Changes

'''British counties''', sometimes referred to as '''shires''', are areas of the United Kingdom that were established for administration primarily in England by the [[Normans]], with many counties being continuations of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] administrative units ''shires'', and in Scotland mainly under David I (reigned 1124-1153). With the earliest shires formed in the 5th century, the most recent county to be established was Lancashire in the 12th century.

'''British counties''', sometimes referred to as '''shires''', are areas of the United Kingdom that were established for administration primarily in England by the [[Normans]], with many counties being continuations of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] administrative units ''shires'', and in Scotland mainly under David I (reigned 1124-1153). With the earliest shires formed in the 5th century, the most recent county to be established was Lancashire in the 12th century.

Contrary to popular opinion, the British counties were neither abolished nor did they have their boundaries changed by acts of parliament such as the Local Government Act 1888 or the like-named act of 1974, as an official statement by Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]'s government confirmed in 1974: "the new county boundaries are administrative areas, and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change despite the different names adopted by the new administrative counties".<ref>[https://realcounties.wordpress.com/official-statements/ Official Statements - Campaign for Historic Counties]</ref>

The role of counties in local government saw a decline in the 19th and 20th century, but contrary to popular opinion, the British counties were neither abolished nor did they have their boundaries changed by acts of parliament such as the Local Government Act 1888 or the like-named act of 1974, as an official statement by Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]'s government confirmed in 1974: "the new county boundaries are administrative areas, and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change despite the different names adopted by the new administrative counties".<ref>[https://realcounties.wordpress.com/official-statements/ Official Statements - Campaign for Historic Counties]</ref>

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== References==