How Many Shires In England Direct

If we strictly count modern counties that end in the word "-shire," there are . These range from the northern peaks of Derbyshire to the southern reaches of Hampshire. Interestingly, some historic "shires" like Devon and Dorset dropped the suffix in common usage centuries ago, though you’ll still hear "Devonshire" used in traditional contexts like a "Devonshire cream tea". 2. The Historic 39: The Ancient Roots

Here is the list of the current counties with the suffix: how many shires in england

Thus, historically: were shires in function, though not all in name. If we strictly count modern counties that end

In modern English local government (post-1974, revised 1997, 2009, 2019, 2023), there is a specific category called . These are often colloquially called “shire counties” to distinguish them from metropolitan counties (e.g., Greater Manchester, Merseyside) and unitary authorities. These are often colloquially called “shire counties” to