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Is Banbury in Oxfordshire or Northamptonshire?
Banbury is primarily an Oxfordshire town, but a significant part extends into Northamptonshire, notably Grimsbury, highlighting the distinction between geographic and administrative…
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The Census, re-mapped: our Geographic County Census Explorer is now live
The Geographic County Census Explorer provides access to historical and modern Census data, enabling users to explore and compare statistics across 92…
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Did Alfred the Great create England’s counties?
Alfred the Great did not create England’s counties; rather, he inherited a developed shire system, which evolved over centuries and continued under…
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Is Bristol in Gloucestershire or Somerset?
Bristol straddles the boundary of Gloucestershire and Somerset, with its historic status as a county corporate independent from these geographic counties, not…
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Did Michael Heseltine “rip up” England’s historic counties in 1974? What The Telegraph got wrong
The Telegraph’s article on the 1974 local government reforms mistakenly suggested England’s historic counties were abolished, confusing administrative changes with geographic boundaries,…
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Is Warrington in Lancashire or Cheshire?
Warrington is a town straddling Lancashire and Cheshire, with its historic centre in Lancashire but significant urban areas extending into Cheshire.
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Duchy of Lancaster corrects County Palatine boundary wording after HCI raises issue
The Duchy of Lancaster updated its website to clarify that the County Palatine’s historic boundary remains unchanged and separate from later local-government…
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The RealCounties interactive map has grown into something much bigger
The RealCounties interactive map has evolved into a comprehensive geographical tool, enabling high-resolution exploration of counties, comparison of boundaries, access to census…
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Geography
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Which county a place lies in, county boundaries, detached parts and boundary interpretation.
Foundations
Explainers & County Geography
County geography, terminology, legal distinctions and the history behind common county questions.
Public policy
Government & Policy
Local-government reform, council naming, lieutenancy reform, consultations and HCI policy interventions.
Evidence
Research, Evidence & Mapping
Census work, official sources, Ordnance Survey evidence, statistics and RealCounties mapping developments.
Identity
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County days, flags, boundary signs, heritage, celebrations, sport and cultural identity.
Institute
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Announcements, campaigns, corrections secured, Parliamentary engagement and organisational progress.
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