St Asaph, Perth and Chelmsford have been awarded ‘city status’ as part of events this year to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The towns were selected following a competition launched in 2010 to win the civic honours.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the awards to towns in England, Scotland and Wales reflected the “significance of every part of the UK” during the Diamond Jubilee year.
“Across the United Kingdom, I have been moved by the pride and passion which people have shown in putting their nominations forward,” he said.
“The standard of application was very high, and those who missed out should not be downhearted.
“I hope the competition has given the residents of all of the places which applied a sense of civic pride, of collective ownership and of community spirit.”
St Asaph, a town of only around 3,500, beat the larger town of Wrexham in north Wales to win the award.
The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Rev Dr Gregory Cameron, told the BBC he was pleased “these decisions are made not on the size of the population but on the quality of community life”.
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