In message
, at
01:34:41 on Wed, 30 Dec 2009, John B remarked:
It's only fairly recently that the administrative boundaries have
been tinkered with so that they don't line up with centuries-old
geographic boundaries.

Oh no it isn't! Royston used to straddle the border of Cambridgeshire and
Hertfordshire. The border was redrawn round it in the nineteenth century.

Indeed. Roland's statement is complete nonsense unless you count 1888
as "fairly recent", which it isn't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Government_Act_1888

Of course it's "fairly recent". Most of the historic county boundaries
have been mapped, and entered popular consciousness, since at least the
1600's
--
Roland Perry