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County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name and the state form of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927....
 (excluding Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
), to refer to a borough
Borough

A borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
 or a city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 independent of county council
County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
 control. The Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972

The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in the United Kingdom in England and Wales, on 1 April 1974....
 abolished them in England and Wales
England and Wales

England and Wales is a legal unit within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom....
, but they are still used in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
. The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
Local Government (Wales) Act 1994

The Local Government Act 1994 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current Local government in Wales structure in Wales of 22 unitary authorities#Wales , and abolished the previous two-tier structure of Counties of Wales and Districts of Wales....
 re-introduced the term for certain "principal areas
Unitary authority

A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government....
" in Wales. Scotland did not have county boroughs but instead counties of cities. These were abolished on 16 May 1975. All four Scottish cities of the time — Aberdeen
Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous City status in the United Kingdom and one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, Dundee
Dundee

Dundee is the fourth-largest City status in the United Kingdom in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
, and Glasgow
Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
 — were included in this category.






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County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name and the state form of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927....
 (excluding Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
), to refer to a borough
Borough

A borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
 or a city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 independent of county council
County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
 control. The Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972

The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in the United Kingdom in England and Wales, on 1 April 1974....
 abolished them in England and Wales
England and Wales

England and Wales is a legal unit within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom....
, but they are still used in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
. The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
Local Government (Wales) Act 1994

The Local Government Act 1994 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current Local government in Wales structure in Wales of 22 unitary authorities#Wales , and abolished the previous two-tier structure of Counties of Wales and Districts of Wales....
 re-introduced the term for certain "principal areas
Unitary authority

A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government....
" in Wales. Scotland did not have county boroughs but instead counties of cities. These were abolished on 16 May 1975. All four Scottish cities of the time — Aberdeen
Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous City status in the United Kingdom and one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, Dundee
Dundee

Dundee is the fourth-largest City status in the United Kingdom in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
, and Glasgow
Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
 — were included in this category. There was an additional category of large burgh
Large burgh

In 1930, the Scotland burghs were split into two types, large burghs and small burghs. The Local Government of large burghs had more responsibilities and power than those of small burghs....
 in the Scottish system, which were responsible for all services apart from police, education and fire.

England and Wales


History


Creation
When county council
County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
s were first created in 1889, it was decided that to let them have authority over large towns or cities would be impractical, and so any large incorporated place would have the right to be a county borough, and thus independent from the administrative county
Administrative county

An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
 it would otherwise come under. Originally 10 county boroughs were proposed, but the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888

The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales....
 as eventually passed created 61 in England, and two in Wales. (The ten in question were Birmingham
Birmingham

Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
, Bradford
Bradford

Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield....
, Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
, Hull
Kingston upon Hull

Kingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England....
, Leeds
Leeds

Leeds is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England. It is the urban core and administrative centre of the wider metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds....
, Liverpool
Liverpool

Liverpool [] is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a History of borough status in England and Wales in 1207 and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1880....
, Manchester
Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Situated on the north bank of the River Tyne, the city developed from a Roman Empire settlement called Pons Aelius, though it owes its name to the Newcastle Castle built in 1080, by Robert Curthose, the eldest son of...
, Nottingham
Nottingham

Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England....
 and Sheffield
Sheffield

Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city....
.)

Initially, a town had to have a population of over 50,000 to apply to be made a county borough. The granting of county borough status was a subject of much argument between the large municipal borough
Municipal borough

Municipal boroughs were a type of local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002....
s and the county councils. Additionally, county borough borders were tightly constrained because of county council reluctance to give up their tax base. Several exceptions were allowed: mainly for historic county towns: Bath, Canterbury
Canterbury

Canterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, Chester
Chester

Chester is the county town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, Wales, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider local government district of the Chester , which had a population of 118,210 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
, Dudley
Dudley

Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands , England, with a population of List of English cities by population. Since 1974 it has been the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Dudley; the original County Borough had undergone a lesser expansion in 1966....
, Gloucester
Gloucester

Gloucester is a city status in the United Kingdom, Non-metropolitan district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England region of England....
, Oxford
Oxford

Oxford is a City status in the United Kingdom, and the county town of Oxfordshire, in South East England. It has a population of 151,000. The rivers River Cherwell and River Thames run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre....
 and Worcester
Worcester

Worcester is a City status in the United Kingdom and county town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some 30 miles southwest of Birmingham, 29 miles north of Gloucester, and has an estimated population of 94,300 people....
 were all under the 50,000 limit in the 1901 census (Canterbury even under 25,000). Various new county boroughs were constituted in the following decades as more boroughs reached the 50,000 minimum and then promoted Acts to constitute them county boroughs. County boroughs to be constituted in this era were a mixed bag, including some towns that would continue to expand such as Bournemouth
Bournemouth

Bournemouth is a large town in the Bournemouth in Dorset, England. The town has a population of 163,444 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001, making it the largest settlement in Dorset....
 and Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea

Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in the ceremonial counties of England of Essex in the East of England England....
. Other towns such as Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent

Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a large town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England....
 and Dewsbury
Dewsbury

Dewsbury is a market town within the Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, and lies by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation....
 were not to not increase in population much past 50,000.

1913 saw the attempts of Luton
Luton

Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority....
 and Cambridge
Cambridge

The city status in the United Kingdom of Cambridge is a College town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about 50 miles north of London....
 to gain county borough status defeated in the House of Commons
British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the British monarchy and the House of Lords ....
, despite the approval of the Local Government Board
Local Government Board

The Local Government Board was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 and took over the public health and local government responsibilities of the Home Secretary and the Privy Council and all the functions...
 — the removal of Cambridge from Cambridgeshire would have reduced the income of Cambridgeshire County Council by over half.

Slowdown

Upon recommendation of a commission chaired by the Earl of Onslow
Richard Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow

Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl Onslow Order of the British Empire Privy Council of the United Kingdom was a Peerage, diplomat, parliamentary secretary and government minister....
, the population threshold was raised to 75,000 in 1926, by the Local Government (County Boroughs and Adjustments) Act 1926
Local Government (County Boroughs and Adjustments) Act 1926

The Local Government Act, 1926 was an Act of parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that amended the Local Government Act 1888, changing the process by which county boroughs could be created or extended....
, which also made it much harder to expand boundaries. The threshold was raised to 100,000 by the Local Government Act 1958
Local Government Act 1958

The Local Government Act 1958 was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom affecting local government in England and Wales outside London....
.

The viability of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil came into question in the 1930s. Due to a decline in the heavy industries
Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil is a town and county borough in Wales, with a population of about 55,000. It was formerly in the historic county of Glamorgan. It is often referred to simply as 'Merthyr'....
 of the town, by 1932 more than half the male population was unemployed, resulting in very high municipal rates in order to make public assistance payments. At the same time the population of the borough was lower than when it had been created in 1908. A royal commission
Royal Commission

In states that are Commonwealth Realms a Royal Commission is a major government public inquiry into an issue. They have been held in states such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia....
 was appointed in May 1935 to "investigate whether the existing status of Merthyr Tydfil as a county borough should be continued, and if not, what other arrangements should be made". The commission reported the following November, and recommended that Merthyr should revert to the status of a non-county borough, and that public assistance should be taken over by central government. In the event county borough status was retained by the town, with the chairman of the Welsh Board of Health appointed as administrative adviser in 1936.

After the Second World War the creation of new county boroughs in England and Wales
England and Wales

England and Wales is a legal unit within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom....
 was effectively suspended, pending a local government review. A government white paper
White paper

A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses problems and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions....
 published in 1945 stated that "it is expected that there will be a number of Bills for extending or creating county boroughs" and proposed the creation of a boundary commission to bring coordination to local government reform. The policy in the paper also ruled out the creation of new county boroughs in Middlesex
Middlesex

Middlesex , from the Old English Middelseaxe , is one of the 39 Historic counties of England of England and the List of counties of England by area in 1831....
 "owing to its special problems". The Local Government Boundary Commission was appointed on 26 October 1945, under the chairmanship of Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve, delivering its report in 1947. The Commission recommended that towns with a population of 200,000 or more should become one-tier "new counties", with "new county boroughs" having a population of 60,000 - 200,000 being "most-purpose authorities", with the county council of the administrative county providing certain limited services. The report envisaged the creation of 47 two-tiered "new counties", 21 one-tiered "new counties" and 63 "new county boroughs". The recommendations of the Commission extended to a review of the division of functions between different tiers of local government, and thus fell outside its terms of reference, and its report was not acted upon.

Partial reform

The next attempt at reform was by the Local Government Act 1958, which established the Local Government Commission for England
Local Government Commission for England (1958 - 1967)

The Local Government Commission for England was established by the Local Government Act 1958 to review the organisation of local government, and make "such proposals as are hereinafter authorised for effecting changes appearing to the Commissions desirable in the interests of effective and convenient local government"....
 and the Local Government Commission for Wales
Local Government Commission for Wales

The Local Government Commission for Wales was established by the Local Government Act 1958 to review the organisation of local government in Wales and to make recommendations for its reform....
 to carry out reviews of existing local government structures and recommend reforms. Although the Commissions did not complete their work before being dissolved, a handful of new county boroughs were constituted between 1964 and 1968. Luton
Luton

Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority....
, Torbay
Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
, and Solihull
Solihull

Solihull is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre....
 gained county borough status. Additionally, Teesside
Teesside

Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the North East England of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements....
 county borough was formed from the merger of the existing county borough of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is a town in the Tees Valley conurbation of North East England and sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It is the largest and most populous settlement within the Middlesbrough , which encompasses the town and several outlying villages which have become suburbs....
, and the non-county boroughs of Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees

Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in North East England England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority area and borough of Stockton-on-Tees....
 and Redcar
Redcar

Redcar is a seaside resort in the North East England, and the principal town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial counties of England of North Yorkshire....
; Warley
County Borough of Warley

Warley was, from 1966 to 1974, a county borough and civil parish formed by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the municipal boroughs of Oldbury, West Midlands and Rowley Regis, by recommendation of the Local Government Commission for England ....
 was formed from the county borough of Smethwick
Smethwick

Smethwick is a town in the Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the Historic counties of England of Staffordshire....
 and the non-county boroughs of Oldbury
Oldbury, West Midlands

Oldbury is a town in the West Midlands in England. It is a part of the Black Country and the administrative centre of the borough of Sandwell....
 and Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis

Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom. Being part of the Black Country, locals speak with the traditional dialect, though in a form which is regarded by many as the quickest and the hardest to understand....
; and West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool

This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the modern Hartlepool in North East England....
 was merged with Hartlepool
Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a North Sea port in North East England. It is within the unitary authority area of the Hartlepool , for ceremonial purposes part of County Durham....
. Following these changes, there was a total of 79 county boroughs in England. The Commission also recommended the downgrading of Barnsley
Barnsley

Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster....
 to be a non-county borough, but this was not carried out.

Abolition

The county boroughs of East Ham
County Borough of East Ham

East Ham was a local government district in the far south west of Essex from 1878 to 1965. It extended from Wanstead Flats in the north to the River Thames in the south and from Green Street, London in the west to Barking Creek in the east....
, West Ham
County Borough of West Ham

West Ham was a local government district in the extreme south west of Essex from 1886 to 1965, forming part of the built-up area of London, although outside the County of London....
 and Croydon
County Borough of Croydon

Croydon was a local government district in north east Surrey, England from 1849 to 1965....
 were abolished in 1965 with the creation of Greater London
Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
 and went on to form parts of London borough
London borough

The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London....
s. The remaining county boroughs were abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972

The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in the United Kingdom in England and Wales, on 1 April 1974....
, and replaced with non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially 'shire districts', are a type of Districts of England in England. As originally created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement....
s and metropolitan districts
Metropolitan borough

A metropolitan borough is a type of districts of England in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted royal charters to give them borough status in...
, all beneath county council
County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
s in a two-tier structure. In Greater London and the metropolitan counties the lower tier districts retained a wider range of powers than in the non-metropolitan counties.

Revival

This situation did not persist long. In 1986 the metropolitan county councils and the GLC were abolished, returning the boroughs to a county borough status, sharing some powers (police and transport for example). In the 1990s most of the old county boroughs were reformed again as unitary authorities
Unitary authority

A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government....
 — essentially the same as a county borough. In England, most of those former county boroughs that did not gain unitary authority status — Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness (borough)

Barrow-in-Furness is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in the United Kingdom in Cumbria, England. It is named after its main town, Barrow-in-Furness....
, Burnley
Burnley (borough)

Burnley is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Lancashire in North West England, named for its main town, Burnley. It has been governed by the Liberal Democrats since 2008....
, Canterbury
City of Canterbury

The City of Canterbury is a Non-metropolitan district with List of cities in the United Kingdom in Kent, England. The main settlement in the district is Canterbury, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury....
, Carlisle
City of Carlisle

City of Carlisle is a Non-metropolitan district with List of cities in the United Kingdom in Cumbria, England. It has a population of around 100,739 ....
, Chester, Eastbourne
Eastbourne

Eastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 94,816 as of 2007. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to form a town....
, Exeter
Exeter

Exeter Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Roman Britain and has existed since time immemorial. Exeter Cathedral, founded in 1050 is Anglicanism....
, Gloucester
Gloucester

Gloucester is a city status in the United Kingdom, Non-metropolitan district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England region of England....
, Hastings
Hastings

Hastings is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom on the coast of East Sussex in England. It includes originally separate settlements, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates....
, Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of around 101,000 - the 2001 census gave the entire urban area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, Northampton
Northampton

Northampton is a large market town and Non-metropolitan district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene....
, Oxford
Oxford

Oxford is a City status in the United Kingdom, and the county town of Oxfordshire, in South East England. It has a population of 151,000. The rivers River Cherwell and River Thames run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre....
, Preston
Preston

Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom's reign....
, Worcester, and Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (borough)

The Borough of Great Yarmouth is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Norfolk, England. It is named after its main town, Great Yarmouth....
 — have given their names to non-unitary local government districts
Districts of England

The districts of England are a level of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government. As the structure of local government in England is not uniform, there are currently four types of district level subdivision....
 (in some cases coterminous with the old county borough, in other cases much larger). Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent

Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a large town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England....
 became an unparished area in the East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire

East Staffordshire is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It has two main towns, Burton upon Trent, famous for its breweries, and Uttoxeter, for its racecourse....
 borough, and has now been divided into several parishes.

In Wales, several Principal Areas are called county boroughs:

  • Merthyr Tydfil
    Merthyr Tydfil

    Merthyr Tydfil is a town and county borough in Wales, with a population of about 55,000. It was formerly in the historic county of Glamorgan. It is often referred to simply as 'Merthyr'....
  • Caerphilly
    Caerphilly (county borough)

    Caerphilly is a local government Principal areas of Wales in southern Wales, straddling the Historic counties of Wales between Glamorgan and Monmouthshire....
  • Blaenau Gwent
    Blaenau Gwent

    Blaenau Gwent is a county borough and Blaenau Gwent in South Wales. It borders the subdivisions of Wales of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north....
  • Torfaen
    Torfaen

    Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the Historic counties of Wales of Monmouthshire . It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the counties of Wales of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a Local government in Wales....
  • Vale of Glamorgan
    Vale of Glamorgan

    The Vale of Glamorgan is an exceptionally rich agricultural area in the southern part of Glamorgan, Wales. It has a rugged coastline, but its rolling countryside is quite atypical of Wales as a whole....
  • Bridgend
    Bridgend (county borough)

    Bridgend is a county borough in the historic area of Glamorgan, South Wales. The county borough has a total population of 130,000 people, and contains the settlements of Bridgend, after which it is named, Maesteg, and the seaside town of Porthcawl....
  • Rhondda Cynon Taff
    Rhondda Cynon Taff

    Rhondda Cynon Taff, or RCT , is a county borough#Wales in the preserved counties of Wales of Mid Glamorgan, Wales.The county borough borders Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly to the east, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan to the south, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot to the west and Powys to the north....
  • Neath Port Talbot
    Neath Port Talbot

    Neath Port Talbot is a county borough#Wales and one of the Principal areas of Wales of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most List of Welsh principal areas by population in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
  • Wrexham
    Wrexham (county borough)

    Wrexham is a county borough centred on the town of Wrexham in north-east Wales. The county borough has a population of 130,200 inhabitants. Just under half of the population live either within the town of Wrexham or its surrounding conurbation of urban villages....
  • Conwy
    Conwy (county borough)

    The county borough#Wales of Conwy is a Local government in Wales Principal areas of Wales in North Wales Wales....


(Newport
Newport

Newport is a City status in the United Kingdom and Administrative divisions of Wales in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, located roughly between Cardiff and Bristol, it is the cultural capital and largest urban area in the Historic counties of Wales of Monmouthshire and is governed by the unitary authori...
 was a made a county borough again in 1996. In 2002 it acquired city status
City status in the United Kingdom

City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarchy to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city"....
.)

For all practical purposes, county boroughs are exactly the same as the other principal areas of Wales called "counties" or "cities" as all these areas are run by unitary authorities (i.e.: have the functions of both borough
Borough

A borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
s and counties).

County boroughs in 1973

Englandcountyboroughs
The map depicts the county boroughs in England immediately prior to their abolition in 1974. County boroughs in Wales and Monmouthshire are not shown.

This table shows those county boroughs that existed in England and Wales between the Local Government Acts of 1888 (that created them) and 1972 (that abolished them from 1974).
County boroughFromAssociated county1971 census popSuccessors in 1974
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness , often known simply as Barrow, is an manufacturing and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England....
 (10)		1889Lancashire
Lancashire

Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
64,039Barrow
Barrow-in-Furness (borough)

Barrow-in-Furness is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in the United Kingdom in Cumbria, England. It is named after its main town, Barrow-in-Furness....
 (part)		Cumbria
Cumbria

Cumbria is a non-metropolitan county in the North West England of England. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Barnsley
Barnsley

Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster....
 (36)		1913Yorkshire, West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire

The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries....
75,439Barnsley MB
Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley

Barnsley is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of South Yorkshire, England. Its main town is Barnsley.The borough is bisected by the M1 motorway; it is rural to the west, and largely urban/industrial to the east....
 (part)		South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Bath (68)1889Somerset
Somerset

Somerset is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west....
84,686BathAvon
Birkenhead
Birkenhead

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool....
 (28)		1889Cheshire
Cheshire

Cheshire is a Counties of England in North West England. The county town, and the location of the county council, is the City status in the United Kingdom of Chester, although Cheshire's largest town in terms of area and population is Warrington....
137,889Wirral MB (part)Merseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
Birmingham
Birmingham

Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
 (55)		1889Warwickshire
Warwickshire

Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton in the far north of the county....
1,014,773Birmingham MD (most)West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Blackburn
Blackburn

Blackburn is a large town in Lancashire, England. It lies to the north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, east of the city of Preston, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester....
 (13)		1889Lancashire101,802Blackburn
Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England England. It consists of Blackburn, the small town of Darwen to the south of it, and the surrounding countryside....
 (part)		Lancashire
Lancashire

Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
Blackpool
Blackpool

Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Lying along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the North West England#Important cities and towns settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington....
 (11)		1904Lancashire151,871BlackpoolLancashire
Lancashire

Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
Bolton
Bolton

Bolton is a large town in Greater Manchester, in the North West England region of England.Situated close to the West Pennine Moors, north west of the city of Manchester, it is the largest and most populous settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, the former county borough of Bolton has a population of 139,403, though this figure d...
 (19)		1889Lancashire154,223Bolton MB (part)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Bootle
Bootle

Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. It is 4 miles  to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640....
 (16)		1889Lancashire74,304Sefton MB (part)Merseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
Bournemouth
Bournemouth (borough)

The Borough of Bournemouth has been a unitary authority in South East Dorset since 1 April 1997. It is named after Bournemouth, the town it serves....
 (73)		1900Hampshire
Hampshire

Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
153,861BournemouthDorset
Dorset

Dorset , is a Counties of England in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester, Dorset, situated in the south of the county at ....
Bradford
Bradford

Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield....
 (31)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding294,164Bradford MB
City of Bradford

City of Bradford is a Local government in England of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough and a city status in the United Kingdom....
 (part)		West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Brighton
Brighton

Brighton is a city on the south coast of England and, with its neighbours Hove and Portslade, forms the Brighton and Hove.The ancient settlement of Brighthelmston dates from before the Domesday Book , but it emerged as a health resort during the 18th Century and became a destination for day-trippers after the arrival of the railway in...
 (77)		1889Sussex161,350BrightonEast Sussex
East Sussex

East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel....
Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
 (67)		1889Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
426,653BristolAvon
Burnley
Burnley

Burnley is a large market town in the Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies east of Blackburn and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder, Lancashire and River Brun....
 (14)		1889Lancashire76,489Burnley
Burnley (borough)

Burnley is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Lancashire in North West England, named for its main town, Burnley. It has been governed by the Liberal Democrats since 2008....
 (part)		Lancashire
Lancashire

Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent

Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a large town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England....
 (49)		1901Staffordshire50,211East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire

East Staffordshire is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It has two main towns, Burton upon Trent, famous for its breweries, and Uttoxeter, for its racecourse....
 (part) †		Staffordshire
Staffordshire

Staffordshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Stafford. Part of the National Forest, England lies within its borders....
Bury
Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester....
 (20)		1889Lancashire67,870Bury MB (part)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Canterbury
Canterbury

Canterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
 (72)		1889Kent33,155Canterbury
City of Canterbury

The City of Canterbury is a Non-metropolitan district with List of cities in the United Kingdom in Kent, England. The main settlement in the district is Canterbury, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury....
 (part)		Kent
Kent

Kent is a Counties of England in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary....
Cardiff
Cardiff

Cardiff is the Capital , largest city and most populous Unitary authority#Wales in Wales. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for many national cultural and sport institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of Welsh Assembly Government ....
1889Glamorgan
Glamorgan

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen Historic counties of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales of Wales. It was originally an early medieval monarchy of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the Anglo-Norman as a lordship....
279,046Cardiff
Cardiff (district)

The Cardiff district was one of the two local government districts of South Glamorgan in Wales from 1974 to 1996.The district comprised the county borough of Cardiff and several surrounding parishes....
 (part)		South Glamorgan
South Glamorgan

South Glamorgan is a preserved counties of Wales of Wales.It was originally formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a county council area....
Carlisle (9)1915Cumberland
Cumberland

Cumberland is one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an Administrative counties of England from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
71,580Carlisle
City of Carlisle

City of Carlisle is a Non-metropolitan district with List of cities in the United Kingdom in Cumbria, England. It has a population of around 100,739 ....
 (part)		Cumbria
Cumbria

Cumbria is a non-metropolitan county in the North West England of England. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Chester
Chester

Chester is the county town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, Wales, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider local government district of the Chester , which had a population of 118,210 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
 (43)		1889Cheshire62,923Chester (part)Cheshire
Cheshire

Cheshire is a Counties of England in North West England. The county town, and the location of the county council, is the City status in the United Kingdom of Chester, although Cheshire's largest town in terms of area and population is Warrington....
Coventry
Coventry

Coventry is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. With a population of 303,475 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom....
 (57)		1889Warwickshire335,260Coventry MBWest Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Darlington
Darlington

Darlington is a town in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England, and the main population centre in the Darlington . Darlington has a resident population of 97,838....
 (8)		1915Durham
County Durham

County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington....
85,916Darlington
Darlington (borough)

Darlington is a Districts of England and borough in North East England England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 98,210. It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east....
 (part)		Durham
County Durham

County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington....
Derby (45)1889Derbyshire219,578DerbyDerbyshire
Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains....
Dewsbury
Dewsbury

Dewsbury is a market town within the Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, and lies by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation....
 (34)		1913Yorkshire, West Riding51,354Kirklees MB (part)West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Doncaster
Doncaster

Doncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is located about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"....
 (37)		1927Yorkshire, West Riding82,671Doncaster MB (part)South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Dudley
County Borough of Dudley

The County Borough of Dudley was a county borough covering the town of Dudley and later incorporating surrounding settlements.Dudley had been a municipal borough since 1865....
 (52)		1889Worcestershire to 1966
then Staffordshire		185,592Dudley MB (part)West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Eastbourne
Eastbourne

Eastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 94,816 as of 2007. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to form a town....
 (78)		1911Sussex70,949EastbourneEast Sussex
East Sussex

East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel....
Exeter
Exeter

Exeter Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Roman Britain and has existed since time immemorial. Exeter Cathedral, founded in 1050 is Anglicanism....
 (69)		1889Devon95,711ExeterDevon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
Gateshead
Gateshead

Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England. It lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne, England, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Gateshead town centre and Newcastle city centre are very close to one another, and together they form the urban core of Tyneside....
 (3)		1889Durham94,464Gateshead MBTyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Gloucester
Gloucester

Gloucester is a city status in the United Kingdom, Non-metropolitan district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England region of England....
 (65)		1889Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
90,223GloucesterGloucestershire
Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
Grimsby
Grimsby

Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996....
 (42)		1891Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a Counties of England in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire....
95,502GrimsbyHumberside
Humberside

Humberside was a non-metropolitan county of England from 1 April 1974 until 1 April 1996. It was composed of two halves either side of the Humber estuary, created using part of the East Riding of Yorkshire and West Riding of Yorkshires of Yorkshire and Lindsey....
Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire

Halifax is a large market town within the Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England, with a population of 82,056 in the United Kingdom Census 2001....
 (30)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding91,263Calderdale MB
Calderdale

The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name....
 (part)		West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Hartlepool
Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a North Sea port in North East England. It is within the unitary authority area of the Hartlepool , for ceremonial purposes part of County Durham....
 (6)		1967Durham97,082Hartlepool
Hartlepool (borough)

Hartlepool is a Districts of England and borough in the ceremonial county of County Durham, North East England England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 90,161....
 (part)		Cleveland
Cleveland, England

Cleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly ....
Hastings
Hastings

Hastings is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom on the coast of East Sussex in England. It includes originally separate settlements, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates....
 (79)		1889Sussex72,414HastingsEast Sussex
East Sussex

East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel....
Huddersfield
Huddersfield

Huddersfield is a large market town within the Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
 (33)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding131,188Kirklees MB
Kirklees

The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, West Yorkshire, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, West Yorkshire, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite....
 (part)		West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Hull (41)1889Yorkshire, East Riding
East Riding of Yorkshire

The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan district with unitary authority status, and is a ceremonial counties of England of England....
285,965HullHumberside
Humberside

Humberside was a non-metropolitan county of England from 1 April 1974 until 1 April 1996. It was composed of two halves either side of the Humber estuary, created using part of the East Riding of Yorkshire and West Riding of Yorkshires of Yorkshire and Lindsey....
Ipswich
Ipswich

Ipswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk, Harwich in Essex and Colchester also in Essex....
 (61)		1889Suffolk123,297IpswichSuffolk
Suffolk

Suffolk is a Non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south....
Leeds
Leeds

Leeds is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England. It is the urban core and administrative centre of the wider metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds....
 (32)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding496,036Leeds MB
City of Leeds

City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough....
 (part)		West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Leicester
Leicester

Leicester is a city status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire....
 (48)		1889Leicestershire
Leicestershire

Leicestershire County Hall, situated in Glenfield, Leicestershire, about 3 miles northwest of Leicester city centre, is the seat of Leicestershire County Council and the headquarters of the county authority....
284,208LeicesterLeicestershire
Leicestershire

Leicestershire County Hall, situated in Glenfield, Leicestershire, about 3 miles northwest of Leicester city centre, is the seat of Leicestershire County Council and the headquarters of the county authority....
Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of around 101,000 - the 2001 census gave the entire urban area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
 (47)		1889Lincolnshire77,077 (1961)LincolnLincolnshire
Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a Counties of England in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire....
Liverpool
Liverpool

Liverpool [] is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a History of borough status in England and Wales in 1207 and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1880....
 (27)		1889Lancashire610,114LiverpoolMerseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
Luton
Luton

Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority....
 (63)		1964Bedfordshire161,400LutonBedfordshire
Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire is a county in England that forms part of the East of England Regions of England.Its county town is Bedford, Bedfordshire. It borders Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire....
Manchester
Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....
 (25)		1889Lancashire543,741Manchester MB (most)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil is a town and county borough in Wales, with a population of about 55,000. It was formerly in the historic county of Glamorgan. It is often referred to simply as 'Merthyr'....
1908Glamorgan55,283Merthyr TydfilMid Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan

Mid Glamorgan is a ceremonial preserved counties of Wales of Wales. From 1974 until 1996, it was also an administrative county, with a county council....
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1)1889Northumberland
Northumberland

Northumberland is a Counties of England in the North East England of England. The non-metropolitan counties of England of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west, County Durham to the south and Tyne and Wear to the south east, as well as having a border with the Scottish Borders council area to the north, and nearly eighty miles of Nort...
222,172Newcastle upon Tyne MB (part)Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Newport
Newport

Newport is a City status in the United Kingdom and Administrative divisions of Wales in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, located roughly between Cardiff and Bristol, it is the cultural capital and largest urban area in the Historic counties of Wales of Monmouthshire and is governed by the unitary authori...
1891Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)

Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen Historic counties of Wales of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales....
112,298Newport
Newport (district)

The Newport district was one of the five local government districts of Gwent from 1974 to 1996. The district comprised the county borough of Newport and several surrounding parishes....
Gwent
Gwent (county)

Gwent is a preserved counties of Wales and a former local government county in south-east Wales. It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent....
Northampton
Northampton

Northampton is a large market town and Non-metropolitan district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene....
 (58)		1889Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the England East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the United Kingdom Census 2001....
126,597Northampton (part)Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the England East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the United Kingdom Census 2001....
Nottingham
Nottingham

Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England....
 (46)		1889Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire is an Counties of England in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The county town is traditionally Nottingham, though the council is now based in West Bridgford, a suburb of Greater Nottingham ....
300,675NottinghamNottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire is an Counties of England in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The county town is traditionally Nottingham, though the council is now based in West Bridgford, a suburb of Greater Nottingham ....
Norwich
Norwich

Norwich , is a city status in the United Kingdom in Norfolk, East Anglia which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of Norfolk....
 (59)		1889Norfolk
Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying Counties of England in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and with Suffolk to the south....
122,093NorwichNorfolk
Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying Counties of England in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and with Suffolk to the south....
Oldham
County Borough of Oldham

Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England....
 (22)		1889Lancashire105,922Oldham MB (part)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Oxford
Oxford

Oxford is a City status in the United Kingdom, and the county town of Oxfordshire, in South East England. It has a population of 151,000. The rivers River Cherwell and River Thames run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre....
 (64)		1889Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
108,834OxfordOxfordshire
Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
 (70)		1889Devon239,467PlymouthDevon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
Portsmouth
Portsmouth

Portsmouth city status in the United Kingdom located in the Counties of England of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the UK's only island city and is located on Portsea Island....
 (75)		1889Hampshire197,453PortsmouthHampshire
Hampshire

Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
Preston
Preston

Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom's reign....
 (12)		1889Lancashire98,091Preston (part)Lancashire
Lancashire

Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
Reading
Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a town in England, located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between London and Swindon off the M4 motorway....
 (76)		1889Berkshire
Berkshire

Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...
132,978ReadingBerkshire
Berkshire

Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...
Rochdale
Rochdale

Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester....
 (21)		1889Lancashire91,461Rochdale MB (part)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Rotherham
Rotherham

Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, South Yorkshire, close to its confluence with the River Rother, South Yorkshire, between Sheffield and Doncaster....
 (38)		1902Yorkshire, West Riding84,800Rotherham MB (part)South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside

St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000 of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001....
 (17)		1889Lancashire104,326St Helens MB (part)Merseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
Salford
Salford

Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Salford is located by a meander of the River Irwell, which forms its boundary with the city of Manchester to the east....
 (24)		1889Lancashire131,006Salford MB
City of Salford

The City of Salford is a local government district of Greater Manchester, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough....
 (part)		Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Sheffield
Sheffield

Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city....
 (39)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding520,308Sheffield MB (part)South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Solihull
Solihull

Solihull is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre....
 (56)		1964Warwickshire107,086Solihull MB (part)West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Southampton
Southampton

Southampton is the largest City status in the United Kingdom in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is sited around 100 km south-west of London and 30 km north-west of Portsmouth....
 (74)		1889Hampshire215,131SouthamptonHampshire
Hampshire

Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea

Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in the ceremonial counties of England of Essex in the East of England England....
 (62)		1914Essex162,735Southend-on-SeaEssex
Essex

Essex is a counties of England in the East of England England. The county town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, Essex, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches ....
Southport
Southport

Southport is a seaside resort within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. The town is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the north of Liverpool and west-southwest of Preston....
 (15)		1905Lancashire84,524Sefton MB (part)Merseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
South Shields
South Shields

South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne, England. The town has a population of about 90,000 and is part of the Metropolitan_borough of South Tyneside, which includes the riverside towns of Jarrow and Hebburn and the villages of Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn....
 (4)		1889Durham100,676South Tyneside MB
South Tyneside

South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north....
 (part)		Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Stockport
Stockport

Stockport is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground on the River Mersey at the influx of the rivers River Goyt and River Tame, Greater Manchester, southeast of the city of Manchester....
 (26)		1889Cheshire139,598Stockport MB
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport

The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centered around the town of Stockport....
 (part)		Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is a City status in the United Kingdom in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of ....
 (44)		1910Staffordshire265,258Stoke-on-TrentStaffordshire
Staffordshire

Staffordshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Stafford. Part of the National Forest, England lies within its borders....
Sunderland
Sunderland

Sunderland is a city in Tyne and Wear, England. It was formerly a county borough but now forms part of the City of Sunderland. It is situated at the mouth of the River Wear....
 (5)		1889Durham217,075Sunderland MB
City of Sunderland

The city of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough....
 (part)		Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Swansea
Swansea

Swansea is a City status in the United Kingdom and subdivisions of Wales in Wales. Swansea is in the Historic counties of Wales of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower peninsula and the Lliw uplands....
1889Glamorgan173,355Swansea
Swansea (district)

The Swansea district was one of the four districts of Waless of West Glamorgan, Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was formed from the areas of the county borough of Swansea and the Gower Rural District, from the administrative county of Glamorgan....
 (part)		West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan

West Glamorgan is a preserved counties of Wales and former administrative county of Wales, one of the divisions of the historic counties of Wales of Glamorgan....
Teesside
Teesside

Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the North East England of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements....
 (7)		1968Yorkshire, North Riding396,233Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough (borough)

Middlesbrough is a unitary authority and borough status in the United Kingdom in North Yorkshire, England. It is based on the town of Middlesbrough, which is sometimes considered to spread outside the borough boundaries into the neighbouring borough of Redcar and Cleveland; the borough extends southwards to a semi-rural area....

Stockton
Stockton-on-Tees (borough)

Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and Borough status in the United Kingdom in the Tees Valley area of North East England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates....
 (part)
Langbaurgh
Redcar and Cleveland

The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial counties of England of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Skelton-in-Cleveland and Loftus, North Yorkshire....
 (part)		Cleveland
Cleveland, England

Cleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly ....
Torbay
Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
 (71)		1968Devon109,260TorbayDevon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
Tynemouth
Tynemouth

Tynemouth is a town and historic resort in Tyne and Wear, England, situated at the mouth of the River Tyne, England, between North Shields and Whitley Bay ....
 (2)		1904Northumberland69,339North Tyneside MB
North Tyneside

North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear in the North East England of England. Its seat is at the Town Hall, Wallsend.Created in 1974, the borough lies within the Historic counties of England of Northumberland....
 (part)		Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Wakefield
Wakefield

Wakefield lies at the heart of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder, it had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
 (35)		1915Yorkshire, West Riding59,591Wakefield MB
City of Wakefield

The City of Wakefield is a Local government in England of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough....
 (part)		West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
Wallasey
Wallasey

Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula....
 (29)		1913Cheshire97,216Wirral MB (part)Merseyside
Merseyside

Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
Walsall
Walsall

Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historic counties of England a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country....
 (50)		1889Staffordshire184,734Walsall MB (part)West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Warley CB
County Borough of Warley

Warley was, from 1966 to 1974, a county borough and civil parish formed by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the municipal boroughs of Oldbury, West Midlands and Rowley Regis, by recommendation of the Local Government Commission for England ....
 (54)		1966Worcestershire163,567Sandwell MB
Sandwell

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of the towns of Oldbury, West Midlands, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury, Cradley Heath, Tividale and West Bromwich....
 (part)		West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Warrington (23)1900Lancashire68,322Warrington (part)Cheshire
Cheshire

Cheshire is a Counties of England in North West England. The county town, and the location of the county council, is the City status in the United Kingdom of Chester, although Cheshire's largest town in terms of area and population is Warrington....
West Bromwich
West Bromwich

West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands , England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 road London-to-Birkenhead road....
 (53)		1889Staffordshire166,592Sandwell MB
Sandwell

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of the towns of Oldbury, West Midlands, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury, Cradley Heath, Tividale and West Bromwich....
 (part)		West Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Wigan
Wigan

Wigan is a large town in Greater Manchester in England. It stands on the River Douglas, south of Preston, west-northwest of Manchester, and east-northeast of Liverpool....
 (18)		1889Lancashire81,144Wigan MB (part)Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of List of English cities by population, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England....
 (51)		1889Staffordshire269,112Wolverhampton MBWest Midlands
West Midlands (county)

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
Worcester (66)1889Worcestershire73,454Worcester
Worcester

Worcester is a City status in the United Kingdom and county town of Worcestershire, in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some 30 miles southwest of Birmingham, 29 miles north of Gloucester, and has an estimated population of 94,300 people....
 (most)		Hereford and Worcester
Hereford and Worcester

Hereford and Worcester was an England non-metropolitan county created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the area of the former Administrative counties of England of Herefordshire, most of Worcestershire and the county borough of Worcester....
Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
 (60)		1889Norfolk50,236Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (borough)

The Borough of Great Yarmouth is a Non-metropolitan district with borough status in Norfolk, England. It is named after its main town, Great Yarmouth....
 (part)		Norfolk
Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying Counties of England in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and with Suffolk to the south....
York
York

York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....
 (40)		1889Yorkshire, West Riding104,783YorkNorth Yorkshire
North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is a shire county or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial counties of England in that region and also partly in North East England....


† had Charter Trustees
Charter Trustees

In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established....


Only four districts with more than one county borough were formed: Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral

The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, North West England, which occupies the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula....
, Sandwell
Sandwell

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is made up of the towns of Oldbury, West Midlands, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury, Cradley Heath, Tividale and West Bromwich....
, Sefton and Kirklees. Elsewhere, county boroughs usually formed the core or all of a district named after the county borough - with the exceptions of Halifax, whose metropolitan district was named Calderdale
Calderdale

The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name....
, Burton upon Trent, which became part of the East Staffordshire district, and Teesside, which was split up between three non-metropolitan districts.

Previous county boroughs


County boroughs to be abolished prior to 1974 were:

County boroughCountyCreatedAbolishedSuccessor
Croydon
Croydon

Croydon is a large town and major commercial centre in South London, and the principal settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. It is south of Charing Cross, and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan....
Surrey
Surrey

Surrey is a counties of England in the South East England of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire....
18891965London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon

The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population....
, Greater London
Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
Devonport
Devonport, Devon

Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the England county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement....
Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
18891914County Borough of Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
East Ham
County Borough of East Ham

East Ham was a local government district in the far south west of Essex from 1878 to 1965. It extended from Wanstead Flats in the north to the River Thames in the south and from Green Street, London in the west to Barking Creek in the east....
Essex
Essex

Essex is a counties of England in the East of England England. The county town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, Essex, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches ....
19151965London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Newham

The London Borough of Newham is a London borough in East London, England, within Greater London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames....
, Greater London
HanleyStaffordshire
Staffordshire

Staffordshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Stafford. Part of the National Forest, England lies within its borders....
18891910County Borough of Stoke on Trent
Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is a City status in the United Kingdom in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of ....
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is a town in the Tees Valley conurbation of North East England and sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It is the largest and most populous settlement within the Middlesbrough , which encompasses the town and several outlying villages which have become suburbs....
Yorkshire, North Riding
North Riding of Yorkshire

The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the England counties of England of Yorkshire, alongside the East Riding of Yorkshire and West Riding of Yorkshire Riding ....
18891968County Borough of Teesside
Teesside

Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the North East England of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements....
Smethwick
Smethwick

Smethwick is a town in the Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the Historic counties of England of Staffordshire....
Staffordshire19071966County Borough of Warley
County Borough of Warley

Warley was, from 1966 to 1974, a county borough and civil parish formed by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the municipal boroughs of Oldbury, West Midlands and Rowley Regis, by recommendation of the Local Government Commission for England ....
West Ham
West Ham

West Ham is a district in the London Borough of Newham, in East London, England, England, located east of Charing Cross.From 1889 to 1965 it formed part of the County Borough of West Ham....
Essex18891965London Borough of Newham, Greater London
West Hartlepool
West Hartlepool

This article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the modern Hartlepool in North East England....
Durham
County Durham

County Durham is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in North East England England. The county town is Durham.The largest settlement in the county is the town of Darlington....
19021967County Borough of Hartlepool
Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a North Sea port in North East England. It is within the unitary authority area of the Hartlepool , for ceremonial purposes part of County Durham....


Northern Ireland


In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland

conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
, local government has not used them since 1973, but the county boroughs remain in use for Lieutenancy.

The two county boroughs in Northern Ireland were replaced with two larger districts (Belfast
Belfast City Council

Belfast City Council is the city council for Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the largest local council, serving the largest city in Northern Ireland and had an estimated population of in ....
 and Derry
Derry City Council

Derry City Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the council is in the city of Derry on Lough Foyle....
), are only in use for Lieutenancy.

  • Belfast
    Belfast

    Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of Devolution#United Kingdom Northern Ireland Executive and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland....
  • Londonderry
    Derry

    Derry or Londonderry , often called the Maiden City, is a City status in the United Kingdom in Northern Ireland....


Republic of Ireland


In the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
, county boroughs have been renamed 'cities', and their corporations become 'city councils'.

  • Cork
    Cork (city)

    Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
  • Dublin
    Dublin

    Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
  • Galway
    Galway

    Galway is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht in Republic of Ireland. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland....
     since 1986
  • Limerick
  • Waterford
    Waterford

    Waterford is the primary city of the South East region. Founded in 914 in Ireland AD, by the Vikings, it is Ireland's oldest city. It is the fifth largest city in the country of Republic of Ireland....


In the Republic of Ireland, the relevant legislation remained still in force (although amended), and county boroughs on the original model existed until 2001. Under the Local Government Act 2001
Local Government Act 2001

The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the act came into operation 1 January 2002....
 (which replaced most existing local government legislation in Ireland), the term "County Borough" was abolished and replaced with "City" (and hence, "Corporation" with "City Council"). However Kilkenny
Kilkenny

Kilkenny, , is the county seat of County Kilkenny in Republic of Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore, at the centre of County Kilkenny in the Provinces of Ireland of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland....
, while a city, is instead administered as a town (and part of the county council area) for local government purposes. It is allowed to use the title "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council" however.

See also

  • Municipal borough
    Municipal borough

    Municipal boroughs were a type of local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002....
  • Metropolitan borough
    Metropolitan borough

    A metropolitan borough is a type of districts of England in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted royal charters to give them borough status in...
  • London borough
    London borough

    The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London....
  • County corporate
    County corporate

    A county corporate or corporate county was a form of local government in England, Ireland and Wales.Counties corporate were created during the Middle Ages, and were effectively small self-governing county....
  • List of administrative counties and county boroughs of England by population in 1971
    List of administrative counties and county boroughs of England by population in 1971

    This is a list of administrative counties of England and county boroughs by population as at the 1971 census....