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Cheshire

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Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England.

It sits near the border of Wales. To the north-west, it meets Merseyside. To the north-east, it borders Greater Manchester. To the east is Derbyshire and to the south-east is Staffordshire. Shropshire sits to the south. The county also has a short coastline on the Dee Estuary.

Cheshire numbered districts 2009
Cheshire numbered districts 2009

Many people live in the north near the River Mersey. This area includes towns like Warrington, Runcorn, Widnes, and Ellesmere Port.

The land in Cheshire has many different shapes. Much of the county is the Cheshire Plain. This is a wide area of flat land. A ridge called the Mid-Cheshire Ridge divides this plain. To the east, the land rises into the Pennines. This area includes part of the Peak District.

Crewe (33916958155)
Crewe (33916958155)

The River Mersey flows through the north of the county. The River Dee forms part of the border with Wales. It flows through the city of Chester. You can see red sandstone in many old buildings here. This red rock is the bedrock of much of the county.

Cheshire has a very old history. The name comes from an early name for Chester. In the year 980, it was recorded as Legeceasterscir. This meant "the shire of the city of legions."

Cheshire domesday hundreds
Cheshire domesday hundreds

Some people think Edward the Elder created the county around the year 920. The Domesday Book from 1086 called it Cestrescir. Over many centuries, the name changed into Cheshire. The county used to be much larger than it is today. It once included parts of what are now North Wales and Lancashire.

In the past, Cheshire was a very important place. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, it held a special position.

Doomsday Book - Counties of England - 1086
Doomsday Book - Counties of England - 1086

It was a county palatine. This meant the Earl of Chester had special powers to rule. The Earl could rule on behalf of the king. In 1397, the county was even called a principality. This happened because the people supported King Richard II. He even gave the title "Prince of Chester" to himself.

Today, Cheshire is divided into different areas for local government. There are four main areas called unitary authorities. These are Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, and Warrington.

Bridge Street and the Rows at Chester - geograph.org.uk - 4396746
Bridge Street and the Rows at Chester - geograph.org.uk - 4396746

Warrington is the largest settlement in the county. Other important places include the city of Chester and Crewe. Macclesfield is another major town in the east. Even though the councils are separate, they still work together. They share services like the police and the fire brigade.

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🖼️ Images & Media (18)
File:Cheshire numbered districts 2009.svg
Cheshire numbered districts 2009.svg
File:Doomsday Book - Counties of England - 1086.png
Doomsday Book - Counties of England - 1086.png
File:Wales 1234 (Marchia Wallie and Pura Wallia).svg
Wales 1234 (Marchia Wallie and Pura Wallia).svg
File:Cheshire domesday hundreds.svg
Cheshire domesday hundreds.svg
File:Cestriae (Cheshire) Comitatus (Romanis Legionibus et Colonys olim infignis) vera et abfoluta effigies. Chriftophorus Saxton defcripfit. Francifcus Scatterus fculpfit Anno Dno 1577. RMG L8558-001.jpg
Cestriae (Cheshire) Comitatus (Romanis...
File:Bridge Street and the Rows at Chester - geograph.org.uk - 4396746.jpg
Bridge Street and the Rows at Chester -...
File:Crewe (33916958155).jpg
Crewe (33916958155).jpg
File:Wilmslow Church.jpg
Wilmslow Church.jpg
File:Man Sanding the street in Knutsfrod for May Day 1920.jpg
Man Sanding the street in Knutsfrod for...
File:Chester University Wheeler (52877897464).jpg
Chester University Wheeler (52877897464).jpg
File:Flag of Cheshire.svg
Flag of Cheshire.svg
File:Detail of Lewis Carroll memorial window - geograph.org.uk - 284592.jpg
Detail of Lewis Carroll memorial window -...

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