Browse the historic counties

Bedfordshire

County of Bedford

A shire at England’s heart, with deep Anglo-Saxon roots.

Berkshire

Royal Berkshire

A royal county of hills, kings, and ancient roots.

Buckinghamshire

County of Buckingham

A frontier shire, born in the struggle with the Danes.

Cambridgeshire

County of Cambridge

County of scholars & Saxons, with learning at its heart.

Cheshire

County of Chester

Over a thousand years of history in its name.

Cornwall

Kernow

A Celtic land with a spirit all its own.

Cumberland

A border county of mountains and warriors.

Derbyshire

County of Derby

A county forged where Saxon and Dane once met.

Devon

Devonshire

A Celtic shoreland turned shire of England.

Dorset

Dorsetshire

A county of chalk downs, ancient hillforts, coast.

Durham

Church, castle and borderland wrapped together.

Essex

From Saxon kingdoms: fields, forests, Roman towns.

Gloucestershire

County of Gloucester

County of abbeys, Cotswolds and old market towns.

Hampshire

County of Southampton

Chalk downs, great harbours and the Solent.

Herefordshire

County of Hereford

A Marcher county where Welsh hills meet English fields.

Hertfordshire

County of Hertford

On the edge of metropolis: market town and manor country.

Huntingdonshire

County of Huntingdon

A compact county of rivers, fen and market towns. ‍

Kent

Gateway shire: Kingdom, ports, cathedral.

Lancashire

County of Lancaster

Born Middle Ages: industrial seeds, ducal pride.

Leicestershire

County of Leicester

Midland county: Roman roads meet medieval markets.

Lincolnshire

County of Lincoln

Vast eastern county: fens, fields & cathedral spires.

Middlesex

Rivers and heart of England’s early Saxon settlement.

Norfolk

County of flatlands, ports, proud East Anglian roots.

Northamptonshire

County of Northampton

A Midland county at the heart of England’s crossroads.

Northumberland

A borderland of kings, saints and warriors.

Nottinghamshire

County of Nottingham

A county of forest, folklore and medieval towns.

Oxfordshire

County of Oxford

A shire of scholars, rivers and rolling countryside.

Rutland

A little county with a long, proud independence.

Shropshire

County of Salop

A border county of hills, castles and strongholds.

Somerset

Somersetshire

A county of levels, legends and abbeys.

Staffordshire

County of Stafford

Mercian shire: castles, coalfields and industry.

Suffolk

A county of saints, ports and fertile fields.

Surrey

A small shire with royal and Saxon roots.

Sussex

A county of downs, coast and Saxon kings.

Warwickshire

County of Warwick

Midland shire: castles, cloth & Shakespeare’s fields.

Westmorland

A northern county of fells, lakes and valleys.

Wiltshire

County of Wilton

England’s oldest stones meet Saxon shires.

Worcestershire

County of Worcester

A Severn valley shire of spires, hops and hills.

Yorkshire

County of York

A county of ridings, abbeys and Norse echoes.

Aberdeenshire

Siorrachd Obar Dheathain

A county of granite, castles and Highland gates.

Angus

Aonghas

A county of glens, kirks and Pictish stones.

Argyllshire

Earra-Ghàidheal

A county of lochs, isles and Scotland’s earliest kings.

Ayrshire

Siorrachd Inbhir Àir

A county of coast, castles and Robert the Bruce.

Banffshire

Siorrachd Bhanbh

A county of fishing towns and Highland glens.

Berwickshire

Siorrachd Bhearaig

A Borders county of markets, marches and conflict.

Buteshire

Siorrachd Bhùth

A small island county with royal and maritime ties.

Caithness

Gallaibh

A northern county of Norse earls and rugged shores.

Clackmannanshire

Siorrachd Chlach Mhanainn

A tiny county with a mighty history.

Cromartyshire

Siorrachd Chròmbaidh

Highland county of firths, fishing villages, castles.

Dumfriesshire

Siorrachd Dhùn Phris

A Borders county of rivers, marches and castles.

Dunbartonshire

Siorrachd Dhùn Breatainn

A western county of rock, river and royal power.

East Lothian

Siorrachd an Ear Leothain

A fertile coastal county with deep medieval roots.

Fife

Fìobha

A kingdom turned county — cradle of kings.

Inverness-shire

Siorrachd Inbhir Nis

Scotland’s largest county – from mountain to sea.

Kincardineshire

Siorrachd Chinn Chàrdainn

A coastal shire of fishing villages and castles.

Kinross-shire

Siorrachd Chinn Rois

A little lochside shire with royal echoes.

Kirkcudbrightshire

Siorrachd Chill Chuithbeirt

A Galloway county of saints, coasts and coves.

Lanarkshire

Siorrachd Lanraig

Lowland county: industrial heart & ancient kingdom.

Midlothian

Meadhan Labhdaidh

Capital county – seat of kings, parliaments and castles.

Morayshire

Moireibh

Northern county of cathedrals, coasts and clans.

Nairnshire

Siorrachd Inbhir Narann

A small Highland shire of fishing and farming folk.

Orkney

Arcaibh

A Norse-Scottish county of isles and seafaring.

Peeblesshire

Siorrachd nam Pùballan

A Borders shire of valleys, wool and rivers.

Perthshire

Siorrachd Pheairt

Great Highland-Lowland county of kings & rivers.

Renfrewshire

Siorrachd Rinn Friù

A royal shire – cradle of Scotland’s kings.

Ross-shire

Siorrachd Rois

Highland county of mountains, firths and clans.

Roxburghshire

Siorrachd Rosbruig

A Borders county of abbeys, battles and marches.

Selkirkshire

Siorrachd Shailcirc

A small Borders county of forests and legends.

Shetland

Sealtainn

Island county of Norse sagas and northern seas.

Stirlingshire

Siorrachd Shruighlea

A central county of battles, castles and crossroads.

Sutherland

Cataibh

A Highland county of wild coasts and Norse roots.

West Lothian

Labhdaidh an Iar

A royal county of palaces, lochs and legends.

Wigtownshire

Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Ùige

A coastal county of Galloway’s rugged shores.

Anglesey

Sir Fôn

An island county of druids, castles and sea.

Brecknockshire

Sir Frycheiniog

A county of mountains, lakes and medieval roots.

Caernarfonshire

Sir Gaernarfon

A county of castles, mountains and princes.

Cardiganshire

Ceredigion / Sir Aberteifi

A coastal county of scholars, saints and sea.

Carmarthenshire

Sir Gaerfyrddin

A county of castles, saints and rivers.

Denbighshire

Sir Ddinbych

A borderland county of hills and history.

Flintshire

Sir y Fflint

A border county of castles, coast and industry.

Glamorgan

Morgannwg

A county of coal, castles and coasts.

Merionethshire

Meirionnydd

A mountainous county of slate, sheep and song.

Monmouthshire

Sir Fynwy

A border county of castles, abbeys and rivers.

Montgomeryshire

Sir Drefaldwyn

A mid-Wales county of hills, markets and castles.

Pembrokeshire

Sir Benfro

A coastal county of castles, saints and seafarers.

Radnorshire

Sir Faesyfed

A border county of hills, forests and marches.

Antrim

Aontroim

A county of glens, giants and sea crossings.

Armagh

Ard Mhacha

A county of saints, scholars and ancient seats.

Carlow

A border county of river valleys and old strongholds.

Cavan

A county of drumlins, lakes and old frontier lordships.

Clare

A western county of limestone, music and Atlantic edges.

Cork

A great southern county of harbours, valleys and far peninsulas.

Derry / Londonderry

Doire

A county of walls, rivers and plantations.

Donegal

A north-western county of headlands, mountains and Gaelic tradition.

Down

An Dún

A county of saints, castles and coasts.

Dublin

A county of bay, river and the capital's long history.

Fermanagh

Fhear Manach

A lakeland county of clans and strongholds.

Galway

A western county of lakes, stone and Atlantic horizons.

Kerry

A county of peaks, peninsulas and long Atlantic weather.

Kildare

A county of plains, studs and early saints.

Kilkenny

A county of stone towns, river valleys and old lordships.

Laois

A midland county of upland edges and central routes.

Leitrim

Liatroim

A quiet county of waterways, hills and woodland margins.

Limerick

Luimneach

A county of estuary waters, rich pasture and walled history.

Longford

An Longfort

A midland county of bog, river and old Gaelic territories.

Louth

A small county of coasts, passes and early monasteries.

Mayo

A western county of bays, mountains and pilgrim roads.

Meath

A royal county of passage graves, plains and great river valleys.

Monaghan

Muineachán

A county of drumlins, border roads and old Gaelic lordship.

Offaly

Uíbh Fhailí

A central county of bogland, river margins and old kingdoms.

Roscommon

Ros Comáin

A western inland county of plains, rivers and ancient centres.

Sligo

Contae Sligeach

A county of table mountains, bays and old stories.

Tipperary

A great inland county of pasture, mountains and royal rock.

Tyrone

Chontae Thír Eoghain

A northern county of clans, battles and bogs.

Waterford

A south-coast county of estuary, mountain and seaborne history.

Westmeath

Contae An Iarmhí

A midland county of lakes, plains and royal inheritance.

Wexford

Contae Loch Garman

A maritime county of harbours, headlands and fertile fields.

Wicklow

Contae Cill Mhantáin

A mountain county of glens, coast and late shiring.