Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a county in Northern England, and is the largest county, divided into three 'Ridings' (OE thridings, 'thirds').

The county has varied geography from the hills and mountains of the Pennines, the bleak moors of the North York Moors, to the flatlands of the Vale of York and the fen country of the Humberhead Levels. The county town is the ancient city of York. Among Yorkshire's other cathedral cities are Bradford, Ripon (one of England's smallest cities) and Wakefield. Its largest city is Leeds, with other notable settlements being Doncaster, Huddersfield, Hull, Middlesbrough, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Yorkshire borders County Durham to the north, the North Sea to the east, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire to the south east, Derbyshire and Cheshire to the south west, as well as Lancashire and Westmorland across the Pennines to the west.

Historically, the symbol of Yorkshire was the white rose.

Administration

Yorkshire, as of 2024, is administered by numerous council areas, like most English counties. The most extensive is North Yorkshire Council (England's largest council area), with the second being East Riding of Yorkshire County Council, although neither are co-extensive with the North or East Ridings of Yorkshire. The extreme north of the county is covered by Durham County Council, whilst the far north west around Sedbergh is under Westmorland and Furness Council. The Forest of Bowland forms part of the Lancashire County Council area. Other council areas that cover (either partially or wholly) areas of Yorkshire are Bradford Council, Calderdale MBC, City of Doncaster Council, Hull City Council, Kirklees Council, Leeds City Council, Middlesbrough Council, Oldham MBC, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Sheffield City Council, Stockton-on-Tess Borough Council, City of York Council and Wakefield Council.

Sport

The principle sports in Yorkshire are soccer (football) and rugby league, with the traditional game of Yorkshire being cricket, though in recent years the county side has lagged. Similarly, Yorkshire football teams no longer occupy their former prominent positions in the football leagues.

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Yorkshire people are supposed to be dour and of few words, careful with money but loyal friends once their reserve has been penetrated. A traditional rhyme runs:

Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred

Strong in't arm and thick in't head

Yorkshire is associated with the Yorkshire Pudding, and with the Yorkshire Ripper, the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (b. 2 June 1946) of Bradford who murdered thirteen women in northern England between 1975 and 1980.