rectangular building plots, centred on the market square. Markets were originally held in Twyn Square, twyn being a Welsh word for "hillock". Its location meant that it was inevitably frequently caught up in the border disputes between the English and the Welsh in this section of the Welsh Marches. Usk was the birthplace of Adam of Usk. His chronicle records the 'Welsh Revolt' in 1403, when Owain Glyndŵr burned Usk to the ground while gaining control of much of South Wales from the English under King Henry IV and his son, later to become King Henry V. The important Battle of Pwll Melyn in 1405 occurred immediately north of Usk Castle, when English forces routed their Welsh opponents, causing much loss of life, including that of Owain's brother Tudur. After their defeat, three hundred Welsh prisoners were executed in front of the castle. In 2005 the 600th anniversary of the battle of Pwll Melyn was commemorated by a son-et-lumiere show at…

Most-observed species

• Dark-eyed Junco

  Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,519
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  1,266
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,187
• Northern Flicker

  Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,081
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Poecile rufescens (J.K.Townsend, 1837) · Aves
  843
• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  813
• Steller's Jay

  Cyanocitta stelleri (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  798
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  787

Most recent

• M 2.8 — 2020-06-21
  62 km WNW of Terrace, Canada