Where was the first "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" designated in the United Kingdom in 1956?

The first AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in the United Kingdom was designated in 1956 to the Gower Peninsula in South West Wales.

The enclosed Gower Peninsula is surrounded by the Bristol Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. It has become a haven for some of the richest wildlife and varied habitats in Wales and the rest of the UK. Scattering the landscape in Gower are historic reminders of years past from castles, medieval churches, iron age fortifications, and prehistoric standing stones. All this against an awe-inspiring, natural backdrop of hills, valleys, beaches, clifftops, commons, woodland, dunes, marshes and caves.

An AONB is an area of countryside in England, Wales or Northern Ireland which has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value.

There are 46 AONBs in Britain (33 wholly in England, four wholly in Wales, one that straddles the Anglo-Welsh border and eight in Northern Ireland).

Scotland uses the similar National Scenic Area (NSA) designation. There are 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland. The Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the National Scenic Areas enjoy levels of protection from development similar to those of UK National Parks.