To understand why the number is so confusing, one must look to the Local Government Act 1972. Before this act, England was divided into ancient counties (like Yorkshire, which was the largest). The Act came into force on April 1, 1974, redrawing the map entirely.
If defining a shire strictly by the name suffix, there are such counties today, including Bedfordshire . These typically stem from a historic county town. 2. Historic "Ancient" Counties (39 Counties) how many shire counties are there in england
There were 34 historic shire counties (excluding the ancient, non-shire counties). To understand why the number is so confusing,
were the original divisions of England, many of which (but not all) are traditionally referred to as "shires". Understanding the Three Types of "Shire" If defining a shire strictly by the name
To simplify:
This structure is distinct from "metropolitan counties" (like Greater Manchester or Merseyside) which, while retaining their geographic status, no longer have functioning county councils, and distinct from "unitary authorities" where a single council handles all local services.
England’s shire counties are a palimpsest – layers of Roman, Saxon, Norman, and modern government written over one another. The number changes depending on the century you’re standing in. Today, 29 is the magic number – but don’t be surprised if it changes again after the next local government review.