Middlesex

Map of the Middlesex Area

Map of Middlesex

Middlesex

Much of the historic county of Middlesex now sits within the borders of Greater London, Berkshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey. Situated in the southeast of England within the London Basin, the county was first established during the Anglo-Saxon period. It included territory north of the River Thames and was largely bounded by the River Colne and the River Lea. Today, much of Middlesex has disappeared as London and its surrounding region has grown.

At its height in the 19th century, Middlesex covered an area of 734 square kilometres. By the 1960s, the county's area had been reduced to just over 601 square kilometres. In 1961, Middlesex boasted a population of over 2.2 million. Historically, the local economy focused on providing crops and livestock for London and its people. With Hackney, Islington, Twickenham and Highgate serving as popular day trip destinations, Middlesex was also home to shops, stalls and inns. During the 18th century, much of the county began to function as a suburb for London. By the 19th century, Middlesex shifted away from agriculture and became a major source of building materials for the capital. Following the First World War, the area's labour supply supported new industries during the Second Industrial Revolution.

As London grew, Middlesex ceased to exist as a separately administered county. Sections of the historic county were ceded to the County of London in 1889. Remaining areas of the county were divided into Greater London, Hertfordshire and Surrey in 1965. Areas traditionally within the historic county of Middlesex include the present-day boroughs of Camden, Hackney, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Islington, Hammersmith, and Tower Hamlets. Middlesex remains in use by a number of organisations, including Middlesex University. Sections of Middlesex formed the new boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow, and parts of Richmond upon Thames and Barnet. Present-day Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, and Sunbury-on-Thames and Staines in Surrey were also once administered by the former county of Middlesex.

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