Council of Wales and the Marches

Administrative body of the Kingdom of England (1473–1689)

the advisory body established in 1948

The Court of the Council in the Dominion and Principality of Wales, and the Marches of the same, commonly called the Council of Wales and the Marches (Cyngor Cymru a'r Gororau) or the Council of the Marches, was a regional administrative body founded in Shrewsbury. During its years of operation, between the 15th and 17th centuries, it was based between Ludlow Castle and the council's chambers near Shrewsbury Castle within the Kingdom of England. Its jurisdiction ranged widely, from judicial matters to public health and administration. Its geographical area of responsibility varied but generally covered all of modern Wales and the Welsh Marches of Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire and Gloucestershire. The City of Bristol was exempted in 1562, and Cheshire in 1569. It was similar to the Council of the North. Its archive is now in Shrewsbury.

The council was initially responsible for governing the lands held under the Principality of Wales, the lands directly administered by the English Crown following the Edwardian conquest of Wales in the 13th century. In 1457, King Henry VI created for his son, Prince Edward, a council to rule Wales and the Marches, Cheshire, and Cornwall. It was re established by Edward IV of England as a body to counsel and act on behalf of his son, the infant Edward, Prince of Wales. King Edward had recently been restored to the monarchy during the Wars of the Roses, and he and his allies controlled most of the marcher lordships within and adjoining Wales. He established his son at Ludlow Castle, and appointed his allies from the Woodville and Stanley families as leading figures in the council.

The council continued after the death of Edward IV and the disappearance of his son. Under Henry VII, the council was responsible for acting on behalf of his sons as successive Princes of Wales, first Arthur and then Henry. The second Laws in Wales Act 1542 gave the council statutory recognition; it had previously been based solely upon the king's prerogative. The full council was composed of the lord president and his deputy, with twenty members nominated by the king; these included members of the royal household, some of the bishops of Wales, and the justices of the Court of Great Sessions. It continued to sit at Ludlow, and had responsibilities for the whole of Wales together with the Welsh Marches. These were initially deemed to comprise Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire; the City of Bristol was exempted in 1562, and Cheshire in 1569. Worcestershire unsuccessfully attempted to free itself in 1576, and the council's authority over the English counties was relaxed in 1606 but restored by royal decree in 1609.