93-669: The River Wyre , in Lancashire , England, flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood . It is 28 miles (45 km) long and has a sheltered estuary which penetrates deep into the Fylde peninsula. The name Wyre is of pre-Roman, likely, if specific, Common Brittonic origin. It may be derived from *wiΣ- , a form of the element * wei , with a basic sense of "flowing", with the suffix * –urā . The River Wyre possibly shares its etymology with other river names , including
186-582: A continuous built-up area from Lytham St Annes to Fleetwood , including Blackpool, and further north is the Lancaster/Morecambe built-up area . The rest of the region is characterised by small towns and villages in the flat farmland surrounding the lower reaches of the Ribble , Wyre , and Lune and the sparsely populated uplands of the Forest of Bowland . The centre and south-east of Lancashire
279-587: A family member would die. A public health report detailed how 76% of children worried daily in 2014, and by 2018, this had dropped to 61%. By 2024, this had risen again to 86%. North Yorkshire has a number of bridge with clusters such as bridges of York or in the Tees Lowlands, over the River Tees . Many are road bridges, railway viaducts or footbridges; such Lendal Bridge in York, Saltburn Viaduct and
372-573: A fifth, Stockton-on-Tees . The local authorities of York and North Yorkshire form a combined authority of the same name, and the local authorities of the other three areas are part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority . The county was historically part of Yorkshire . The centre of the county contains a wide plain, called the Vale of Mowbray in the north and Vale of York in the south. The North York Moors uplands lie to
465-534: A former freight-only line. The medium-term aim is to operate into Northallerton station on the ECML, once an agreement can be reached with Network Rail . In the longer term, the aim is to reinstate the full line west via Hawes to Garsdale on the Settle-Carlisle line. York railway station is the largest station in the county, with 11 platforms and is a major tourist attraction in its own right. The station
558-713: A national landscape. The major rivers of the county are, from north to south, the Lune , the Wyre , and the Ribble , which all flow west into the Irish Sea. The highest point in Lancashire is either Gragareth or Green Hill , both approximately 628 m (2,060 ft) high and located in the far north-east of the county. Lancashire was founded in the 12th century; in the Domesday Book of 1086 much of what would become
651-462: A number of notable settlements along west to east of the M65 : including the city of Preston and towns of Blackburn , Darwen , Accrington , Burnley , Padiham , Brierfield , Nelson and Colne . South of Preston are the towns of Leyland and Chorley (which, with Preston, formed Central Lancashire New Town designated in 1970), as well as Penwortham , Skelmersdale and Ormskirk . The north of
744-516: A plant at Springfields, Salwick operated by Westinghouse and Heysham nuclear power station is operated by British Energy . Other major manufacturing firms include Leyland Trucks , a subsidiary of Paccar building the DAF truck range. Other companies with a major presence in Lancashire include: The creation of Lancashire Enterprise Zone was announced in 2011. It was launched in April 2012, based at
837-631: A relatively healthy and diverse economy which largely mirrors the national picture in terms of productivity and jobs. Mineral extraction and power generation are also sectors of the economy, as is high technology. Tourism is a significant contributor to the economy. A study of visitors between 2013 and 2015 indicated that the Borough of Scarborough, including Filey, Whitby and parts of the North York Moors National Park, received 1.4m trips per year on average. A 2016 report by
930-477: Is a ceremonial county in North West England . It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Preston is the largest settlement. The county has an area of 3,079 square kilometres (1,189 sq mi) and a population of 1,490,300. After Preston (147,800),
1023-990: Is based in County Hall in Preston , and has 84 councillors. The council has been controlled by the Conservative Party since the 2017 Lancashire County Council elections ; the 2021 elections they won 48 seats, the Labour Party won 32, and the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party won two each. The twelve districts of the non-metropolitan county are Burnley , Chorley , Fylde , Hyndburn , Lancaster , Pendle , Preston , Ribble Valley , Rossendale , South Ribble , West Lancashire , and Wyre . Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen are unitary authorities , meaning their councils combine
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#17327875645151116-704: Is home to four universities: Lancaster University , the University of Central Lancashire , Edge Hill University and the Lancaster campus of the University of Cumbria . Seven colleges offer higher education courses. The Lancashire economy relies strongly on the M6 motorway which runs from north to south, past Lancaster and Preston. The M55 connects Preston to Blackpool and is 11.5 miles (18.3 km) long. The M65 motorway from Colne , connects Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn to Preston. The M61 from Preston via Chorley and
1209-530: Is immediately adjacent to the National Railway Museum . The main road through the county is the north–south A1(M) , which has gradually been upgraded in sections to motorway status since the early 1990s. The only other motorways within the county are the short A66(M) near Darlington and a small stretch of the M62 motorway close to Eggborough . The other nationally maintained trunk routes are
1302-567: Is joined by its second major tributary, the River Brock . It becomes tidal below the weir at St Michael's. It is crossed by Cartford Bridge , a toll bridge , between Little Eccleston and Out Rawcliffe . A former toll bridge, Shard Bridge , close to Poulton-le-Fylde , has been rebuilt and is now free. The Wyre Estuary Ferry runs between Fleetwood and Knott End , but the ferry to the Isle of Man no longer runs. Major industry existed at
1395-482: Is limited at most schools in most districts, with only Fylde and Lancaster districts having mostly sixth forms at schools. The rest depend on FE colleges and sixth form colleges, where they exist. South Ribble has the largest school population and Fylde the smallest (only three schools). Burnley's schools have had a new broom and have essentially been knocked down and started again in 2006. There are many Church of England and Catholic faith schools in Lancashire. Lancashire
1488-680: Is most plentiful on the coast, receiving an average of 1,650 hours a year. It reduces further west in the county, with the Pennines receiving 1,250 hours a year. The county borders multiple counties and districts: The City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council formed the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority in February 2024. The elections for the first directly elected mayor will take place in May 2024. Both North Yorkshire Council and
1581-828: Is now disused. Lancashire was historically the location of the port of Liverpool while Barrow-in-Furness is famous for shipbuilding . As of 2013, the largest private sector industry is the defence industry with BAE Systems Military Air Solutions division based in Warton on the Fylde coast. The division operates a manufacturing site in Samlesbury . Other defence firms include BAE Systems Global Combat Systems in Chorley, Ultra Electronics in Fulwood and Rolls-Royce plc in Barnoldswick . The nuclear power industry has
1674-428: Is relatively urbanised, especially around the major settlements of Preston , Blackburn , and Burnley and near the border with Greater Manchester. The Central Lancashire urban area includes the city of Preston and the towns of Penwortham , Leyland and Chorley . A short distance east, Blackburn and Darwen are the first of several adjacent areas urban areas which stretch east toward West Yorkshire and south into
1767-496: Is still the home of flying schools, private operators and North West Air Ambulance. Manchester Airport is the main airport in the region. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is nearby, while the closest airport to the Pendle Borough is Leeds Bradford . There is an operational airfield at Warton near Preston where there is a major assembly and test facility for BAE Systems . Heysham offers ferry services to Ireland and
1860-658: Is that the Duchy administers bona vacantia within the County Palatine, receiving the property of persons who die intestate and where the legal ownership cannot be ascertained. The county palatine boundaries remain the same as the historic boundaries , ignoring subsequent local government reforms. Lancashire in the 19th century was a major centre of economic activity, and hence one of wealth. Activities included coal mining, textile production, particularly that which used cotton, and fishing. Preston Docks, an industrial port
1953-556: Is the county flower found on the county's heraldic badge and flag. The rose was a symbol of the House of Lancaster , immortalised in the verse "In the battle for England's head/ York was white, Lancaster red" (referring to the 15th-century Wars of the Roses ). A flag consisting of a red rose on a gold field was designed by the Friends of Real Lancashire , a pressure group which promotes
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#17327875645152046-555: Is the area to which the High Sheriff of Lancashire is appointed. As of 2023 these positions are held by Amanda Parker and David Taylor respectively. The ceremonial county is divided into sixteen constituencies for the purpose of parliamentary representation. The Duchy of Lancaster , the private estate of the sovereign, exercises the right of the Crown in the County Palatine of Lancaster. The most prominent effect of this
2139-551: Is the primary source of employment. Approximately 85% of the county is considered to be "rural or super sparse". Other sectors in 2019 included some manufacturing, the provision of accommodation and meals (primarily for tourists) which accounted for 19 per cent of all jobs. Food manufacturing employed 11 per cent of workers. A few people are involved in forestry and fishing in 2019. The average weekly earnings in 2018 were £531. Some 15% of workers declared themselves as self-employed. One report in late 2020 stated that "North Yorkshire has
2232-465: The A168 / A19 , A64 , A66 and A174 . Coach and bus Long-distance coach services are operated by National Express and Megabus . Local bus service operators include Arriva Yorkshire , Stagecoach, Harrogate Bus Company , The Keighley Bus Company, Scarborough & District ( East Yorkshire ), Yorkshire Coastliner , First York and the local Dales & District . There are no major airports in
2325-670: The Esk Valley Line from Middlesbrough to Whitby . Last but certainly not least, the Settle-Carlisle Line runs through the west of the county, with services again operated by Northern. The county suffered badly under the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. Places such as Richmond , Ripon , Tadcaster , Helmsley , Pickering and the Wensleydale communities lost their passenger services. Notable lines closed were
2418-584: The Furness exclave . The new ceremonial county of Lancashire also gained land in 1974, as the urban districts of Barnoldswick and Earby , Bowland Rural District , and the parishes of Bracewell and Brogden and Salterforth from Skipton Rural District were transferred from the West Riding of Yorkshire . One parish, Simonswood , was transferred from the borough of Knowsley in Merseyside to
2511-526: The Infinity Bridge respectively. The Tees Transporter Bridge , opened in 1911 is a symbol of Teesside and is one of few surviving transporter bridges worldwide. Further inland, the Tees Barrage complex (which opened in 1995) incorporates a tidal barrier , road bridge, footbridge and barge lock . Larpool Viaduct near Whitby is a repurposed railway viaduct (footbridge), the viaduct
2604-556: The Isle of Man . As part of its industrial past, Lancashire gave rise to an extensive network of canals, which extend into neighbouring counties. These include the Leeds and Liverpool Canal , Lancaster Canal , Sankey Canal , Bridgewater Canal , Rochdale Canal , Ashton Canal and Manchester Ship Canal . The major settlements in the ceremonial county are concentrated on the Fylde coast (the Blackpool Urban Area ), and
2697-585: The Leighton Moss nature reserve. In the east of the county are upland areas leading to the Pennines. North of the Ribble are Beacon Fell Country Park and the Forest of Bowland , another National Landscape . Much of the lowland in this area is devoted to dairy farming and cheesemaking, whereas the higher ground is more suitable for sheep, and the highest ground is uncultivated moorland . The valleys of
2790-615: The Lord-Lieutenant (termed now a ceremonial county ) covered the entirety of the administrative county and the county boroughs. It expanded whenever boroughs annexed areas in neighbouring counties such as Wythenshawe in Manchester south of the River Mersey and from Cheshire, and southern Warrington . It did not cover the western part of Todmorden , where the ancient border between Lancashire and Yorkshire passes through
2883-591: The M66 starting 500 metres (0.3 mi) inside the county boundary near Edenfield , provide links between Lancashire and Manchester, and the trans-Pennine M62 . The M58 crosses the southernmost part of the county from the M6 near Wigan to Liverpool via Skelmersdale . Other major roads include the east–west A59 between Liverpool in Merseyside and Skipton in North Yorkshire via Ormskirk, Preston and Clitheroe, and
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2976-743: The Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government building in London. An alternative flag consists of a red rose on a white field. This design had already been registered by Montrose in Scotland. North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber and North East regions of England. It borders County Durham to the north, the North Sea to
3069-590: The Ribble , Wyre and Lune , which all drain west to the Irish Sea . The Wyre rises in Bowland and is entirely within Lancashire, while the Ribble and Lune rise in North Yorkshire and Cumbria respectively. Many of Lancashire's other rivers are tributaries of the Ribble, including the Calder , Darwen , Douglas , and Hodder . The Irwell , which flows through Manchester, has its source in Lancashire. To
3162-777: The Scarborough and Whitby Railway , Malton and Driffield Railway and the secondary main line between Northallerton and Harrogate via Ripon. Heritage railways within North Yorkshire include: the North Yorkshire Moors Railway , between Pickering and Grosmont , which opened in 1973; the Derwent Valley Light Railway near York; and the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway . The Wensleydale Railway , which started operating in 2003, runs services between Leeming Bar and Redmire along
3255-499: The Victorian era , Lancashire has had multiple reforms of local government. In 1889, the administrative county of Lancashire was created, covering the greater part of the county. Multiple county boroughs were outside the county council control: Barrow-in-Furness , Blackburn , Bolton , Bootle , Burnley , Bury , Liverpool , Manchester , Oldham , Preston , Rochdale , Salford , St. Helens , and Wigan . The area served by
3348-764: The Wear in County Durham and the Quair Water in Scotland. The river's name possibly means 'winding river' in Celtic. The river rises in the Forest of Bowland in central Lancashire, as two distinct tributaries—the Tarnbrook Wyre and the Marshaw Wyre—whose confluence is near the village of Abbeystead . In 1984, a pumping station, built just below the confluence as part of a water transfer scheme in
3441-606: The manufacture of textiles . The Lancashire coalfield was also exploited, with many collieries opening. By 1971 Lancashire had a population of 5,118,405, which made it the most heavily populated county in the United Kingdom after Greater London . During Roman times the area was part of the Brigantes tribal area in the military zone of Roman Britain . The towns of Manchester , Lancaster , Ribchester , Burrow , Elslack and Castleshaw grew around Roman forts. In
3534-467: The 10th century. In the Domesday Book , land between the Ribble and Mersey were known as " Inter Ripam et Mersam " and included in the returns for Cheshire . Although some historians consider this to mean south Lancashire was then part of Cheshire, it is by no means certain. It is also claimed that the territory to the north formed part of the West Riding of Yorkshire . The county
3627-617: The 1980s, saw the Abbeystead disaster , an explosion in which 16 people were killed and a further 22 were injured. From Abbeystead, the river flows south through Dolphinholme to Garstang , where the Lancaster Canal crosses on a small aqueduct . 1 mile (1.6 km) south, at Catterall , it meets its first major tributary, the River Calder . The river then turns westwards, flowing through St Michael's on Wyre , where it
3720-493: The City of York district and parts of the three adjoining districts ( Haxby and nearby rural areas) became the City of York unitary authority . On 1 April 2023, the non-metropolitan county became a unitary authority. This abolished the remaining seven district councils and extended the powers of the county council to act as a district council. The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority held its first meeting on 22 January 2024, assumed its powers on 1 February 2024 and
3813-559: The National Park, states the park area gets 7.93 million visitors annually, generating £647 million and supporting 10,900 full-time equivalent jobs. The Yorkshire Dales have also attracted many visitors. In 2016, there were 3.8 million visits to the National Park including 0.48 million who stayed at least one night. The parks service estimates that this contributed £252 million to the economy and provided 3,583 full-time equivalent jobs. The wider Yorkshire Dales area received 9.7 million visitors who contributed £644 million to
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3906-461: The North and West Yorkshire borders. It extends to the east to cover small communities such as Huby , Kirkby Overblow , and Follifoot before covering the gap between the towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough, helping to keep those towns separate. The belt adjoins the southernmost part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park , and the Nidderdale AONB . It extends into the western area of Selby district, reaching as far as Tadcaster and Balne . The belt
3999-442: The River Ribble and its tributary the Calder form a large gap to the west of the Pennines, overlooked by Pendle Hill . South of the Ribble are the West Pennine Moors and the Forest of Rossendale , where former cotton mill towns are in deep valleys. The Lancashire Coalfield , largely in modern-day Greater Manchester , extended into Merseyside and to Ormskirk , Chorley , Burnley and Colne in Lancashire. The highest point of
4092-442: The Tees between Yarm and Ingleby Barwick; the Esk flows east directly into the North Sea at Whitby as well as the Rye (which later becomes the Derwent at Malton) flows south into the River Ouse at Goole. The county is less than 10 miles from Morecambe Bay at its closest point. North Yorkshire contains a small section of green belt in the south of the county, which surrounds the neighbouring metropolitan area of Leeds along
4185-421: The UK for visitors. In a 2020 Condé Nast Traveller report, York rated as the sixth best among ten "urban destinations [in the UK] that scored the highest marks when it comes to ... nightlife, restaurants and friendliness". During February 2020 to January 2021, the average property in North Yorkshire county sold for £240,000, up by £8100 over the previous 12 months. By comparison, the average for England and Wales
4278-436: The UK. On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , southern parts of administrative Lancashire were transferred to the two newly established metropolitan counties of Merseyside and Greater Manchester . Widnes and Warrington , which did not form part of either new county but which were cut off from the rest of Lancashire, were transferred to Cheshire . In the north, the new county of Cumbria incorporated
4371-417: The Ure/Ouse, which at 208 km (129 mi) long is the sixth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river is called the Ure until it meets Ouse Gill beck just below the village of Great Ouseburn, where it becomes the Ouse and flows south before exiting the county near Goole and entering the Humber estuary . The North York Moors are the catchment for a number of rivers: the Leven which flows north into
4464-430: The administrative county, between Oldham county borough and the West Riding of Yorkshire . Lancaster, the historic county town , became a city in 1937. The administrative county was also the most populous of its type outside London, with a population of 2,280,359 in 1961. By the census of 1971, the population of Lancashire and its county boroughs had reached 5,129,416, making it the most populous geographic county in
4557-501: The airfields owned by BAE Systems in Warton and Samlesbury. Warton Aerodrome covers 72 hectares (180 acres) and Samlesbury Aerodrome is 74 hectares. Development is coordinated by Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Lancashire County Council and BAE Systems. The first businesses to move into the zone did so in March 2015, at Warton. In March 2015 the government announced a new enterprise zone would be created at Blackpool Airport , using some airport and adjoining land. Operations at
4650-534: The airport will not be affected. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire at basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling. Lancashire has a mostly comprehensive system with four state grammar schools. Not including sixth form colleges , there are 77 state schools (not including Burnley's new schools) and 24 independent schools. The Clitheroe area has secondary modern schools. Sixth form provision
4743-453: The capital on the ECML, Leeds Branch Line and the Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line . LNER stop at York, Northallerton and on to County Durham or spur over to the Tees Valley Line for Thornaby and Middlesbrough . The operator also branch before the county for Leeds and run to Harrogate and Skipton . Grand Central stop at York, Thirsk Northallerton and Eaglescliffe then over to the Durham Coast Line in County Durham. Northern operates
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#17327875645154836-408: The centuries after the Roman withdrawal in 410 AD the northern parts of the county probably formed part of the Brythonic kingdom of Rheged , a successor entity to the Brigantes tribe. During the mid-8th century, the area was incorporated into the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria from the north of the River Ribble and the Kingdom of Mercia from the south, which both became parts of England in
4929-431: The ceremonial counties of West Yorkshire , Cheshire , Merseyside , Greater Manchester and Cumbria : Boundary changes before 1974 include: The ceremonial county of Lancashire is divided into fourteen local government districts . Twelve are part of the two-tier non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, which is administered by Lancashire County Council and twelve district councils. Lancashire County Council
5022-403: The ceremonial county is Gragareth , near Whernside , which reaches a height of 627 m (2,057 ft). Green Hill near Gragareth has also been cited as the "county" top . The highest point in the historic county is Coniston Old Man in the Lake District , at 803 m (2,634 ft). The north of the ceremonial county is less densely populated than the south, especially inland. The Fylde coast forms
5115-407: The city's unemployment rate to 14.5%". Some critics claimed that part of the problem was caused by "over-reliance on the booming tourism industry at the expense of a long-term economic plan". A report in mid June 2020 stated that unemployment had risen 114 per cent over the previous year because of restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic. Tourism in the county was expected to increase after
5208-451: The combined authority are governed from County Hall , Northallerton . The Tees Valley Combined Authority was formed in 2016 by five unitary authorities ; Middlesbrough , Redcar and Cleveland Borough both of North Yorkshire, Stockton-on-Tees Borough (Uniquely for England, split between North Yorkshire and County Durham ), Hartlepool Borough and Darlington Borough of County Durham. In large areas of North Yorkshire, agriculture
5301-400: The connecting A565 to Southport ; the A56 from Ramsbottom to Padiham via Haslingden and from Colne to Skipton; the A585 from Kirkham to Fleetwood ; the A666 from the A59 north of Blackburn to Bolton via Darwen ; and the A683 from Heysham to Kirkby Lonsdale via Lancaster. Several bus companies run bus services in the Lancashire area serving the main towns and villages in
5394-665: The county being situated in the east, it receives below-average rainfall for the UK. Inside North Yorkshire, the upper Dales of the Pennines are one of the wettest parts of England, where in contrast the driest parts of the Vale of Mowbray are some of the driest areas in the UK. Summer temperatures are above average, at 22 °C. Highs can regularly reach up to 28 °C, with over 30 °C reached in heat waves . Winter temperatures are below average, with average lows of 1 °C. Snow and Fog can be expected depending on location. The North York Moors and Pennines have snow lying for an average of between 45 and 75 days per year. Sunshine
5487-426: The county is predominantly rural and sparsely populated, except for the city of Lancaster and the towns of Morecambe and Heysham , the three of which form a large conurbation of almost 100,000 people. Lancashire is home to a significant Asian population, numbering over 70,000 and 6% of the county's population, and concentrated largely in the former cotton mill towns in the south east. The Red Rose of Lancaster
5580-420: The county is treated as part of Yorkshire and Cheshire . Until the Early Modern period the county was a comparatively poor backwater, although in 1351 it became a palatine , with a semi-independent judicial system. This changed during the Industrial Revolution , when the county rapidly industrialised; until 1974 it included both Liverpool, a major port, and Manchester, which with its surrounding towns dominated
5673-559: The county itself, but nearby airports include Teesside International ( Darlington ), Newcastle and Leeds Bradford . The main campus of Teesside University is in Middlesbrough, while York contains the main campuses of the University of York and York St John University . There are also two secondary campuses in the county: CU Scarborough , a campus of Coventry University , and Queen's Campus, Durham University in Thornaby-on-Tees. The county receives terrestrial television from four main transmission towers. Bilsdale Mast transmits in
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#17327875645155766-404: The county was traditionally low in recent years, but the lockdowns and travel restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on the economy during much of 2020 and into 2021. The UK government said in early February 2021 that it was planning "unprecedented levels of support to help businesses [in the UK] survive the crisis". A report published on 1 March 2021 stated that
5859-822: The county with some services running to neighbouring areas, Cumbria , Greater Manchester , Merseyside and West Yorkshire . Some of these include: The West Coast Main Line provides direct rail links with London, Glasgow and other major cities, with stations at Preston and Lancaster . East-west connections are carried via the East Lancashire Line between Blackpool and Colne via Lytham , Preston, Blackburn , Accrington and Burnley . The Ribble Valley Line runs from Bolton to Hellifield with regular passenger services running as far as Clitheroe via Darwen and Blackburn. There are connecting lines from Preston to Ormskirk and Bolton, and from Lancaster to Morecambe , Heysham and Skipton . Blackpool Airport are no longer operating domestic or international flights, but it
5952-458: The district of West Lancashire in 1994. In 1998 Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen became unitary authorities , removing them from the non-metropolitan county but not from the ceremonial county . As the new boundary changes came into effect on 1 April 1974, a government statement in The Times newspaper stated: “They are administrative areas and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties”. The three main rivers in Lancashire are
6045-410: The east, and south of them the Vale of Pickering is separated from the main plain by the Howardian Hills . Further east, the county has a coastline on the North Sea. The west of the county contains the Yorkshire Dales , an extensive upland area which contains the source of the River Ouse / Ure and many of its tributaries, which together drain most of the county before reaching the Humber estuary in
6138-416: The east, the East Riding of Yorkshire to the south-east, South Yorkshire to the south, West Yorkshire to the south-west, and Cumbria and Lancashire to the west. The county is the largest in England by land area, at 8,654 km (3,341 sq mi), and had a population of 1,158,816 in 2021. The largest settlements are Middlesbrough (148,215) in the north-east and the city of York (141,685) in
6231-445: The eastern part of the Forest of Bowland . The west of Lancashire contains flat coastal plains: the West Lancashire coastal plain to the south and the Fylde in the centre. The north-western coast is hilly and contains part of Arnside and Silverdale , a national landscape . The east of the county is upland, with the West Pennine Moors in the south-east and the Forest of Bowland in the north-west; Bowland has also been designated
6324-424: The economy. The North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales are among England's best known destinations. York is a popular tourist destination. A 2014 report, based on 2012 data, stated that York alone receives 6.9 million visitors annually; they contribute £564 million to the economy and support over 19,000 jobs. In the 2017 Condé Nast Traveller survey of readers, York rated 12th among The 15 Best Cities in
6417-505: The far north east of the county is Roseberry Topping . North Yorkshire contains several major rivers. The River Tees is the most northerly, forming part of the border between North Yorkshire and County Durham in its lower reaches and flowing east through Teesdale before reaching the North Sea near Redcar. The Yorkshire Dales are the source of many of the county's major rivers, including the Aire , Lune , Ribble , Swale , Ure , and Wharfe . The Aire, Swale, and Wharfe are tributaries of
6510-446: The first mayor was elected in May 2024. The geology of North Yorkshire is closely reflected in its landscape. Within the county are the North York Moors and most of the Yorkshire Dales , two of eleven areas in England and Wales to be designated national parks . Between the North York Moors in the east and the Pennine Hills . The highest point is Whernside , on the Cumbrian border, at 2,415 feet (736 m). A distinctive hill to
6603-438: The former ICI Hillhouse site at Burn Naze , close to the estuary of the river. It was originally an alkali works taking brine from mines and wells across the river in and around Preesall . Later processes undertaken on the site included those dealing with vinyl chloride monomer , although this was later moved to Runcorn and ICI activity on the site ceased. Industrial activity by a number of various companies continues by
6696-580: The former North Riding were in the county of Cleveland for twenty-two years (from 1974 to 1996) and were placed in the North East region from 1993. When Cleveland was abolished on 1 April 1996, these areas ( Middlesbrough , Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton borough south of the River Tees ) became part of the ceremonial county as separate unitary authorities. These areas remain within the North East England region. Also on 1 April 1996,
6789-632: The former county borough of York . Northallerton , as the former county town for the North Riding, became North Yorkshire's county town. In 1993 the county was placed wholly within the Yorkshire and the Humber region. From 1974 to 1996 the area of the non-metropolitan county was the same as the area of the ceremonial county. The county was divided into eight districts ( York , Craven , Hambleton , Harrogate , Richmondshire , Ryedale , Scarborough and Selby ). Some areas which were part of
6882-484: The functions of a district and county council. They were formed in 1996, before which each district was part of the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire. Both authorities currently have a majority Labour administration. The ceremonial county itself only has a minor administrative functions, being the area to which the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire is appointed; the shrieval county has the same boundaries and
6975-544: The historic county, and registered with the Flag Institute , a vexillological charity, in 2008. The flag has been flown from public buildings within the historic county boundaries on Lancashire Day (27 November), including from County Hall in Preston , St Helens Town Hall , the in the parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham which were previously in Lancashire. It has also been flown from
7068-485: The largest settlements are Blackpool (141,100) and Blackburn (124,995); the city of Lancaster has a population of 52,655. For local government purposes, Lancashire comprises a non-metropolitan county , with twelve districts, and two unitary authority areas: Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool . The county historically included northern Greater Manchester and Merseyside, the Furness and Cartmel peninsulas of Cumbria, and part of northern Cheshire , but excluded
7161-405: The majority of Chorley. Elsewhere it is less extensive but covers the areas between the major settlements to prevent their convergence both with each other and with the nearby Merseyside and Greater Manchester conurbations. There is a further area of green belt in the north of the county, between Lancaster, Morecambe , and Carnforth . Some settlements within the historic county boundaries are in
7254-413: The middle of the town. During the 20th century, the county became increasingly urban with Warrington (1900), Blackpool (1904) and Southport (1905) becoming county boroughs, with many boundary extensions. The borders around the Manchester area were particularly complicated, with narrow protrusions of the administrative county between the county boroughs – Lees Urban District formed a detached part of
7347-488: The recipient of a Green Flag Award . Fleetwood, at the mouth of the river, was a major fishing port up until the latter part of the 20th century. Wyre Dock was built there between 1869 and 1877. With the decline in the size of the fleet, most of the dock complex has subsequently been converted to a marina and the adjacent Affinity Lancashire outdoor shopping centre. The river drains a total catchment area of approximately 175 square miles (450 km). The tidal portion of
7440-405: The regions roads, which was also mirrored in road accidents, which totalled 948 in 2020, a drop of 7% on the previous year which had 1,021 accidents. Additionally, miles travelled by all types of vehicle dropped, with cars having the largest drop, LCV and HGV less so, but pedal bicycle usage slightly increased. Post-pandemic health effects included children worrying more about life and whether
7533-755: The remaining lines in the county, including commuter services on the Harrogate Line , Airedale Line and York & Selby Lines, of which the former two are covered by the Metro ticketing area. Remaining branch lines operated by Northern include the Yorkshire Coast Line from Scarborough to Hull, York–Scarborough line via Malton , the Hull to York Line via Selby , the Tees Valley Line from Darlington to Saltburn via Middlesbrough and
7626-752: The restrictions imposed due the pandemic are relaxed. One reason for the expected increase is the airing of All Creatures Great and Small , a TV series about the vet James Herriot , based on a successful series of books; it was largely filmed within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The show aired in the UK in September 2020 and in the US in early 2021. One source stated that visits to Yorkshire websites had increased significantly by late September 2020. The lockdowns affected traffic volumes across
7719-493: The river below Cartford Bridge drains a catchment area of approximately 125 square miles (320 km). The Wyre is the only one of the major Lancashire rivers that flows wholly within the ceremonial county; the Ribble starts in North Yorkshire , and the Lune starts in Cumbria . Lancashire Lancashire ( / ˈ l æ ŋ k ə ʃ ər / LAN -kə-shər , /- ʃ ɪər / -sheer ; abbreviated Lancs )
7812-576: The river, albeit on a much reduced scale. The area around Burn Naze on the western side of the Wyre Estuary was formerly known as Bergerode , believed to be an Old English term for "shallow harbour", beor grade . From Skippool , just downstream of Shard Bridge, to Fleetwood, the banks of the river form the Wyre Estuary Country Park . Facilities exist on the western bank. The park has its headquarters at Stanah. It has been
7905-505: The south. Middlesbrough is part of the Teesside built-up area, which extends into County Durham and had a total population of 376,663 in 2011. The remainder of the county is rural, and the largest towns are Harrogate (75,515) in the south and Scarborough (59,505) in the east. For local government purposes the county comprises four unitary authority areas— North Yorkshire , Middlesbrough , Redcar and Cleveland , and York —and part of
7998-531: The south. The Dales also contain the county's highest point, Whernside , at 2,415 feet (736 m). North Yorkshire non-metropolitan and ceremonial county was formed on 1 April 1974 as a result of the Local Government Act 1972 . It covered most of the North Riding of Yorkshire , as well as northern parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire , northern and eastern East Riding of Yorkshire and
8091-461: The unemployment rate in North Yorkshire had "risen to the highest level in nearly 5 years – with under 25s often bearing the worst of job losses". York experienced high unemployment during lockdown periods. One analysis (by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership) predicted in August 2020 that "as many as 13,835 jobs in York will be lost in the scenario considered most likely, taking
8184-410: The valleys leading to Greater Manchester, the others being Accrington and Rossendale and Burnley . West Lancashire in the south-west is rural with the exception of Skelmersdale , which forms part of Wigan urban area . The North West Green Belt covers a large part of the south and centre of the county, including all of the non-urban areas in the boroughs of West Lancashire and South Ribble and
8277-579: The west of the county are the Fylde coastal plain and West Lancashire coastal plain , which lie north and south of the Ribble Estuary respectively. Apart from the coastal resorts these areas are largely rural and devoted to vegetable crops. Further north is Morecambe Bay . In the northwest corner of the county, straddling the border with Cumbria, is the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, characterised by its limestone pavements and home to
8370-520: Was affected by the Beeching cuts in 1965 with the rail-line connecting Whitby to Scarborough axed. It was opened in 1885, closed in 1965 then repurposed and re-opened in 2000. The East Coast Main Line (ECML) bisects the county stopping at Northallerton , Thirsk and York . Passenger service companies in the area are London North Eastern Railway , Northern Rail , TransPennine Express and Grand Central . LNER and Grand Central operate services to
8463-399: Was established in 1182, and came to be bordered by Cumberland , Westmorland , Yorkshire, and Cheshire. It was divided into the hundreds of Amounderness , Blackburn , Leyland , Lonsdale , Salford and West Derby . Lonsdale was further partitioned into Lonsdale North, the detached part north of the sands of Morecambe Bay including Furness and Cartmel , and Lonsdale South. Since
8556-484: Was first drawn up from the 1950s. The city of York has an independent surrounding belt area affording protections to several outlying settlements such as Haxby and Dunnington, and it too extends into the surrounding districts. North Yorkshire has a temperate oceanic climate , like most of the UK. There are large climate variations within the county. The upper Pennines border on a Subarctic climate. The Vale of Mowbray has an almost Semi-arid climate . Overall, with
8649-451: Was £314,000. In certain communities of North Yorkshire, however, house prices were higher than average for the county, as of early 2021: Harrogate (average value: £376,195), Knaresborough (£375,625), Tadcaster (£314,278), Leyburn (£309,165) and Ripon (£299,998), for example. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added for North Yorkshire at current basic prices with figures in millions of British pounds sterling. Unemployment in
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