61:, but that term did not exist at that time and has been applied retrospectively. The first 'new' county to be established in addition to the existing historical counties was Bristol created as a county by King Edward III in 1373. The charter by which this was effected states "the town of Bristol with its suburbs and precincts shall henceforth be separate from the counties of Gloucester and Somerset and be in all things exempt both by land by sea, and that it should be a county by itself, to be called the county of Bristol in perpetuity." There is no mention of the term 'County Corporate' or any other wording to indicate that the new county was to be in any way different from any other county. It is unclear when the term 'County Corporate' was first used and by whom, and no texts have been discovered that give this information. Though widely used in the modern era,'County Corporate' is certainly not an officially established term.
196:'s full title was "Lieutenant of and in the County of Gloucester, and the City and County of Gloucester, and the City and County of Bristol". Bristol, however, retained its full autonomy as a city and county. The boundaries commission of 1887 had reaffirmed that Bristol should be "neither in the county of Gloucester nor of Somerset for any purpose whatsoever". The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995 that abolished the county of Avon reinstated Bristol’s county status: “6 (1) New counties of North West Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and the City of Bristol shall be constituted.” Bristol is never referred to officially as a county corporate.
91:. This did not apply to Bristol however, which has remained geographically and legally separate from the neighbouring counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset of which it was a part before 1373. From the 17th century, the separate jurisdictions of the counties corporate, again excepting Bristol, were increasingly merged with that of the surrounding county, so that by the late 19th century for most of such towns and cities the title was mostly a ceremonial one.
582:(1604–13). The 1604 charter incorporated the city and liberties as the "city and county of Derry". The 1836 report of the commissioners on municipal corporations in Ireland said "the charter does not appear ... to have been further acted upon"; however, in 1609, the commissioners who planned for the
115:
and other officials, and were sometimes given governing rights over a swathe of surrounding countryside. They were referred to in the form "Town and County of ..." or "City and County of ...", though not at the time known as the counties corporate. Other so-called counties corporate were created to
237:
referred to "any county" it was doubtful that this included counties corporate, the latter intent being expressed as "any county, county of a city, or county of a town". Acts of 1542 and 1765 were extended to counties corporate in 1807. Each county corporate contained rural "liberties" outside the
179:
The Local
Government Act of 1974 does not mention Counties Corporate. What it did, however, was to replace County Boroughs with a new system. County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council
175:
in which they were situated. The City of London retained (and as of 2024 still retains) its previous status, including most responsibilities associated with a borough and some normally associated with a county, for example having its own police force and its own education authority. Other counties
54:, but despite being widely used in texts concerning the nature of counties in the United Kingdom, there is no evidence that the terms 'county corporate' and 'corporate county' were ever officially created or enshrined in any act of Parliament or otherwide legally established.
216:
of the county-at-large, in which case the latter's courthouse and gaol would be considered exclaves of the county-at-large. An act of 1788 allowed the same courthouse or gaol to be shared by county corporate and county-at-large.
180:
control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. For some the only vestiges of their existence at the time of the 1972 act were the right of the city or borough corporation to appoint a ceremonial
274:
derived any advantage from their status, and recommended they be absorbed as baronies of the adjoining county-at-large. The counties corporate were explicitly abolished in 1899 under the terms of the
1214:
270:, whose south liberties were absorbed by pre-existing baronies. The 1842 report of the Select Committee on Grand Jury Presentments of Ireland found none of the counties corporate except
942:
324:
914:
888:
862:
836:
764:
1219:
1079:
The history, topography and antiquities, of the county and city of
Limerick: with a preliminary view of the history and antiquities of Ireland
1209:
526:, Norman control was confined to the environs of the town. The town's 1569 charter formally linked its corporation to the eponymous county.
767:(3 & 4 Vict. c.108); Counties and Boroughs (Ireland) Act 1840 (3 & 4 Vict. c.109); Dublin Baronies Act 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c.82)
68:
such as towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. They were more usually known as a
275:
193:
607:
355:
212:
and county gaol, separate from those of the adjoining "county-at-large", even though the relevant city or town might be the
603:
658:
1204:
328:
155:
in
England and Wales, with administrative functions similar to counties corporate. Some smaller counties corporate (
139:
the lieutenancies of the cities and towns were combined with those of adjacent counties, with two exceptions: the
320:
148:
77:
682:
https://en.wikipedia.org/County_borough#:~:text=County%20borough%20is%20a%20term,was%20a%20county%20of%20city
242:
boundary; in six cases these were transferred to the adjacent county-at-large in 1840–2; the exceptions were
646:
291:
1189:
393:
239:
172:
99:
By the 14th century, the growth of some towns had led to strong opposition to their government by local
87:, most of the counties corporate remained part of the "county at large" for purposes such as the county
518:(1569) Carrickfergus gave its name to a "bailiwick" (by 1216) or "county" (by 1276) within the Norman
136:
797:
583:
953:
882:
830:
406:
1168:
1160:
856:
748:
728:
627:
614:
441:
375:
316:
156:
117:
1015:
1117:
1040:
262:
are coterminous with the territories transferred from the respective cities in 1840, while the
1093:
1074:
1055:
930:
752:
744:
732:
717:
523:
519:
234:
209:
998:
778:
1152:
599:
591:
259:
251:
73:
39:
477:
295:
263:
189:
112:
84:
1062:. Reports from Commissioners. Vol. 8: Municipal Corporations (Ireland). p. 535.
937:. Reports from Commissioners. Vol. 8: Municipal Corporations (Ireland). p. 743.
135:
In the late 19th century the status of the so-called counties corporate changed. By the
595:
399:
255:
226:
185:
152:
140:
1116:
Commissioners appointed to inquire into the municipal corporations in
Ireland (1836).
1198:
1172:
1125:
1034:
903:
877:
851:
825:
784:
693:"The Boundary Commission". Bristol Mercury and Daily Post. 27 March 1888. p. 8 – via
515:
501:
247:
222:
144:
129:
88:
908:
706:
382:(1440, restricted to County of the Town of Kingston upon Hull 1835, city since 1897)
1020:
Appendix to the Report of the
Commissioners: Report on the City of Dublin; Part I
233:, were outside the assize system but similarly separate jurisdictions.) Where an
777:
House of
Commons Select Committee on Grand Jury Presentments of Ireland (1842).
530:
434:
279:
213:
83:
While they were administratively distinct counties, with their own sheriffs and
58:
17:
975:
694:
1022:. House of Lords Sessional Papers. Vol. 9, Pt 1. London: HMSO. p. 5.
494:
420:
369:
342:
205:
168:
918:. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 927–929.
892:. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 821–822.
866:. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 819–820.
840:. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 472–474.
463:
The City of
Bristol regained its separate shrievalty and lieutenancy in 1996.
572:
386:
379:
283:
230:
160:
204:
In
Ireland, eight counties corporate were extant by 1610. Each had its own
116:
deal with specific local problems, such as border conflict (in the case of
929:
Commissioners On
Municipal Corporations In Ireland, Great Britain (1835).
881:
829:
1156:
565:
558:
537:
287:
271:
267:
1164:
855:
306:
The counties corporate (listed with date of creation where known) were:
107:, some were awarded complete effective independence including their own
647:
https://archive.org/details/bristol-record-society-01/page/118/mode/2up
587:
473:
413:
349:
335:
181:
108:
104:
51:
43:
551:
544:
362:
250:, where the municipal corporation was abolished instead. The extant
243:
218:
121:
100:
65:
579:
427:
164:
125:
47:
1098:
The ancient and present state of the county and city of
Waterford
1000:
History of Drogheda: from the earliest period to the present time
57:
Some texts claim that Counties corporate were created during the
1060:
Appendix I (South-Eastern and part of the North-Eastern Circuit)
935:
Appendix I (South-Eastern and part of the North-Eastern Circuit)
681:
448:
1147:
Harris, F. W. (1980). "The Commission of 1609: Legal Aspects".
192:
still included the names of the town or city. For example, the
286:
became county boroughs. Carrickfergus, Drogheda, Galway and
103:. While charters giving various rights were awarded to each
38:
is said to have been a type of subnational division used for
1151:(20). St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra: 31–55: 35, 47, 55.
1122:
Appendix: Part III: Conclusion of the North-Western Circuit
907:
64:
However, the term is widely used for small self-governing
617:", sometimes called "the City and County of Londonderry".
290:
became parts of administrative counties. The baronies of
147:, which had a separate lieutenancy until 1974. Then the
1036:
The history of the town and county of the town of Galway
1014:
Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Commissioners (1835).
1081:. Vol. II. Limerick: George McKern. p. 221.
1054:
House Of Commons, Great Britain. Parliament (1835).
787:. Vol. 42 Sub-vol.1 No.386. HMSO. p. xliv.
298:
are coterminous with the former corporate counties.
266:barony is part of the former county of the city of
1215:Defunct types of subdivision in the United Kingdom
695:https://en.wikipedia.org/British_Newspaper_Archive
1073:Fitzgerald, Patrick; John James McGregor (1827).
707:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/493/made
613:and merged it and County Coleraine into the new "
606:called it "this little county". The 1613 charter
813:Guide to Local Administrative Units of England
27:Towns formally independent from their counties
8:
1128:. Vol. XXIV. HMSO. p. 1117, §§9,10
1111:
1109:
1107:
143:, which retained its separate status, and
799:A Handbook of Local Government in Ireland
765:Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840
780:Report, minutes of evidence and appendix
472:The City of London retains its separate
1190:Vision of Britain on counties corporate
639:
456:
171:and Haverfordwest) became part of the
749:County Infirmaries (Ireland) Act 1807
663:. Law Journal Reports. 6 October 1882
7:
1100:(2nd ed.). Dublin. p. 134.
72:or "city and county", similar to an
276:Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
815:, 2 volumes, London, 1979 and 1991
315:County of the Borough and Town of
194:Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire
176:corporate became county boroughs.
25:
1056:"Kilkenny, County of the City of"
950:Irish Historic Towns Atlas Online
1075:"Political and Military History"
1220:Counties of the United Kingdom
729:Courthouses and Gaols Act 1788
356:County of the City of Coventry
325:the Parliamentary constituency
1:
1016:"II: Charters; 21: Edward VI"
1210:Former subdivisions of Wales
352:(1238/1239, city since 1541)
1094:"Natural and Civil History"
831:"Newcastle-upon-Tyne"
329:county borough constituency
1236:
594:", separate from those of
302:List of counties corporate
151:created the new status of
522:; after the 14th-century
321:Berwick-on-Tweed Act 1836
149:Local Government Act 1888
66:county-empowered entities
1033:Hardiman, James (1820).
997:Johnston, L. C. (1826).
184:; and the fact that the
78:consolidated city-county
1092:Smith, Charles (1774).
1003:. Drogheda. p. 37.
931:"Town of Carrickfergus"
915:Encyclopædia Britannica
889:Encyclopædia Britannica
863:Encyclopædia Britannica
837:Encyclopædia Britannica
753:47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2 c. 50
745:47 Geo. 3 Sess. 1 c. 43
437:(1447, city since 1964)
423:(1448, city since 1897)
409:(1400, city since 1882)
372:(1483, city since 1541)
338:(1373, city since 1542)
282:, Dublin, Limerick and
718:3 Geo.3 c.34 (Ir) s.88
571:County of the City of
564:County of the City of
557:County of the City of
550:County of the Town of
543:County of the City of
536:County of the Town of
529:County of the City of
514:County of the Town of
500:County of the Town of
493:County of the Town of
447:County of the City of
440:County of the City of
433:County of the Town of
426:County of the Town of
419:County of the Town of
412:County of the City of
405:County of the Town of
392:County of the City of
385:County of the City of
368:County of the Town of
361:County of the City of
358:(1451, abolished 1842)
348:County of the Town of
341:County of the City of
334:County of the Town of
173:administrative county
1157:10.3828/sh.1980.20.2
592:ruined city of Derry
584:Plantation of Ulster
80:in other countries.
1205:Counties of Ireland
978:. Cork City Council
954:Royal Irish Academy
733:28 Geo.3 c.38 (Ir.)
578:City and county of
407:Newcastle upon Tyne
1039:. Dublin. p.
956:. pp. 2, 3, 9
941:Robinson, Philip.
628:Free imperial city
615:County Londonderry
376:Kingston upon Hull
317:Berwick upon Tweed
157:Berwick upon Tweed
118:Berwick-upon-Tweed
85:lord lieutenancies
883:"Worcester"
608:renamed the city
602:to the east, and
524:Gaelic Resurgence
520:Earldom of Ulster
235:act of Parliament
124:(in the cases of
16:(Redirected from
1227:
1177:
1176:
1149:Studia Hibernica
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660:Militia Act 1882
655:
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600:County Coleraine
598:to the west and
481:
470:
464:
461:
190:lord lieutenants
137:Militia Act 1882
113:quarter sessions
74:independent city
70:county of itself
40:local government
36:corporate county
32:county corporate
21:
18:Corporate county
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957:
945:
943:"Carrickfergus"
940:
928:
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923:
902:
901:
897:
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871:
857:"Norwich"
850:
849:
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327:was not made a
312:
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264:North Liberties
238:city or town's
202:
97:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1207:
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1184:External links
1182:
1179:
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1139:
1126:Command papers
1103:
1084:
1065:
1046:
1025:
1006:
989:
967:
921:
906:, ed. (1911).
904:Chisholm, Hugh
895:
880:, ed. (1911).
878:Chisholm, Hugh
869:
854:, ed. (1911).
852:Chisholm, Hugh
843:
828:, ed. (1911).
826:Chisholm, Hugh
817:
811:F. A. Youngs,
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785:Command papers
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686:
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596:County Donegal
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323:, except that
311:
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227:City of London
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186:letters patent
153:county borough
141:City of London
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1123:
1119:
1118:"Londonderry"
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516:Carrickfergus
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502:Haverfordwest
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89:assize courts
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49:
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19:
1148:
1142:
1130:. Retrieved
1121:
1097:
1087:
1078:
1068:
1059:
1049:
1035:
1028:
1019:
1009:
999:
992:
980:. Retrieved
970:
958:. Retrieved
949:
934:
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913:
909:"York"
898:
887:
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861:
846:
835:
820:
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807:
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724:
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689:
677:
665:. Retrieved
659:
653:
642:
609:
468:
459:
378:, County of
319:(s.6 of the
305:
203:
178:
134:
98:
82:
69:
63:
56:
35:
31:
29:
982:15 December
960:17 February
801:(1899) p.51
610:Londonderry
604:John Davies
478:lieutenancy
435:Southampton
225:, like the
219:Dublin city
214:county town
188:appointing
59:Middle Ages
1199:Categories
976:"Charters"
634:References
495:Carmarthen
474:shrievalty
421:Nottingham
370:Gloucester
343:Canterbury
206:grand jury
169:Carmarthen
1173:241980327
667:31 August
573:Waterford
442:Worcester
387:Lichfield
380:Hullshire
284:Waterford
240:municipal
231:Middlesex
161:Lichfield
1165:20496159
622:See also
590:in the "
566:Limerick
559:Kilkenny
538:Drogheda
288:Kilkenny
272:Drogheda
268:Limerick
252:baronies
109:sheriffs
101:counties
588:assizes
509:Ireland
414:Norwich
394:Lincoln
350:Chester
336:Bristol
310:England
210:assizes
200:Ireland
182:sheriff
105:borough
95:History
52:Ireland
44:England
1171:
1163:
1132:1 June
575:(1574)
568:(1609)
561:(1610)
554:(1610)
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545:Dublin
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488:Wales
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1134:2013
984:2010
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747:and
669:2023
531:Cork
476:and
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294:and
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