County towns in England

Oxford () is a cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.

Cambridge ( ) is a city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of the City of Cambridge was 145,700; the population of the wider built-up area (which extends outside the city council area) was 181,137. There is archaeological evidence of settlement in the area as early as the Bronze Age, and Cambridge became an important trading centre during the Roman and Viking eras. The first town charters were granted in the 12th cen

Bristol () is a city and ceremonial county in South West England. It is located on the River Avon, and bordered by Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south with a short coastline on the Bristol Channel to the west. The county includes the majority of the Bristol conurbation, however, the urban area of the city extends into the neighbouring districts of South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Somerset.

York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, including the minster, castle and city walls, all of which are Grade I listed. It is the traditional county town of Yorkshire, and the administrative centre of the City of York district. It is located north-east of Leeds, south of Newcastle upon Tyne and north of London. York's built-up area had a recorded population of 141,685 at the 2021 census.

Nottingham ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham is the legendary home of Robin Hood's belligerent Sheriff of Nottingham, and is historically associated with the lace-making, bicycle and tobacco industries. The city is also the county town of Nottinghamshire and the settlement was granted its city charter in 1897, as part of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Nottingham is a UNESCO “City of Literature”

Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a population of in . The greater Leicester urban area had a population of 559,017 in 2021, making it the 11th most populous in England, and the 13th most populous in the United Kingdom. For three years running, the annual Good Growth for Cities Index has ranked Leicester as the best place to live and work in the East Midlands. The latest study, which is based on a range of economic factors, rated Leicester as the best performin

Norwich (, "Norritch";) is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich City Council local authority area was estimated to be 144,000 in 2021, which was an increase from 143,135 in 2019. The wider Norwich built-up area had a population of 213,166 at the 2011 United Kingdom census.

Exeter ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.

Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west; it is sited 7 miles (12 km) from Cheltenham, from Monmouth, from Bristol, and east of the border with Wales. Gloucester has a population of around 132,000, including suburban areas. It is a port, linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to the Severn Estuary.

Truro (; ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is the southernmost city in the United Kingdom, and lies west-south-west of London. It is Cornwall's county town, only city, and a centre for administration, leisure and shopping. At the 2021 census the population of the parish was 21,046 and the population of the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics (which included the Gloweth and Treliske areas in the neighbouring parish of Kenwyn) was 23,060.

Winchester (, ) is a cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, at the western end of the South Downs National Park, on the River Itchen. It is south-west of London and from Southampton, its nearest major city. At the 2021 census, the built-up area of Winchester had a population of 48,478. The wider City of Winchester district includes towns such as Alresford and Bishop's Waltham and had a population of 127,439 in 2021. Winchester is the county town of Hampshire and contains the head offices of Hampshire County

Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. It had a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester. It is the historic county town of Cheshire and the second-largest settlement in Cheshire after Warrington.

city and the county town of County Durham in North East England

cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England, UK

city and the county town of Worcestershire, England

Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, after Peterborough and Norwich. It is northeast of London and in 2011 had a population of 144,957. The Ipswich built-up area is the fourth-largest in the East of England and the 42nd-largest in England and Wales. It includes the towns and villages of Kesgrave, Woodbridge, Bramford and Martlesham Heath.

Hereford ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Wye and lies east of the border with Wales, north-west of Gloucester and south-west of Worcester. With a population of 61,900 in 2024, it is the largest settlement in Herefordshire.

Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city located in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. It is the largest settlement and only city in Cumbria. In 2021, it had a population of 77,730.

Chichester ( ) is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It is the only city in West Sussex and is its county town. It was a Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement and a major market town from those times through Norman and medieval times to the present day. It is the seat of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester and is home to a 12th-century cathedral.

Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is situated on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; the population of its overall urban area was recorded as 249,093 in the 2021 census. The parish of Northampton alone had 137,387.

county town of Lancashire, England

Shrewsbury ( , ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is sited on the River Severn, northwest of Wolverhampton, west of Telford, southeast of Wrexham and north of Hereford. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 76,782. It is the county town of the ceremonial county of Shropshire.

Maidstone is the largest town in the county of Kent in South East England, of which it is also the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it with Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river carried much of the town's trade as the centre of the agricultural county of Kent, which is known as the Garden of England. There is evidence of settlement in the area dating back before the Stone Age. The town, part of the borough of Maidstone, had an approximate population of 100,000 i

Chelmsford () is a city in Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. It is located north-east of Charing Cross in London, and south-west of Colchester. At the 2021 census the built up area had a population of 110,625. It gives its name to the wider Chelmsford local government district which also covers an extensive surrounding area.

Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was 167,446. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district.

Aylesbury ( or ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, England. It is located midway between High Wycombe and Milton Keynes. In 2021, Aylesbury civil parish had a population of 63,273, while its urban area had a population of 87,950; the housing target for the town is set to grow, with 16,000 homes to be built by 2033. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Waterside Theatre; the town's Queens Park Arts Centre received the King's Award for Voluntary Service.

town in Dorset, England, UK

Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield, which had a population of , the List of English districts by population| most populous district in England. It is part of the West Yorkshire Built-up Area and the Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Taunton ( ) is the county town of Somerset, England. It is a market town and has a minster church. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, owned by the Bishops of Winchester, which was rebuilt as Taunton Castle by the Normans in the 12th century. Parts of the inner ward house were turned into the Museum of Somerset and Somerset Military Museum. For the Second Cornish uprising of 1497, Perkin Warbeck brought an army of 6,000; most surrendered to Henry VII on 4 October 1497. On 20 June 1685, the Duke of Monmouth crowned himself King of England in Taunton in the fai

Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about south of Stoke-on-Trent, north of Wolverhampton and north-west of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 at the 2021 census, and is the main settlement within the larger Borough of Stafford, which had a population of 136,837 in 2021.

Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. It lies north of Charing Cross in central London. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 29,418 and the built up area had a population of 28,800.

Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the South Downs.

Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there in 1599 and became one of its Members of Parliament (MP) in 1628. The former Conservative Prime Minister (1990–1997) John Major served as its MP from 1979 until his retirement in 2001.

Trowbridge ( ) is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, close to the border with Somerset. The town lies south-east of Bath, south-west of Swindon and south-east of Bristol. The parish had a population of 37,169 in 2021.

Beverley is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is located north-west of Hull city centre. At the 2021 census the built-up area of the town had a population of 30,930, and the smaller civil parish had a population of 18,014. It is the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Oakham is a market town and civil parish in Rutland (of which it is the county town) in the East Midlands of England. The town is located east of Leicester, southeast of Nottingham and northwest of Peterborough. It had a population of 12,149 in the 2021 census. Oakham is to the west of Rutland Water and in the Vale of Catmose. Its height above sea level ranges from .

town in Northumberland, England

town in Derbyshire, England

county town of the Isle of Wight, in England, UK

Northallerton ( ) is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the River Wiske in the Vale of Mowbray and had a population of 16,832 in 2011. Northallerton is an administrative centre for York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and North Yorkshire Council.