Middlesex
| Middlesex | |
|---|---|
 | |
.png) | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Borders | Buckinghamshire Essex Hertfordshire Kent Surrey |
| Population | 3,993,730 |
| Area (sq mi) | 285 sq mi |
Middlesex is one of the Home Counties in south-eastern England. Geographically, it is one of the smallest counties of Great Britain, with an area of 285 square miles. However, with it being almost entirely covered by the central and north-western London built-up area, it is also the third most populous after Yorkshire and Lancashire, with a population of around 4 million. Some relics of rural life can be found in the far north of the county in the Colne Valley around Potters Bar.
In recent centuries, the county's role in administrative affairs has declined, though the county itself was never abolished. Between 1889 and 1965, a large area of the county was under London County Council (though some suburban areas of London were under Middlesex County Council). Between April 1965 and March 1986, most of the county was under Greater London Council, with the Potters Bar area being under Hertfordshire County Council. Following the abolition of that council (though Greater London remains as a devolved authority, statistical region and for the purposes of lieutenancy), the county of Middlesex is mostly administered by 18 of the 32 London Borough councils and the City of London Corporation, with Potters Bar remaining in the domain of Hertfordshire County Council.
Despite no longer owing its name to any administrative bodies, the county is used by sports and cultural organisations, and by the Post Office (although the PO definition of Middlesex varies greatly from the traditional boundaries). Middlesex County Cricket Club, which has its headquarters at the historic Lords ground, is probably the most widely-occurring usage.
The traditional county is bounded by the River Thames to its south, and by tributaries of the Thames - the Rivers Colne and Lea - to its west and east respectively. The northern boundary was a somewhat meandering 'dry land' line on the edge of the Hertfordshire hills. The southern part of the county is low-lying flat land; the north is more undulating. Almost all of it is covered by Victorian or twentieth century suburbia, and the subject of appreciative poetry by Sir John Betjeman.
Hundreds
Middlesex is divided into six hundreds: Edmonton, Elthorne, Gore, Isleworth (which was known as Hounslow in the Domesday Book) Ossulstone and Spelthorne.
