"Knighton (Welsh: Tref-y-clawdd; pronunciation [treve klau] or Trefyclo) is a small market town and community situated in Powys, Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Radnorshire."

Lying on the River Teme, the town straddles the English-Welsh border; Knighton railway station, as well as a small part of the town is located in Shropshire, England.

The name Knighton probably derives from the Old English words cniht and tūn meaning, respectively, "... a soldier, personal follower, young man, servant, thane, freeman and farm, settlement, homestead. This implies that the settlement was perhaps founded as the result of a grant of land to freemen. By contrast the Welsh name (Tref-y-Clawdd) is more straightforward and translates simply as the town on the dyke. Inhabitants are Knightonians, 'Knightoners'. Knighton's earliest history is obscure but there are local clues: Caer Caradoc (an Iron Age hillfort associated with Caradoc or Caractacus) is just 2 miles away.

Watling Street, a Roman road, passes a few miles to the east and any settlements around the Knighton area would have been part of the ancient Celtic kingdom of Cornovii.

Knighton is known for a well preserved section of Offa's Dyke an earthwork that runs north-south along the English/Welsh border from Basingwerk near Holywell to Oswestry.

The Offa's Dyke Centre is just a short walk away from the George and Dragon Inn.