Counties in England
English Counties
Below is a list of Non-Administrative Ceremonial Counties in England and their association with Administrative Counties, Unitary Authorities and Districts. Where available, the Relation bounding them has also been listed. Some ceremonial counties are also administrative counties covering the same area (Suffolk); some administer only part of the county (for example Essex) with other parts of the ceremonial county administered by a unitary authority (such as Southend-on-Sea in Essex). Some have no administrative functions (for example Berkshire) with all administrative functions delegated to constituent unitary authorities. Some counties are administered by a single unitary authority (for example Cornwall, Isle of Wight). The boundaries of the traditional counties, ceremonial counties and administrative counties vary (for example the traditional county of Surrey includes Croydon but for administrative purposes Croydon is part of Greater London.
Validation
User:EdLoach has automated daily running of a script which uses a Visual Basic program for validating boundaries, with the resulting report uploaded here somewhere about 13:30 UK local time. False positives may be included where not all national boundary ways are in the GreatBritain Geofabrik extract which is used for the validation. If a boundary is reported as faulty but looks OK, it is often down to inconsistent use of rules (a mixture of blank (traditional style) roles, and "outer" (alternative style) roles). The "Misc" link shows the on screen warnings that the Visual Basic program also shows. Gary68's boundaries.pl also used to be run (see this page's edit history), but was discontinued from 23/10/2013).
The boundaries and their relations
Ceremonial boundary relations are tagged as per administrative boundary relations, but use boundary=ceremonial to distinguish them. If the ceremonial county is the same as the administrative county then boundary=administrative is used and no separate relation need be created, although this would be advisable due to the fact that occasional boundary changes to the administrative and ceremonial areas are not always simultaneous and "permanent" divergence is possible.
Ceremonial County boundary=ceremonial |
Administrative County/UA boundary=administrative, admin_level=6 |
Districts/Boroughs boundary=administrative, admin_level=8 |
---|---|---|
Bedfordshire 88082![]() | Central Bedfordshire (Unitary Authority) 161643![]() Bedford158396 ![]() Luton 158392 ![]() | N/A |
Berkshire 88070![]() | Bracknell Forest 113682![]() Reading 115074 ![]() Slough 117097 ![]() West Berkshire 116938 ![]() Windsor and Maidenhead 111014 ![]() Wokingham 114311 ![]() | N/A |
Bristol 6103050![]() | Bristol 57539![]() | N/A |
Buckinghamshire 87460![]() | Buckinghamshire 10947197![]() Milton Keynes 172504 ![]() | Abolished 2020-04-01 |
Cambridgeshire 87521![]() | Cambridgeshire 180837![]() Peterborough 161640 ![]() | Cambridge 295355![]() East Cambridgeshire 295352 ![]() Fenland 295349 ![]() Huntingdonshire 295351 ![]() South Cambridgeshire 295353 ![]() |
Cheshire 57512![]() | Cheshire East 153487![]() Cheshire West and Chester 153488 ![]() Halton 147284 ![]() Warrington 147278 ![]() | N/A |
Cornwall 1987628![]() | Cornwall 57537![]() Isles of Scilly 158039 ![]() | N/A |
Cumbria 88065![]() | Cumberland 15684264![]() Westmorland and Furness 15684265 ![]() | former districts (abolished 2023): Allerdale 182132 ![]() Barrow-in-Furness 176965 ![]() Carlisle 182118 ![]() Copeland 178136 ![]() Eden 182052 ![]() South Lakeland 176968 ![]() |
Derbyshire 88077![]() | Derbyshire 195384![]() Derby 142308 ![]() | Amber Valley 141905![]() Bolsover 108323 ![]() Chesterfield 138738 ![]() Derbyshire Dales 108100 ![]() Erewash 142306 ![]() High Peak 108092 ![]() North East Derbyshire 108320 ![]() South Derbyshire 142627 ![]() |
Devon 57538![]() | Devon 190380![]() Plymouth 189924 ![]() Torbay 161649 ![]() | East Devon 2114883![]() Exeter 2154556 ![]() Mid Devon 2183131 ![]() North Devon 2189992 ![]() South Hams 2118151 ![]() Teignbridge 2124339 ![]() Torridge 2197541 ![]() West Devon 2198344 ![]() |
Dorset 2698375![]() | Dorset 9448449![]() Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole 9448448 ![]() | N/A (1974 county, its 6 districts and Bournemouth and Poole unitaries all abolished, with two new unitaries created 2019-04-01 |
County Durham 156050![]() | Durham (Unitary Authority) 88067![]() Hartlepool 153375 ![]() Darlington 153377 ![]() (part of) Stockton-on-Tees 150994 ![]() | N/A |
East Riding of Yorkshire 3125734![]() | East Riding of Yorkshire 88083![]() Kingston upon Hull 60148 ![]() | N/A |
East Sussex 180902![]() | East Sussex 92650![]() Brighton and Hove 114085 ![]() | Eastbourne 131194![]() Hastings 131199 ![]() Lewes 131295 ![]() Rother 134053 ![]() Wealden 131298 ![]() |
Essex 62162![]() | Essex 180904![]() Southend-on-Sea(Unitary Authority) 76489 ![]() Thurrock(Unitary Authority) 76521 ![]() | Basildon 76516![]() Braintree 52187 ![]() Brentwood 76515 ![]() Castle Point 76488 ![]() Chelmsford 52189 ![]() Colchester 76493 ![]() Epping Forest 76512 ![]() Harlow 76615 ![]() Maldon 1551151 ![]() Rochford 76490 ![]() Tendring 76494 ![]() Uttlesford 76508 ![]() |
Gloucestershire 2700308![]() | Gloucestershire 85103![]() South Gloucestershire 82631 ![]() | Cheltenham 184094![]() Cotswold 2682252 ![]() Forest of Dean 417631 ![]() Gloucester 181362 ![]() Stroud 2657473 ![]() Tewkesbury 417658 ![]() |
Greater London 65606![]() | Greater London 175342![]() | See London borough boundaries |
City of London 51800![]() | ||
Greater Manchester 88084![]() | No administrative county council | Bolton 146937![]() Bury 146927 ![]() Manchester 146656 ![]() Oldham 146925 ![]() Rochdale 146926 ![]() Salford 146657 ![]() Stockport 146658 ![]() Tameside 146655 ![]() Trafford 146675 ![]() Wigan 146938 ![]() |
Hampshire 2698314![]() | Hampshire 172799![]() Portsmouth 127167 ![]() Southampton 127864 ![]() | Basingstoke and Deane 127249![]() Eastleigh 127815 ![]() East Hampshire 127161 ![]() Fareham 127232 ![]() Gosport 127211 ![]() Hart 127197 ![]() Havant 127165 ![]() New Forest 21285 ![]() Rushmoor 127187 ![]() Test Valley 127642 ![]() Winchester 21077 ![]() |
Herefordshire 3548318![]() | County of Herefordshire 10187![]() | N/A |
As per administrative county | Hertfordshire 57032![]() | Broxbourne 2677978![]() Dacorum 2683586 ![]() East Hertfordshire 2678149 ![]() Hertsmere 2682847 ![]() North Hertfordshire 2684089 ![]() St Albans 2683265 ![]() Stevenage 2684172 ![]() Three Rivers 2683120 ![]() Watford 1742768 ![]() Welwyn Hatfield 2679796 ![]() |
As per administrative county | Isle of Wight 154350![]() | N/A |
Kent 88071![]() | Kent 172385![]() Medway 158019 ![]() | Ashford 2068847![]() Canterbury 448590 ![]() Dartford 2210488 ![]() Dover 1481934 ![]() Gravesham 1475656 ![]() Maidstone 2208739 ![]() Sevenoaks 2204490 ![]() Shepway 2208689 ![]() Swale 2068848 ![]() Thanet 1605596 ![]() Tonbridge and Malling 2209932 ![]() Tunbridge Wells 2212730 ![]() |
Lancashire 118082![]() | Lancashire 88081![]() Blackpool 148603 ![]() Blackburn with Darwen 148780 ![]() | Burnley 149101![]() Chorley 148744 ![]() Fylde 148600 ![]() Hyndburn 149074 ![]() Lancaster 148608 ![]() Pendle 149122 ![]() Preston 148606 ![]() Ribble Valley 148609 ![]() Rossendale 149077 ![]() South Ribble 148745 ![]() West Lancashire 148586 ![]() Wyre 148604 ![]() |
Leicestershire 78309![]() | Leicestershire 189890![]() Leicester 162353 ![]() | Blaby 162357![]() Charnwood 172008 ![]() Harborough 162361 ![]() Hinckley and Bosworth 171999 ![]() Melton 172470 ![]() North West Leicestershire 172000 ![]() Oadby and Wigston 162358 ![]() |
Lincolnshire 1916530![]() | Lincolnshire 78312![]() North Lincolnshire 107240 ![]() North East Lincolnshire 69361 ![]() | Boston 58553![]() East Lindsey 59828 ![]() Lincoln 69144 ![]() North Kesteven 59829 ![]() South Holland 59831 ![]() South Kesteven 59830 ![]() West Lindsey 69331 ![]() |
Merseyside 147564![]() | No administrative county council | Knowsley 173025![]() Liverpool 172987 ![]() Sefton 173023 ![]() St Helens 173478 ![]() Wirral 162456 ![]() |
As per administrative county | Norfolk 57397![]() | Breckland 1168814![]() Broadland 1168615 ![]() Great Yarmouth 1168547 ![]() King's Lynn and West Norfolk 1170907 ![]() North Norfolk 1174635 ![]() Norwich 172506 ![]() South Norfolk 1164570 ![]() |
North Yorkshire 3123501![]() | North Yorkshire 88068![]() Middlesbrough 150988 ![]() Redcar and Cleveland 150989 ![]() (part of) Stockton-on-Tees 150994 ![]() York 134353 ![]() | former districts (abolished 2023): Craven 150870 ![]() Hambleton 150966 ![]() Harrogate 150872 ![]() Richmondshire 150871 ![]() Ryedale 150968 ![]() Scarborough 149163 ![]() Selby 135523 ![]() |
Northamptonshire 63375![]() | North Northamptonshire 10792352![]() West Northamptonshire 10792351 ![]() | N/A |
As per administrative county | Northumberland 88066![]() | N/A |
Nottinghamshire 77268![]() | Nottinghamshire 181040![]() Nottingham 123292 ![]() | Ashfield 154043![]() Bassetlaw 77270 ![]() Broxtowe 154058 ![]() Gedling 155494 ![]() Mansfield 154006 ![]() Newark and Sherwood 77271 ![]() Rushcliffe 77311 ![]() |
Oxfordshire 6103258![]() | Oxfordshire 76155![]() | Cherwell 394565![]() Oxford 394037 ![]() South Oxfordshire 299097 ![]() Vale of White Horse 299092 ![]() West Oxfordshire 394036 ![]() |
Rutland 2703126![]() | Rutland 57398![]() | N/A |
Shropshire 57511![]() | Shropshire (Unitary Authority) 167060![]() Telford and Wrekin 167058 ![]() | N/A |
Somerset 3125930![]() | Somerset 72894![]() Bath and North East Somerset 81941 ![]() North Somerset 80277 ![]() | former districts (abolished 2023): Mendip 1943067 ![]() Sedgemoor 1940298 ![]() South Somerset 1943068 ![]() West Somerset and Taunton 9451077 ![]() |
South Yorkshire 88078![]() | No administrative county council | Sheffield 106956![]() Rotherham 106960 ![]() Doncaster 106961 ![]() Barnsley 106964 ![]() |
Staffordshire 57515![]() | Staffordshire 195444![]() Stoke-on-Trent 163183 ![]() | Cannock Chase 168500![]() East Staffordshire 168505 ![]() Lichfield 168501 ![]() Newcastle-under-Lyme 163551 ![]() South Staffordshire 165853 ![]() Stafford 165225 ![]() Staffordshire Moorlands 165218 ![]() Tamworth 165856 ![]() |
As per administrative county | Suffolk 28595![]() | Babergh 53322![]() East Suffolk 9456323 ![]() Ipswich 53324 ![]() Mid Suffolk 53332 ![]() West Suffolk 9448531 ![]() |
Surrey 5700081![]() | Surrey 57582![]() | Elmbridge 109611![]() Epsom and Ewell 109944 ![]() Guildford 108787 ![]() Mole Valley 108792 ![]() Reigate and Banstead 109949 ![]() Runnymede 109219 ![]() Spelthorne 114741 ![]() Surrey Heath 109211 ![]() Tandridge 113753 ![]() Waverley 108786 ![]() Woking 109202 ![]() |
Tyne and Wear 154376![]() | No administrative county council | Gateshead 140462![]() Newcastle 142282 ![]() North Tyneside 142245 ![]() South Tyneside 140390 ![]() Sunderland 116279 ![]() |
As per administrative county | Warwickshire 57516![]() | North Warwickshire 162374![]() Nuneaton and Bedworth 173750 ![]() Rugby 173773 ![]() Stratford-on-Avon 176449 ![]() Warwick 176448 ![]() |
West Midlands (county) 57517![]() | No administrative county council | (following tagged as admin level 6 as they are effectively unitary authorities)City of Birmingham 162378![]() City of Coventry 162370 ![]() City of Wolverhampton 173722 ![]() Dudley 162488 ![]() Sandwell 162485 ![]() Solihull 162373 ![]() Walsall 162486 ![]() |
As per administrative county | West Sussex 113757![]() | Adur 114656![]() Arun 114663 ![]() Chichester 114677 ![]() Crawley 114858 ![]() Horsham 114662 ![]() Mid Sussex 114845 ![]() Worthing 117548 ![]() |
West Yorkshire 88079![]() | No administrative county council | Bradford 118323![]() Calderdale 118327 ![]() Kirklees 109954 ![]() Leeds 118362 ![]() Wakefield 109960 ![]() |
Wiltshire 2694420![]() | Wiltshire (Unitary Authority) 57533![]() Swindon 110212 ![]() | N/A |
As per administrative county | Worcestershire 57581![]() | Bromsgrove 1875338![]() Malvern Hills1875339 ![]() Redditch 1875340 ![]() Worcester1875341 ![]() Wychavon1875342 ![]() Wyre Forest1875343 ![]() |
Traditional counties
This table shows which traditional counties are currenty present. These all seem to use Historic Counties Standard Definition A (which is the more generally applicable definition that drops detached parts).
Towns and villages
The following table lists the numbers of towns/villages in selected areas and the number that have been completed.
Number complete | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ceremonial Counties | Cities | Towns | Villages |
Bedfordshire | 0 / 0 | 1.5 / 4 | 9.5 / 40 |
Berkshire | 0 / 0 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 0 |
East Riding of Yorkshire | 1 / 1 | 9 / 13 | 236 / 276 |
Hertfordshire | 0 / 0 | 0 / 26 | 0 / ? |
Isle of Wight | 0 / 0 | 9 / 9 | 20 / 20 |
Lincolnshire | 0 / 1 | 0 / ? | 0 / ? |
Northamptonshire | 0 / 0 | 1 / 16 | ? / ? |
Northumberland | 0 / 0 | 1 / ? | 3 / ? |
Nottinghamshire | 0 / 1 | 0 / 14 | 4 / 200+ |
Rutland | 0 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 28 / 58 |
Surrey | 0 / 0 | 4 / 23 | 5 / ? |
West Yorkshire | 0 / 3 | ? / ? | ? / ? |
Worcestershire | 1 / 1 | 12 / 12 | 187 / 187 |