The word "shire" comes from the Old English scír , meaning a district or division under the care of an official. These divisions were established by Anglo-Saxon kings, primarily for tax collection and legal administration.

Cornwall has a distinct Celtic identity. While "Cornwall" essentially means "The Welsh (Foreigners) of the Horn," it was administered differently in the medieval period, being an Earldom and later a Duchy. "Cornwallshire" appears on some very old maps, but it never stuck.

The term "Shire County" is one of the most enduring and evocative in English geography. It conjures images of rolling green hills, thatched cottages, and ancient market towns. While the political map of England has changed many times, the concept of the "Shire" remains the backbone of the country's identity.

Many English counties now feature the suffix –shire, which derives from the old English scir. A shire refers to a division of land... The British Library 16+ Supported Accommodation for Young People - Market Position ... The county and people of Nottinghamshire The County Council area (excluding the city of Nottingham) consists of 805 square miles c... Nottinghamshire County Council Place-based growth - Grant Thornton UK With a geographic coverage that covers much of England, county authorities are well placed to meet this need. They are places wher... Grant Thornton UK Show all Bedfordshire Berkshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Derbyshire Gloucestershire Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Huntingdonshire Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Wiltshire Worcestershire Yorkshire Modern Context and Usage In modern local government, "shire counties" often refers to