County town

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County town

A county town is the 'capital' of a county

County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
or 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 towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its original meaning of where the county administration is based (see County halls

County town

A county town is the 'capital' of a county in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county....
below). In fact, many county towns are no longer part of "their" administrative county e.g.

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Encyclopedia

A county town is the 'capital' of a county

County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Republic of Ireland

County town

Derby

Derby is a city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands region of England in the United Kingdom. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent, Derbyshire and is located in the south of the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire....
is administered by a unitary authority entirely separately from the rest of Derbyshire

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....
. Many county towns are in fact cities

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"....
, but all are referred to as county towns irrespective of whether city status is held or not.

Note that in Eastern Canada

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
and the United States of America

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
, the term county seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
is usually used for the same purpose. However, in the state of Louisiana

Louisiana

The State of Louisiana is a U.S. state located in the U.S. Southern States of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans....
the term parish seat is used instead.

List of county towns

United Kingdom

Historic counties of England

County	County town
Bedfordshire 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....	Bedford
Berkshire 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...	Abingdon ¹
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England home counties Counties of England in South East England England....	Aylesbury Aylesbury See also: Aylesbury Urban AreaAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. In the United Kingdom Census 2001 the Aylesbury Urban Area, which includes Bierton, Fairford Leys, Stoke Mandeville and Watermead, Buckinghamshire, had a population of 69,021, which included 56,392 for the Aylesbury civil parish.... ²
Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a Counties_of_the_United_Kingdom#England in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex, England and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west....	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....
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....	Chester
Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....	Truro Truro Truro is a City status in the United Kingdom in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, and is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population of 20,920.... ³
Cumberland	Carlisle ⁴
Derbyshire 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....	Derby
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....	Exeter
Dorset 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 ....	Dorchester
County 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....	Durham Durham Durham is a city in North East England. It lies at the heart of the City of Durham local government district. It is the county town of County Durham....
Essex	Chelmsford
Gloucestershire 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....	Gloucester
Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....	Winchester although the county is named after 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....
Herefordshire Herefordshire Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England....	Hereford Hereford Hereford is a cathedral city City status in the United Kingdom, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester....
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....	Hertford Hertford Hertford is the affluent county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, it has a population today of about 24,180 and boasts a wide selection of boutiques, bars and cafes....
Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire is a Non-metropolitan district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Historic counties of England it was a Counties of England in its own right....	Huntingdon Huntingdon Huntingdon is a town in the county of Cambridgeshire in East Anglia, England. The town was town charter in 1205. It was formerly the county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire non-metropolitan district....
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....	Maidstone Maidstone Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary.... ⁵
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....	Lancaster Lancaster, Lancashire Lancaster is a City status in the United Kingdom in North West England and the county town of Lancashire. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952.... ⁶
Leicestershire 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....	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....
Lincolnshire 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....	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....
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....	Brentford Brentford Brentford is a suburb of the London Borough of Hounslow at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent in West London, situated 8 miles west south-west of Charing Cross.... , Clerkenwell Clerkenwell Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. Clerkenwell was once known as London's "Little Italy" due to its extensive Italian population from the 1850s to the 1960s.... , the City of London City of London The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew.... or Westminster City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough of London with City status in the United Kingdom. It is located west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, and forms part of Inner London and the bulk of London's central area.... for different functions ⁷
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....	Norwich
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....	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....
Northumberland 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...	Alnwick Alnwick Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. It serves as the administrative centre for the Alnwick local government district, and had a population of 31,029 at the time of the 2001 census.... ⁸
Nottinghamshire 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 ....	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....
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....	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....
Rutland Rutland Rutland is a Counties of England of mainland England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire, and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....	Oakham Oakham \|country= England\|official_name= Oakham\|latitude= 52.6705\|longitude=-0.7333\|population= 9,975 ...
Shropshire Shropshire Shropshire , alternatively known as *Salop* or abbreviated, in print only, *Shrops*, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England....	Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is home to 70,689 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham, which has a population of 95,850....
Somerset 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....	Taunton ⁹
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....	Stafford Stafford Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire in England. It lies in the north of the West Midlands , between Wolverhampton and Stoke-on-Trent. The population of Stafford was given in the 2001 census as 63,681, with that of the wider Stafford as 124,531....
Suffolk 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....	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....
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....	Guildford Guildford Guildford is the county town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region.... ¹⁰
Sussex Sussex Sussex , from the Old English Su?seaxe , is a Historic counties of England in South East England England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex....	Chichester Chichester Chichester is a cathedral city status in the United Kingdom in West Sussex, England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Ancient Rome past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings.... or Lewes Lewes Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town.... ¹¹
Warwickshire 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....	Warwick Warwick Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, Warwickshire, 18 km south of Coventry and 4 km west of Leamington Spa , with a population of 25,434 .....
Westmorland Westmorland Westmorland is an area of north-west England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....	Appleby Appleby-in-Westmorland Appleby-in-Westmorland is a town in Cumbria, in North West England. It is situated within a loop of the River Eden, Cumbria and has a population of approximately 2,500....
Wiltshire Wiltshire *Wiltshire* is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire....	Trowbridge ¹² although the county is named after Wilton Wilton Wilton may refer to:...
Worcestershire Worcestershire Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands of central England. From 1974 to 1998 it was administered as part of Hereford and Worcester....	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....
Yorkshire Yorkshire Yorkshire is a Historic counties of England of northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Because of its great size, over time functions were increasingly undertaken by its subdivisions, which have been subject to History of local government in Yorkshire....	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....

Lent assizes were held at Reading, where the county gaol and house of correction were situated; summer assizes were held at Abingdon, which was the site of the county bridewell. Knights for the shire were nominated at Reading and elected at Abingdon.
Sir John Baldwin, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, caused the county assizes to be moved to Aylesbury. Knights for the shire continued to be elected at Buckingham. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica considered Buckingham to be the county town.
The County Assize Court
Assize Court

The Court of Assize, or Assizes, refers to an obsolete circuit criminal court in most common-law contexts, but is still in use elsewhere, e.g., Assizes of Jerusalem....
sat at Bodmin
Bodmin

Bodmin is a town in Cornwall, United Kingdom, with a population of 12,778 . It was the county town of Cornwall, until the Crown Courts moved to Truro, which is also the administrative centre....
, and the 1911 Britannica considered Bodmin to be the county town. Launceston
Launceston, Cornwall

Launceston is a town, an ancient borough, and a civil parish in the north of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The form 'Lanson' based on the traditional pronunciation is almost obsolete ....
was also historically considered the county town.
Knights of the Shire
Knights of the Shire

In British politics from mediaeval times until the Representation of the People Act 1884, Knights of the Shire were representatives of counties sent to advise the government of the day....
were elected at Cockermouth
Cockermouth

Cockermouth is a town within the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England, and is so named because it is at the confluence of the River Cocker as it flows into the River Derwent, Cumbria....
East Kent
East Kent

East Kent and West Kent are one-time traditional subdivisions of the England county of Kent, kept alive by the Association of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men: an organisation formed in 1913....
and West Kent
West Kent

West Kent and East Kent are one-time traditional subdivisions of the England county of Kent, kept alive by the Association of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men: an organisation formed in 1913....
had separate administrations until 1814, with East Kent sessions meeting at Canterbury, and West Kent at Maidstone, the over-all county town.
In 1787 the Lancashire Quarter Sessions decreed that in future the annual general sessions for transacting all business for the county at large should be held at Preston as it was "a central place in the county". The magistrates of Lonsdale Hundred
Lonsdale (hundred)

Lonsdale was a hundred of Lancashire, England. For many decades, it covered most of the northwestern part of Lancashire around Morecambe Bay, including the detached part around Furness, and the city of Lancaster, Lancashire....
refused to accept the decision, and would only meet at Lancaster. The matter was only settled when a local act of parliament (38 Geo.III c.58) established that the principal administrative business of the county could only be transacted at Preston.
Knights of the Shire were elected at Brentford; sessions presided over by Middlesex Justices of the Peace were held at Clerkenwell; trials for persons accused of the most serious crimes took place in the Old Bailey before the Aldermen of the City prior to the committing of the accused to Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison

Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Ancient Rome London Wall....
(which functioned as the county gaol for Middlesex) if found guilty; while the county council had its headquarters at the Middlesex Guildhall
Middlesex Guildhall

The Middlesex Guildhall is a building on the south-west corner of Parliament Square in London. It is currently closed for refurbishment for use as the site of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council....
in Westminster from its establishment in 1889 until its abolition in 1965.
Alnwick's position as the county town seems to have been based largely on its castle being the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, although Knights of the Shire were elected at the town too. Assizes for the county however were held mainly or exclusively in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Morpeth Castle was used as the prison for Northumberland, and the county gaol was built there in 1824.
Knights of the Shire were elected at Ilchester
Ilchester

Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the England county of Somerset. The village has a population of 2,021....
. Somerton
Somerton

Somerton is a small town in South Somerset Somerset, England. It is situated on the River Cary, near Yeovil, Street, Somerset and Glastonbury. Somerton has a wide market square surrounded by old stone houses and an octagonal, roofed Market Cross as a focal point at the centre....
temporarily became the county town in the late thirteenth century, when the shire courts and county gaol were moved from Ilchester.
Southwark
Southwark

Southwark, or the Borough, is an area of south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark, situated 1.5 miles east of Charing Cross....
is listed as the county town by Stewart (1828). Quarter Sessions were held at Newington
Newington, London

Newington is an area within the London Borough of Southwark in London, England. It was the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey and the location of the County of London Sessions House from 1917, in a building now occupied by the Inner London Crown Court....
by Southwark
Southwark

Southwark, or the Borough, is an area of south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark, situated 1.5 miles east of Charing Cross....
.
Horsham
Horsham

Horsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England with a population of roughly 50,000 . It lies south southwest of London, northwest of Brighton and northeast of the county town of Chichester....
was occasionally described as the county town of Sussex due to the presence of the county gaol and the periodic holding of the county assizes and quarter sessions in the town. The last assizes were held there in 1830, while the gaol was closed in 1845.
Wiltshire County Council note that Wiltshire "never had a well recognised county town". Wilton had served as the seat of Quarter Sessions and for election of Knights of the Shire until 1832. Knights had been nominated at Devizes. A 1870s gazetteer describes "Salisbury
Salisbury

Salisbury is a city status in the United Kingdom in Wiltshire, England. The city forms the largest part of the Salisbury . It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement at Salisbury, Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use....
and Devizes
Devizes

Devizes is a small market town and civil parish in the heart of the England county of Wiltshire, in the southern United Kingdom....
" as the "county towns". The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica

The Encyclop?dia Britannica is a general English language encyclopedia published by Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc., a privately held company....
names only Salisbury.

Counties of Scotland

County	County town
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (historic) Aberdeenshire or the County of Aberdeen is a registration county of Scotland. This area is also a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland.Until 1975 Aberdeenshire was one of the counties of Scotland, governed by a county council from 1890....	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.... ¹
Angus Angus Angus is one of the 32 Local government in Scotland council areas of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland. The council area borders onto Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and the Dundee City.... (or Forfarshire)	Forfar Forfar Forfar is a town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people, located in the unitary authority of Angus in Scotland. It is the administrative centre of Angus and was the capital of the former county of Angus ....
Argyll Argyll Argyll, archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient D?l Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western seaboard between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath....	Lochgilphead Lochgilphead Lochgilphead is a town and former burgh in Scotland, with a population of around 3,000 people. It is the administrative centre of Argyll and Bute.... (formerly Inveraray Inveraray Inveraray is a town and former Royal Burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, located on the western shore of Loch Fyne near its head, and on the A83 road.... )²
Ayrshire Ayrshire Ayrshire is a registration county, and former counties of Scotland in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine, North Ayrshire....	Ayr Ayr Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde, in south-west Scotland. It has been a royal burgh since 1205 and the county town of the former Counties of Scotland of Ayrshire....
Banffshire Banffshire The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a Counties of Scotland of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975....	Banff Banff and Macduff Banff and Macduff are neighbouring towns situated on Banff Bay, both of which are former burghs in Aberdeenshire , Scotland. Until 1975 Banff was the county town of Banffshire....
Berwickshire Berwickshire Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland of Scotland, on the border with England....	Duns Duns Duns was created a Burgh of Barony in 1490 by James IV of Scotland, and is a former county town of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders.... (formerly Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed , situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed.... , formerly Greenlaw Greenlaw Greenlaw is a small town in the Scottish Borders of Scotland. It was for a time the county town of Berwickshire. It is situated in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water.... )
Bute County of Bute The County of Bute is one of the Registration county of Scotland. In 2001 its usually resident population was 13,720....	Rothesay Rothesay, Argyll and Bute The town of Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the subdivisions of Scotland of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow....
Caithness Caithness Caithness is a registration county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland and historic Local government in Scotland of Scotland. The name was used also for the Earl of Caithness and the Caithness of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ....	Wick
Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire and sometimes called Clacks is one of the 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife....	Alloa Alloa Alloa is a small burgh in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, 7 miles to the east of Stirling, on the north bank of the River Forth. The town was a burgh of barony, and at one time of considerable commercial importance but is now relatively insignificant.... (formerly Clackmannan Clackmannan This article is about the administrative area, for the town see Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire.----From 1975, Clackmannan was the name of a small town and local government district in the Central Scotland region of Scotland, corresponding to the traditional county of Clackmannanshire, which was Scotland's smallest.... )
Cromartyshire Cromartyshire Cromartyshire was a Counties of Scotland in the Highlands of Scotland, consisting of a main portion between Sutherland and Ross-shire and a series of exclaves within Ross-shire....	Cromarty Cromarty The Royal Burgh of Cromarty is a burgh in Ross and Cromarty, Highland , Scotland....
Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland of Dumfries has similar boundaries....	Dumfries Dumfries Dumfries is a town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland and is situated close to the Solway Firth, near the mouth of the River Nith....
Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton, is a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland and a registration county of Scotland. Until 1975 it was a Counties of Scotland....	Dumbarton Dumbarton Dumbarton is a burgh in Scotland, lying on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven, Dunbartonshire flows into the Clyde estuary....
East Lothian East Lothian East Lothian is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, UK, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian.... (or Haddingtonshire)	Haddington Haddington, East Lothian Haddington is a town and former Royal Burgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is the main administrative, cultural and geographical centre for East Lothian, which was known officially as Haddingtonshire before 1921....
Fife Fife Fife is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire....	Cupar Cupar Cupar is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. The town is approximately equidistant between the larger settlements of Dundee and Glenrothes....
Inverness-shire Inverness-shire Inverness-shire also known as the county of Inverness, or Siorrachd Inbhir Nis in Scottish Gaelic, was a general purpose Counties of Scotland of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided for Local government in Scotland purposes between th...	Inverness Inverness Inverness is a City status in the United Kingdom in northern Scotland. The city is the administrative centre for the Highland Council areas of Scotland, and it is promoted as the capital of the Scottish Highlands....
Kincardineshire Kincardineshire The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a Local government of Scotland Counties of Scotland on the coast of northeast Scotland....	Stonehaven Stonehaven Stonehaven is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's northeast coast and had a population of 9,577 in 2001 census.Stonehave, county town of Kincardineshire, grew around an Iron Age fishing village, now the "Auld Toon" , and expanded inland from the Seaside.... (formerly Kincardine Kincardine Kincardine or Kincardine-on-Forth is a small town located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. The town was given the status of a Burgh of barony in 1663.... )
Kinross-shire Kinross-shire Kinross-shire, officially the County of Kinross, was a Counties of Scotland of Scotland. Its county town was Kinross. To the north it bordered Perthshire, to the east and south Fife, and to the west Clackmannanshire....	Kinross Kinross Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings....
Kirkcudbrightshire Kirkcudbrightshire The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire , was formerly a Counties of Scotland of south-western Scotland. It was also known as East Galloway, forming the larger Galloway region with Wigtownshire....	Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright, is a town in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, situated at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, some six miles from the sea....
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire Lanarkshire , officially the County of Lanark, was formerly a Counties of Scotland of Scotland.It was bounded to the north by Stirlingshire and a detached portion of Dunbartonshire, to the northeast by Stirlingshire, West Lothian, to the east by Peeblesshire, to the southeast and south by Dumfriesshire, to the southwest by Dumfriesshi...	Lanark Lanark Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland.Lanark was the county town of the former county of Lanarkshire.... ³
Midlothian Midlothian Midlothian is one of the 32 Council areas of Scotland of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas.... (or Edinburghshire)	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.... ⁴
Morayshire (or Elginshire)	Elgin Elgin, Moray Elgin is a former cathedral city and a former Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland and is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain....
Nairnshire	Nairn Nairn Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland Council areas of Scotland of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness....
Orkney	Kirkwall Kirkwall Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046....
Peeblesshire Peeblesshire Peeblesshire , the County of Peebles or Tweeddale was a Counties of Scotland of Scotland. Its main town was Peebles, and it bordered Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lanarkshire to the west....	Peebles Peebles Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scotland Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed.Initially a market town, Peebles played a role in the woollen industry of the Scottish Borders up until the 1960s....
Perthshire Perthshire Perthshire , officially the County of Perth, is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle, Scotland in the south....	Perth Perth, Scotland Perth is a town and former royal burgh in central Scotland. Sitting on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative headquarters of Perth and Kinross council area....
Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic Renfrewshire , also known as the County of Renfrew or Greater Renfrewshire, the other two being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east....	Renfrew⁵
Ross-shire Ross-shire Ross-shire, or the County of Ross, is a former Counties of Scotland of Scotland. The county bordered on Sutherland, Cromartyshire , Inverness-shire and an exclave of Nairnshire....	Dingwall Dingwall Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It formerly functioned as an east-coast harbor, but now lies inland.... (also the county town of Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty is a vaguely or variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland in current use.... )
Roxburghshire Roxburghshire Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire to the north-west, and Berwickshire to the north....	Jedburgh Jedburgh Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.... (formerly Roxburgh Roxburgh The destroyed royal burgh of Roxburgh was an important trading burgh in High Middle Ages to early modern period Kingdom of Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at least as much importance as Edinburgh, Stirling, or Berwick-upon-Tweed, for a time acting as de facto capital .... )⁶
Selkirkshire Selkirkshire Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Berwickshire to the north-east, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south....	Selkirk Selkirk Selkirk, a royal burgh in the heart of the Scotland Scottish Borders, lies on the River Ettrick, a tributary of the River Tweed. At the time of the 2008 census, Selkirk's population was 17,839....
Shetland	Lerwick Lerwick Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Great Britain on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland....
Stirlingshire Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west....	Stirling Stirling Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
Sutherland Sutherland Sutherland is a registration county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland and historic administrative Counties of Scotland of Scotland. It is now within the Highland Council areas of Scotland....	Dornoch Dornoch Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland, on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, close to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east.... ⁷
West Lothian West Lothian West Lothian is one of the 32 Unitary authority council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire and Falkirk .... (or Linlithgowshire)	Linlithgow Linlithgow Linlithgow is a town and former Royal burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. Those born in Linlithgow are sometimes nicknamed Black Bitches, and the town's coat of arms shows a black bitch dog, chained to an oak tree, which grows on an island....
Wigtownshire Wigtownshire The County of Wigtown, or Wigtownshire is a registration county in the south west of Scotland. It borders Ayrshire to the north, and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright to the east....	Wigtown Wigtown Wigtown is a town and former royal burgh in the Machars of Galloway in the south west of Scotland , south of Newton Stewart and east of Stranraer.... ⁸

In 1900 Aberdeen became a county of a city and thus outside Aberdeenshire.
Inverary was regarded as the county town until 1890, when the Argyll County Council was created with headquarters in Lochgilphead.
The headquarters of the Lanark County Council were established in 1890 in 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....
. In 1893 Glasgow became a county of itself, and was therefore outside the council's area. The county council moved to Hamilton
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area....
in 1964.
Edinburgh was a county of itself, and therefore lay outside the county of Midlothian.
The headquarters of Renfrew County Council were in Paisley from 1890.
Newtown St Boswells was the administrative headquarters of the county council established in 1890.
The headquarters of Sutherland County Council were at Golspie
Golspie

Golspie is a coastal village in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands, Scotland. It has a population of around 1,600 people. It is located picturesquely on the shores of the Moray Firth in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie ....
from 1890.
Stranraer
Stranraer

Stranraer is a town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland....
became the administrative headquarters of the Wigtown county council in 1890, and was sometimes described as the "county town" thereafter.

Historic counties of Wales

County	County town
Anglesey Anglesey Anglesey is an island and principal areas of Wales off the northwest coast of Wales, with a predominantly Welsh language-speaking population. It is connected to the mainland by two bridges spanning the Menai Strait: the original Menai Suspension Bridge , designed by Thomas Telford in 1826; and the newer reconstructed Britannia Bridge ; which...	Llangefni Llangefni Llangefni is the county townof Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llangefni was 4,662 people and is the List of Anglesey towns by population.... (formerly Beaumaris)
Brecknockshire Brecknockshire Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales of Wales, and a former administrative county....	Brecon Brecon Brecon is an historic market town in southern Powys, mid Wales, with a population of roughly 8,000 with around 6,000 in the surrounding area. It was the county town of the Historic counties of Wales county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys it remains an important local centre....
Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire , sometimes also spelt as Caernarvonshire and Carnarvonshire, is one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales....	Caernarfon Caernarfon Caernarfon is a List of UK place names with royal patronage in Gwynedd, northwest Wales.The name comes from Welsh Caer yn Arfon = "castle in Arfon", referring to the Roman Empire fort named Segontium....
Cardiganshire Cardiganshire Cardiganshire was an ancient county of Wales created in 1282. In extent it is more or less identical to Ceredigion, a county constituted as Cardiganshire in 1996, with the name reverting to Ceredigion a day later....	Cardigan
Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a subdivisions of Wales in the South West Wales of Wales and one of thirteen counties of Wales. Its three largest towns are Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford....	Carmarthen Carmarthen Carmarthen is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy and lays claim to being the oldest town in Wales. In 2001, the combined population of the town's three wards was 13,760....
Denbighshire Denbighshire (historic) Denbighshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative counties of Wales, which covered an area in north-east Wales....	Ruthin Ruthin Ruthin , pronounced RITH-in , is the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of the River Clwyd .... (formerly Denbigh Denbigh Denbigh is a market town in Denbighshire, North Wales, United Kingdom. Before 1888, it was county town of Denbighshire . Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph.... )
Flintshire Flintshire (historic) Flintshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales, which mostly lay on the north-east coast of Wales....	Mold Mold, Flintshire Mold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996.... (formerly Flint)
Glamorgan 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....	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 ....
Merionethshire Merionethshire Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales of Wales, and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974....	Dolgellau Dolgellau Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire ....
Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales. It is named after one of William the Conqueror's main counsellors, Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, who was the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury....	Montgomery Montgomery, Powys The historic county town of Montgomery }}) in Mid Wales lies just three miles from the English border in the Welsh Marches. It is best known for its castle, Montgomery Castle, begun in 1223, and its parish church, begun in 1227....
Monmouthshire 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....	Monmouth Monmouth Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the Historic counties of Wales of Monmouthshire . It is situated where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both ....
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the South West Wales of Wales in the United Kingdom....	Haverfordwest Haverfordwest Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, in South West Wales Wales. It is also the second largest town in Pembrokeshire, after Milford Haven.... (formerly Pembroke Pembroke, Pembrokeshire Pembroke is the traditional county town of Pembrokeshire in west Wales. However, the administrative centre and de facto county town is Haverfordwest.... )
Radnorshire Radnorshire Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805....	Presteigne Presteigne Presteigne was the county town of the historic counties of Wales of Radnorshire, Wales. It is in the Preserved counties of Wales of Powys and Diocese of Hereford.... (formerly New Radnor New Radnor New Radnor is a village in Powys, mid Wales.... )

Historic counties of Northern Ireland

County	County town
County Antrim County Antrim County Antrim is one of six Counties of Northern Ireland that form Northern Ireland, and one of nine counties that historically and geographically constitute the Province of Ulster....	Antrim Antrim, County Antrim Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile northeast from Lough Neagh....
County Armagh County Armagh County Armagh is a counties of Ireland in Ulster in the north east of Ireland. It is the smallest, in area, of the six counties that form Northern Ireland and second smallest in Ulster....	Armagh Armagh The city of Armagh is an ancient religious site of worship of both Celtic paganism and Christianity, the oldest of the five City status in the United Kingdom in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh....
County Down County Down County Down is one of the nine Counties of Ireland that form the province of Ulster and one of six counties that form Northern Ireland. The county forms an area of ....	Downpatrick Downpatrick Downpatrick is a town in County Down in Northern Ireland, about 33 km south of Belfast. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick....
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh County Fermanagh , is the westernmost of the six counties that form Northern Ireland, and is part of the Province of Ulster. Fermanagh is often referred to as Ireland's Lake District, together with neighbouring County Cavan....	Enniskillen Enniskillen Enniskillen is the county town in County Fermanagh. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne....
County Londonderry County Londonderry County Londonderry or County Derry is one of the six Counties of Ireland of Northern Ireland in the Provinces of Ireland of Ulster in Ireland....	Derry Derry Derry or Londonderry , often called the Maiden City, is a City status in the United Kingdom in Northern Ireland....
County Tyrone County Tyrone County Tyrone is the second largest of the nine Irish county of Ulster and the largest of the six counties of Northern Ireland. It has an area of 3,155 square kilometres ....	Omagh Omagh Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, situated where the rivers River Drumragh and Rive Camowen meet to form the River Strule....

Note - Despite the fact that 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....
is the capital of Northern Ireland, it is not the county town of any county

County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
. Greater Belfast straddles two counties (Antrim and Down).

Republic of Ireland

Traditional counties of Ireland

The term county capital is also used.

County	County town
County Carlow County Carlow County Carlow is a counties of Ireland in Republic of Ireland located towards the south east of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It has an overall population of 50,349, as of April 2006....	Carlow Carlow Carlow is an inland town in the south-east of Republic of Ireland in County Carlow, 84 km from Dublin. The town numbers about 20,000 people, 3,000 of whom are students....
County Cavan County Cavan File:Loughter.JPGCounty Cavan is a county in Republic of Ireland....	Cavan Cavan Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the northeast of the Ireland, along the border with Northern Ireland....
County Clare County Clare County Clare commonly referred to as simply Clare, is a Counties of Ireland of Ireland and part of the wider Provinces of Ireland of Munster....	Ennis Ennis Ennis is the county town of County Clare in Republic of Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway on the main N18 road connecting these two cities....
County Cork County Cork County Cork is the most southerly and the largest of the modern counties of Republic of Ireland. Cork is nicknamed "The Rebel County", as a result of the support of the townsmen of Cork in 1491 for Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of England during the Wars of the Roses....	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....
County Donegal County Donegal County Donegal is a county located in the west of the Province of Ulster, in the northwest of Ireland. It is one of three counties in the Province of Ulster that do not form part of Northern Ireland....	Lifford Lifford Lifford is the County Town of County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is the administrative capital of the County and the seat of Donegal County Council, The town of Letterkenny is often mistaken for fulfilling this role....
County Dublin County Dublin County Dublin , or more correctly today the Dublin Region , is the area that contains the city of Dublin, the Capital of Republic of Ireland as well as the largest city on the island of Ireland; and the modern counties of County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, County of Fingal and County of South Dublin....	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....
County Galway County Galway County Galway is located on the west coast of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht. The county takes its name from the city of Galway....	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....
County Kerry County Kerry County Kerry is a southwestern county in Republic of Ireland. Informally referred to as The Kingdom, it forms part of the provinces of Ireland of Munster....	Tralee Tralee Tralee is the county town of County Kerry, in the southwest corner of Republic of Ireland. The name Tralee comes from the Irish 'Tr? L?', or 'Tr? Laoi', which means 'strand of the Lee' , although some believe it comes from the Irish 'Tr? Liath' meaning 'grey strand'....
County Kildare County Kildare County Kildare is an Republic of Ireland county located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church of the oaks ....	Naas Naas Naas is the county town of County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. With a population of over 23,000, it is the largest town in the County of Kildare....
County Kilkenny County Kilkenny County Kilkenny is a landlocked counties of Ireland in Republic of Ireland. The county takes its name from the Cities in Ireland of Kilkenny and has a population of 87,558....	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....
County Laois County Laois County Laois , formerly also Laoighis or Leix, is a county in the midlands of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland of Leinster.File:ViewFromDunamase.JPG... (formerly Queen's County)	Portlaoise (formerly Maryborough)
County Leitrim County Leitrim County Leitrim is one of the Irish county of Republic of Ireland and is part of the province of Connacht. Its name derives from the Irish , meaning "grey ridge."...	Carrick-on-Shannon Carrick-on-Shannon File:Le port Carraick-on-Shannon.jpgCarrick-on-Shannon is situated in County Leitrim in Republic of Ireland on the County Roscommon border. The population of the town was 3,163 in 2006 ....
County Limerick County Limerick County Limerick is a county in the province of Munster, located in the mid-west of Ireland with County Clare to the north, County Cork to the south, County Kerry to the west and County Tipperary to the east....	Limerick Limerick Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
County Longford County Longford Image:Royal Canal Longford long.JPGCounty Longford is a county situated in the Irish Midlands, in northwest Leinster. With an area of 1,091 km? and a population of 34,361, it is Ireland's third smallest county....	Longford
County Louth County Louth County Louth is a county on the east coast of Ireland, on the border with Northern Ireland. The county town is Dundalk.County Louth is affectionately called "the Wee County" being the smallest county in Ireland having a total area of only 821sq kilometres ....	Dundalk Dundalk Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Republic of Ireland, situated close to the border with Northern Ireland. It takes its name from , Dalga's Fortification home closely associated with the famous mythical warrior C?chulainn, and was granted its charter in 1189....
County Mayo	Castlebar Castlebar Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town. A campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and the Country Life section of the National Museum of Ireland are two important local amenities....
County Meath County Meath County Meath is a county in Republic of Ireland, often informally called The Royal County. The county town is Navan, where the county hall and government are located, although Trim, County Meath, the former county town, has historical significance and remains a sitting place of the courts of the Republic of Ireland....	Trim Trim, County Meath Trim is the traditional county town of County Meath in Republic of Ireland, although the county town is now Navan. The town was recorded in the 2006 census to have a population of 6,870.... (Navan Navan Navan is the largest town and county town or administrative capital of County Meath, Republic of Ireland. It is thought to be one of the few places in the world to have a paladromic name .... - de facto)
County Monaghan County Monaghan County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is one of three counties situated in the Province of Ulster which are in the Republic of Ireland. The name comes from the Irish, derived from Muine Cheain meaning the Land of the little hills....	Monaghan Monaghan Monaghan is a town in Republic of Ireland, the administrative capital of County Monaghan. Monaghan's population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 ....
County Offaly County Offaly County Offaly is a county in Leinster, Ireland, bordered by seven other counties: County Galway, County Roscommon, County Westmeath, County Meath, County Kildare, County Laois, and County Tipperary.... (formerly King's County)	Tullamore Tullamore Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the Midlands of Ireland of Republic of Ireland. It is Offaly's county town and the centre of a district the population of which totals around 15,000.... (since 1835), originally Philipstown Daingean Daingean , formerly Philipstown, is a small town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated midway between the towns of Tullamore and Edenderry, County Offaly on the R402 road regional road....
County Roscommon County Roscommon County Roscommon is a county located in central Ireland. Area: . Roscommon is in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht. It is the only county in Connacht that does not have a shoreline....	Roscommon Roscommon Roscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland....
County Sligo County Sligo County Sligo is a county in the provinces of Ireland of Connacht in the west of Republic of Ireland....	Sligo Sligo Sligo , is the county town of County Sligo in Republic of Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is the second largest urban area in Connacht ....
County Tipperary County Tipperary County Tipperary is a county in Republic of Ireland situated in the province of Munster. Tipperary was one of the first Irish counties to be established in the 13th century....	Previously Cashel Cashel, County Tipperary Cashel is a town in County Tipperary, in the southern midlands of Republic of Ireland, which is also the episcopal see of a Roman Catholic archbishopric and of an Anglican bishop .... and Clonmel Clonmel Clonmel , in County Tipperary is the county seat of South Tipperary County Council. The town lies mainly on the northern bank of the River Suir with a smaller section south of the river.... . Since 1898 shared between Clonmel Clonmel Clonmel , in County Tipperary is the county seat of South Tipperary County Council. The town lies mainly on the northern bank of the River Suir with a smaller section south of the river.... (south) and Nenagh Nenagh Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. It is the administrative capital of North Tipperary. It has a population in 2006 of 7,415.... (north). Tipperary Town has never been county town.
County Waterford County Waterford County Waterford is a county in the province of Munster on the south coast of Republic of Ireland. It is the smallest county in Munster in terms of both area and population....	Dungarvan Dungarvan Dungarvan is a town and harbour on the south coast of Republic of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the administrative centre of County Waterford.... (previously 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.... ).
County Westmeath County Westmeath County Westmeath is popularly referred to as the "Lake County". It lies in western part of the province of Leinster in Republic of Ireland. The county was part of the ancient central province of Meath and later of County Meath....	Mullingar Mullingar Mullingar is the administrative centre of County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland and the seat of the Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath....
County Wexford County Wexford County Wexford is a maritime county in the southeast of Republic of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It takes its name from the principal town, Wexford, founded by Vikings and named by them 'Waesfjord', meaning 'inlet or bay of the mud-flats' in the Old Norse language....	Wexford Wexford Wexford is the county town of County Wexford in Republic of Ireland. It is situated near the south-eastern tip of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort....
County Wicklow County Wicklow County Wicklow is a Counties of Ireland on the east coast of Republic of Ireland, immediately south of Dublin. The county is bordered by the Irish Sea and the counties of County Carlow, County Kildare, County Wexford, as well as two parts of what was County Dublin, County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and County of South Dublin....	Wicklow Wicklow Wicklow is the county seat of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland. Located south of the capital Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census....

Other counties of Ireland

County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

The County of Dun Laoghaire–Rathdown is a administrative county in Republic of Ireland formed from part of the old county of County Dublin....
- Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire

D?n Laoghaire is a suburban seaside town and county town of County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Republic of Ireland.The town is situated some 12 kilometres south of Dublin city centre, and is a major port of entry from Great Britain....
County of Fingal
Fingal

The County of Fingal is an area in Republic of Ireland. It was formed from part of the historic County Dublin....
- Swords
Swords, Dublin

Swords is a medium-sized suburban town located in County of Fingal, Republic of Ireland, close to Dublin Airport.In 1994, Swords became a county town after the break up of the former County Dublin; in 2001, it became the administrative centre for that county, upon the completion of the Fingal County Hall....
County of North Tipperary
North Tipperary

North Tipperary County is an administrative county in Republic of Ireland, consisting of 48% of the land area of the traditional county of County Tipperary....
- Nenagh
Nenagh

Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. It is the administrative capital of North Tipperary. It has a population in 2006 of 7,415....
County of South Dublin
South Dublin

The County of South Dublin is a county in Republic of Ireland, with its county town located in Tallaght. South Dublin achieved county status in the 1993 Local Government Act, and more formally in the 2001 Local Government Act....
- Tallaght
Tallaght

Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of County of South Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It was one of the earliest settlements in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's most important monastic centres....
County of South Tipperary
South Tipperary

South Tipperary County is an administrative county in Republic of Ireland, consisting of 52% of the land area of the historical county of County Tipperary....
- Clonmel
Clonmel

Clonmel , in County Tipperary is the county seat of South Tipperary County Council. The town lies mainly on the northern bank of the River Suir with a smaller section south of the river....

County Halls

Over time, the location of administrative headquarters (County Halls) have moved away from the traditional county town. Furthermore, in 1965 and 1974 there were major administrative boundary changes 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....
and administrative counties

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....
were replaced with new metropolitan

Metropolitan county

The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million....
and non-metropolitan counties. The boundaries underwent more major alterations between 1995 and 1998 to create 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....
and some of the ancient counties and county towns were restored for administrative purposes. (Note: not all headquarters are or were called County Halls or Shire Halls eg: Cumbria County Council's HQ is called The Courts). Before 1974 many of the county halls were located in towns and cities that had the status of a county borough

County borough

County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control....
ie: a borough outside of the county council's jurisdiction.

England

County council	Date	Headquarters
Avon	1974 to 1996	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....
Bedfordshire 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....	1889 onwards	Bedford Bedford Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Bedford . According to Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town of Kempston....
Berkshire 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...	1889 to 1998	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.... (county borough until 1974)
City and County of Bristol	1996 onwards	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....
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England home counties Counties of England in South East England England....	1889 onwards	Aylesbury Aylesbury See also: Aylesbury Urban AreaAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. In the United Kingdom Census 2001 the Aylesbury Urban Area, which includes Bierton, Fairford Leys, Stoke Mandeville and Watermead, Buckinghamshire, had a population of 69,021, which included 56,392 for the Aylesbury civil parish....
Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a Counties_of_the_United_Kingdom#England in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex, England and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west....	1889 to 1965 1974 onwards	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....
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely was, from 1965 to 1974, an administrative county of England. In 1974 it became part of an enlarged Cambridgeshire....	1965 to 1974	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....
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....	1889 onwards	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....
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 ....	1974 to 1996	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....
Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....	1889 onwards	Truro Truro Truro is a City status in the United Kingdom in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, and is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population of 20,920....
Cumberland 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....	1889 to 1974	Carlisle (county borough from 1914)
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....	1974 onwards	Carlisle
Derbyshire 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....	1889 onwards	Matlock (moved from Derby, county borough 1958)
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....	1889 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974). In 1963 the Devon County Buildings Area was transferred from the county borough of Exeter to the administrative county of Devon, of which it formed an exclave Exclave An exclave is strip of land that belongs to a political entity but that is not connected to it by land . The strip of land is surrounded by other political entities.... until 1974.
Dorset 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 ....	1889 onwards	Dorchester
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....	1889 onwards	Durham Durham Durham is a city in North East England. It lies at the heart of the City of Durham local government district. It is the county town of County Durham....
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 ....	1889 onwards	Chelmsford Chelmsford Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England - the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford . It is located northeast of Charing Cross in London....
Gloucestershire 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....	1889 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974)
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....	1965 to 1986 2002 onwards	County Hall County Hall, London County Hall is a building in Lambeth, London, that was the headquarters of London County Council and later the Greater London Council . The building is on the bank of the River Thames, just north of Westminster Bridge, facing west toward the City of Westminster, and close to the Palace of Westminster.... , Lambeth Lambeth Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the former centre of the village from the River Thames.... (Greater London Council Greater London Council The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area.... ) City Hall, Southwark Southwark Southwark, or the Borough, is an area of south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark, situated 1.5 miles east of Charing Cross.... (Greater London Authority Greater London Authority The Greater London Authority is the region-wide governing body for London, England. It consists of a directly-elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers.... )
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...	1974 to 1986	Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....
Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....	1889 onwards	Winchester Winchester Winchester is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. It lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of the River Itchen, Hampshire....
Herefordshire Herefordshire Herefordshire is a Historic counties of England and Ceremonial counties of England Counties of England in the West Midlands Regions of England of England....	1889 to 1974 1998 onwards	Hereford Hereford Hereford is a cathedral city City status in the United Kingdom, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester....
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....	1974 to 1998	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....
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....	1889 onwards	Hertford Hertford Hertford is the affluent county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, it has a population today of about 24,180 and boasts a wide selection of boutiques, bars and cafes....
Humberside 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....	1974 to 1996	Beverley Beverley Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood....
Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire is a Non-metropolitan district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Historic counties of England it was a Counties of England in its own right....	1889 to 1965	Huntingdon Huntingdon Huntingdon is a town in the county of Cambridgeshire in East Anglia, England. The town was town charter in 1205. It was formerly the county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire non-metropolitan district....
Huntingdon and Peterborough Huntingdon and Peterborough Huntingdon and Peterborough was a short-lived administrative county in East Anglia in the United Kingdom. It existed from 1965 to 1974, when it became part of Cambridgeshire....	1965 to 1974	Huntingdon Huntingdon Huntingdon is a town in the county of Cambridgeshire in East Anglia, England. The town was town charter in 1205. It was formerly the county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire non-metropolitan district....
Isle of Ely Isle of Ely The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right....	1889 to 1965	March
Isle of Wight Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is an England island and county, located 3-8 km from the south coast of the mainland, in the English Channel. It is situated south of the county of Hampshire and is separated from mainland Britain by the Solent....	1890 onwards	Newport Newport, Isle of Wight Newport is a civil parish and the county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001 The town is situated slightly to the north of the centre of the island, at the head of the navigable section of the River Medina, which flows northward t...
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....	1889 onwards	Maidstone Maidstone Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary....
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....	1889 onwards	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.... (moved from Lancaster Lancaster, Lancashire Lancaster is a City status in the United Kingdom in North West England and the county town of Lancashire. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952.... , County Hall opened in 1882, county borough until 1974)
Leicestershire 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....	1889 onwards	Glenfield Glenfield, Leicestershire Glenfield is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England. It is part of the Blaby district, and has a population of about 10,000. Its location at the northwestern fringe of the city of Leicester effectively makes it a suburb, although it is politically and administratively separate.... (moved from county borough of 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.... in 1967)
Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey Lindsey Lindsey was a unit of local government until 1974 in Lincolnshire, England, covering the northern part of the county. The Isle of Axholme, which is on the west side of the River Trent, has normally formed part of it....	1889 to 1974	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.... (county borough)
Lincolnshire, Parts of Holland Holland, Lincolnshire Holland is an area of south-east Lincolnshire, England. The name is still recognised locally and survives in the district of South Holland, Lincolnshire....	1889 to 1974	Boston Boston, Lincolnshire Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Boston local government district and has a total population of 35,124....
Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven Kesteven The Parts of Kesteven are a traditional subdivision of Lincolnshire, England. This subdivision had long had a separate county administration , along with the other two parts Lindsey and Holland, Lincolnshire)....	1889 to 1974	Sleaford Sleaford Sleaford is a town within the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is thirteen miles northeast of Grantham and seventeen miles west of Boston, Lincolnshire, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time of the 2001 census....
Lincolnshire 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....	1974 onwards	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....
London County of London The County of London was a ceremonial counties of England and administrative counties of England of England from 1889 to 1965. It bordered Middlesex to the north and west, Essex to the north east, Kent to the south east and Surrey to the south....	1889 to 1965	Spring Gardens, Westminster Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross.... until 1922, County Hall County Hall, London County Hall is a building in Lambeth, London, that was the headquarters of London County Council and later the Greater London Council . The building is on the bank of the River Thames, just north of Westminster Bridge, facing west toward the City of Westminster, and close to the Palace of Westminster.... at Lambeth Lambeth Lambeth is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth, although the area is now more commonly known as Waterloo, after the railway station whose viaduct separates the former centre of the village from the River Thames.... thereafter.
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,...	1974 to 1986	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....
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....	1889 to 1965	Middlesex Guildhall Middlesex Guildhall The Middlesex Guildhall is a building on the south-west corner of Parliament Square in London. It is currently closed for refurbishment for use as the site of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.... at Westminster in County of London County of London The County of London was a ceremonial counties of England and administrative counties of England of England from 1889 to 1965. It bordered Middlesex to the north and west, Essex to the north east, Kent to the south east and Surrey to the south....
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....	1889 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974)
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....	1889 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974)
Northumberland 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...	1889 onwards	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... 1889 - 1981: Northumberland County Hall was situated within an exclave of Northumberland (Moot Hall Precincts) within the county borough of Newcastle 1889 - 1974; the area became part of the county of Tyne and Wear in 1974 and was thus extraterritorial Morpeth Morpeth, Northumberland Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is a mile from the A1 road , which bypasses it.... since 1981
Nottinghamshire 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 ....	1889 onwards	West Bridgford West Bridgford West Bridgford is a town in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. West Bridgford is a suburb of Nottingham, despite being outside of the administrative boundaries of the City of Nottingham.... (moved from county borough 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.... in 1959)
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....	1889 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974)
Soke of Peterborough Soke of Peterborough The Soke of Peterborough is an historic area of England that is traditionally associated with the Peterborough and Anglican Diocese of Peterborough, but considered part of Northamptonshire....	1889 to 1965	Peterborough Peterborough Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial counties of England purposes it is in the Counties of England of Cambridgeshire....
Rutland Rutland Rutland is a Counties of England of mainland England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire, and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....	1889 to 1974 1997 onwards	Oakham Oakham \|country= England\|official_name= Oakham\|latitude= 52.6705\|longitude=-0.7333\|population= 9,975 ...
Shropshire Shropshire Shropshire , alternatively known as *Salop* or abbreviated, in print only, *Shrops*, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England....	1889 onwards	Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is home to 70,689 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham, which has a population of 95,850....
Somerset 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....	1889 onwards	Taunton Taunton Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the non-metropolitan county of Somerset....
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....	1889 onwards	Stafford Stafford Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire in England. It lies in the north of the West Midlands , between Wolverhampton and Stoke-on-Trent. The population of Stafford was given in the 2001 census as 63,681, with that of the wider Stafford as 124,531....
East Suffolk East Suffolk East Suffolk, along with West Suffolk, was created in 1888 as an administrative county of England. The administrative county was based on the eastern quarter sessions division of Suffolk....	1889 to 1974	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.... (county borough)
West Suffolk West Suffolk West Suffolk was an administrative county of England created in 1889 from part of the county of Suffolk. It survived until 1974 when it was rejoined with East Suffolk....	1889 to 1974	Bury
Suffolk 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....	1974 onwards	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....
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....	1889 onwards	Inner London Sessions House, Newington Newington, London Newington is an area within the London Borough of Southwark in London, England. It was the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey and the location of the County of London Sessions House from 1917, in a building now occupied by the Inner London Crown Court.... , until County Hall County Hall (Surrey) County Hall is the main government building for the county of Surrey in England. It was opened 13 November 1893, and is located in Kingston upon Thames.... , Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London.It was the ancient market town where Anglo-Saxons kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross.... opened in 1893 (Kingston has been in 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.... since 1965)
East 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....	1889 onwards	Lewes Lewes Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it lies. The settlement has a long history as a bridging point and as a market town, and is today an important communications hub, and tourist-orientated town....
West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial counties of England until 1974 and the coming into force of the Local Government...	1889 onwards	Chichester Chichester Chichester is a cathedral city status in the United Kingdom in West Sussex, England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Ancient Rome past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings.... (originally jointly with Horsham Horsham Horsham is a market town situated on the River Arun in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England with a population of roughly 50,000 . It lies south southwest of London, northwest of Brighton and northeast of the county town of Chichester.... )
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....	1974 to 1986	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Warwickshire 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....	1889 onwards	Warwick Warwick Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, Warwickshire, 18 km south of Coventry and 4 km west of Leamington Spa , with a population of 25,434 .....
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....	1974 to 1986	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 ....
Westmorland Westmorland Westmorland is an area of north-west England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....	1889 to 1974	Kendal Kendal Kendal is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It is south of Carlisle, on the River Kent, and has a total resident population of 27,521, making it the third largest settlement in Cumbria ....
Wiltshire Wiltshire *Wiltshire* is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire....	1889 onwards	Trowbridge Trowbridge Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
Worcestershire Worcestershire Worcestershire is a county located in the West Midlands of central England. From 1974 to 1998 it was administered as part of Hereford and Worcester....	1889 to 1974 1998 onwards	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.... (county borough until 1974)
Yorkshire, 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....	1889 to 1974 1996 onwards	Beverley Beverley Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood.... (later HQ of Humberside)
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 ....	1889 to 1974	Northallerton Northallerton Northallerton is a market town in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York....
North 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....	1974 onwards	Northallerton Northallerton Northallerton is a market town in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York....
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....	1974 to 1986	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....
Yorkshire, 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....	1889 to 1974	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.... (county borough from 1915)
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....	1974 to 1986	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....

Wales

County council	Date	Headquarters
Anglesey Anglesey Anglesey is an island and principal areas of Wales off the northwest coast of Wales, with a predominantly Welsh language-speaking population. It is connected to the mainland by two bridges spanning the Menai Strait: the original Menai Suspension Bridge , designed by Thomas Telford in 1826; and the newer reconstructed Britannia Bridge ; which...	1889 to 1974 1996 onwards	Llangefni Llangefni Llangefni is the county townof Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llangefni was 4,662 people and is the List of Anglesey towns by population....
Brecknockshire Brecknockshire Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales of Wales, and a former administrative county....	1889 to 1974	Brecon Brecon Brecon is an historic market town in southern Powys, mid Wales, with a population of roughly 8,000 with around 6,000 in the surrounding area. It was the county town of the Historic counties of Wales county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys it remains an important local centre....
Caernarvonshire Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire , sometimes also spelt as Caernarvonshire and Carnarvonshire, is one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales....	1889 to 1974	Caernarfon Caernarfon Caernarfon is a List of UK place names with royal patronage in Gwynedd, northwest Wales.The name comes from Welsh Caer yn Arfon = "castle in Arfon", referring to the Roman Empire fort named Segontium....
Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a subdivisions of Wales in the South West Wales of Wales and one of thirteen counties of Wales. Its three largest towns are Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford....	1889 to 1974 1996 onwards	Carmarthen Carmarthen Carmarthen is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy and lays claim to being the oldest town in Wales. In 2001, the combined population of the town's three wards was 13,760....
Cardiganshire Cardiganshire Cardiganshire was an ancient county of Wales created in 1282. In extent it is more or less identical to Ceredigion, a county constituted as Cardiganshire in 1996, with the name reverting to Ceredigion a day later....	1889 to 1974	Aberaeron Aberaeron Aberaeron is a seaside resort town in Ceredigion, Wales. Population 1,500. Situated between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, Ceredigion, it is home to the headquarters of Ceredigion....
Clwyd Clwyd Clwyd is a preserved counties of Wales of Wales, situated in the North Wales, bordering England and Cheshire to its East, Shropshire to the South-East, Gwynedd to its immediate West and Powys to the South....	1974 to 1996	Mold
Denbighshire Denbighshire (historic) Denbighshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative counties of Wales, which covered an area in north-east Wales....	1889 to 1974	Denbigh Denbigh Denbigh is a market town in Denbighshire, North Wales, United Kingdom. Before 1888, it was county town of Denbighshire . Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph....
Dyfed Dyfed Dyfed is a Preserved counties of Wales of Wales.Dyfed was created by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974. It covered the former counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and was divided into districts of Wales as so:...	1974 to 1996	Carmarthen Carmarthen Carmarthen is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy and lays claim to being the oldest town in Wales. In 2001, the combined population of the town's three wards was 13,760....
Flintshire Flintshire (historic) Flintshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales, which mostly lay on the north-east coast of Wales....	1889 to 1974	Mold
Glamorgan 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....	1889 to 1974	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 .... (county borough)
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....	1978 to 1996	Cwmbran Cwmbran Cwmbran is a new town in Wales within the Historic counties of Wales of Monmouthshire , and county borough of Torfaen. It was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield....
Gwynedd Gwynedd Gwynedd is a Administrative divisions of Wales in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although one of the biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated....	1974 to 1996	Caernarfon Caernarfon Caernarfon is a List of UK place names with royal patronage in Gwynedd, northwest Wales.The name comes from Welsh Caer yn Arfon = "castle in Arfon", referring to the Roman Empire fort named Segontium....
Mid 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....	1974 to 1996	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 .... (extraterritorial)
Merionethshire Merionethshire Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales of Wales, and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974....	1889 to 1974	Dolgellau Dolgellau Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire ....
Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales. It is named after one of William the Conqueror's main counsellors, Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, who was the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury....	1889 to 1974	Welshpool Welshpool Welshpool is a town in Powys, Wales, only 4 miles from the border with England. The town is low-lying on the River Severn; the Welsh language name Y Trallwng literally meaning 'the marshy or sinking land'....
Monmouthshire 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....	1889 to 1974	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... (county borough from 1891)
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the South West Wales of Wales in the United Kingdom....	1889 to 1974 1996 onwards	Haverfordwest Haverfordwest Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, in South West Wales Wales. It is also the second largest town in Pembrokeshire, after Milford Haven....
Radnorshire Radnorshire Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805....	1889 to 1974	Llandrindod Wells Llandrindod Wells Llandrindod Wells , known locally as "Llandod", is a town in Powys, Wales. It was developed as a spa town in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government....
Powys Powys Powys is a local-government Principal areas of Wales and preserved counties of Wales in Wales....	1974 onwards	Llandrindod Wells Llandrindod Wells Llandrindod Wells , known locally as "Llandod", is a town in Powys, Wales. It was developed as a spa town in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government....
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....	1974 to 1996	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 ....
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....	1974 to 1996	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....