"Hampshire," Arthur continued, breath a little short. "Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire—ah! A trap! It was abolished in 1974, absorbed into Cambridgeshire. If we are counting ceremonial counties, Huntingdonshire is gone. So, we strike it."
Modern local government (since 1974, revised 1996) includes: how many counties in the uk end in shire
Inside, two men sat hunched over a table that was usually reserved for dart matches. Arthur, a retired geography teacher with a tweed jacket that seemed older than the hills themselves, was cleaning his spectacles. Opposite him sat Ben, a young, sharp-witted trivia buff who had just bet Arthur the price of a steak and ale pie that he could stump the old man. "Hampshire," Arthur continued, breath a little short
Northern Ireland has 6 historic counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone. end in “shire.” Total = 0 . It was abolished in 1974, absorbed into Cambridgeshire
"To understand the number," Arthur began, his voice dropping into his lecture tone, "you must first understand the word. 'Shire' comes from the Old English scir , meaning a district or a division. It is an administrative scar on the landscape, drawn by kings who needed to collect taxes and administer justice. But not all counties carry the name."
Arthur picked up his knife and fork. "It depends entirely on who is drawing the map, Ben. But for the sake of the pie... I will concede the debate. You win. The number is fluid."
Arthur flipped the pages. He scanned the West Country. "Devon... Cornwall... Dorset... Somerset... Wiltshire... Gloucestershire..."