Cheshire (pronounced /ˈtʃɛʃə/ CHESH-ə); also known, archaically, as the County of Chester) is a ceremonial county in North West England. The traditional county town is the city of Chester, although Cheshire's largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Widnes, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Nantwich, Northwich, and Wilmslow.

The county is bordered by Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south, Flintshire and Wrexham in Wales to the west. Cheshire's area is 2,343 square kilometres (905 sq mi) and its population is just over a million. Apart from the large towns along the Mersey and the historic city of Chester, it is mostly rural, with a number of small towns and villages that support an agricultural industry.

It is historically famous for the production of Cheshire cheese, salt, bulk chemicals and the weaving of silk. Cheshire's name was originally derived from an early name for Chester and first occurred as Legeceasterscir in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. Its name meant the shire of the city of legions.

It was first recorded in 980, but it is thought that the county was created by Edward the Elder around 920. In the Domesday Book, Chester was recorded as having the name Cestrescir, (Chestershire) which was also derived from the name for Chester in use at the time. A series of changes that occurred as English itself changed, together with some simplifications, resulted in the name Cheshire, as it occurs today.

Similar to 0 things you like: