It is named after Simon de Bonville, a Normannobleman; hence the name of the village, though different in English and Welsh, translates as "Simon's town" or "Bonville's town" and refers to the same person.[2][3] Simon de Bonville lived here in the 12th century.[4] In 1291, "Margam conveyed to Thomas le Spudur of Bonvilston an acre of arable land with a house and curtilage in the vill of 'Tudekistowe', which Thomas, son of Robert had previously leased from the abbey; in exchange, Thomas gave the abbey two acres of land in Bonvilston."[5] The manor subsequently became increasingly under the power of Margam Abbey.[6]
In the 19th century, Richard Bassett, a prominent figure in Glamorgan resided at Bonvilston House and owned the manor.[7] The 1811 A Topographical Dictionary of The Dominion of Wales by Nicholas Carlisle said of the village:
The village has two pubs, The Red Lion, and The Aubrey Arms. A Third pub, The Old Post, closed in 2019 and in 2021, permission was granted to convert this into a hotel. There is a corner shop called the old village shop. St Mary's parish church, rebuilt in 1860 in the Victorian era style retains a late mediaeval Sanctus bell.