Articles & Commentary
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Rutland is not being abolished: what local government reorganisation really means
The July 2026 decision for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland has since been paused for Government review. Whatever the council outcome, Rutland remains…
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Ceredigion, Sir Aberteifi or Cardiganshire? The County Name Explained
Ceredigion is the older Welsh name for the territory, while Sir Aberteifi is the traditional name derived from Cardigan, representing two distinct…
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Is Monmouthshire in England or Wales? The Monmouthshire Question Explained
Monmouthshire’s historic national status between England and Wales is genuinely ambiguous. HCI groups it with the Welsh counties while recognising that the…
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County Progress Report: Yorkshire Day, Ancient Boundaries and the Latest LGR Areas
This County Progress Report covers Yorkshire Day, new boundary research and HCI’s responses to local-government reorganisation, following a month in which RealCounties…
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Yorkshire Day: celebrating one county, three Ridings, shared identity
Yorkshire Day on 1 August celebrates one historic county and its three Ridings, distinct from later council and lieutenancy areas using Yorkshire…
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Walking the County Line: How OS Recorded Britain’s Ancient Boundaries
The nineteenth-century Ordnance Survey recorded reputed county boundaries through field survey, local evidence and the knowledge of meresmen; it did not create…
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14 New Local Government Structures Unveiled – Our Initial Reaction
This article recorded HCI’s initial reaction to the Government’s July 2026 local-government decisions. Those plans were subsequently paused for review in September…
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The counties were never abolished. So why does everyone think they were?
The local-government reforms of the 1970s did not abolish or redraw the geographic counties. This article explains why the opposite belief became…
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Over the past few weeks something remarkable has been happening.
HCI/RealCounties reported a surge in public reach while expanding county research, mapping and reference material.
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Shetland Day Celebrates One of Britain’s Most Distinctive Historic Counties
Shetland Day on 21 June celebrates the county’s distinctive culture, history, Norse heritage and enduring identity.
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County Border Signs Return to the River Tees
New road signs have been unveiled at the historic boundary between County Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire on the River…
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Sussex Day: celebrating one historic county, from Chichester to Rye
Sussex Day on 16 June celebrates the enduring county of Sussex, distinct from the council and lieutenancy areas that now use East…
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