Northern England

Lore & Background

The region corresponds to the borders of the sub-Roman Brythonic Celtic territory of the Old North, as well as the medieval Anglian Kingdom of Northumbria. Many Industrial Revolution innovations began in Northern England, and its cities were the crucibles of many of the political changes that accompanied this social upheaval, from trade unionism to Manchester Liberalism. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the economy of the North was dominated by heavy industry. Centuries of immigration, invasion, and labour have shaped Northern England's culture, and it has retained countless distinctive accents and dialects, music, arts, and cuisine. Industrial decline in the second half of the 20th century damaged the North, leading to greater deprivation than in the South. Although urban renewal projects and the transition to a service economy have resulted in strong economic growth in parts of the North, the North–South divide remains in both the economy and culture of England.

Reader's Guide

For government and statistical purposes, Northern England is defined as the area covered by the three northernmost statistical regions of England: North East England, North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. This area consists of the ceremonial counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, County Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear and West Yorkshire, plus the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire within the ceremonial county Lincolnshire. Other definitions use historic county boundaries, in which case the North is generally taken to comprise Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland, County Durham, Lancashire and Yorkshire, often supplemented by Cheshire. The boundary is sometimes drawn without reference to human borders, using geographic features such as the River Mersey and River Trent. The Isle of Man is occasionally included in broad geographical definitions of 'the North', although it is politically and culturally distinct from England. Some areas of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire have northern characteristics. Conversely, more restrictive definitions exist, and personal definitions vary greatly. The geography includes the Pennines, the Lake District, the Cheviot Hills, and the North York Moors. Of the ten national parks in England, five – the Peak District, the Lake District, the North York Moors, the Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland National Park – are located partly or entirely in the North. The Lake District includes England's highest peak, Scafell Pike, which rises to 978 metres, its largest lake, Windermere, and its deepest lake, Wastwater. Northern England is one of the most treeless areas in Europe, and to combat this the government plans to plant over 50 million trees in a new Northern Forest.

Did You Know?

• The combined population of the three statistical regions was 15.5 million at the 2021 census.
• The area covers 37,331 km² and includes 18 cities.
• The Pennines are sometimes referred to as 'the backbone of England'.
• The Lake District contains England's highest peak, Scafell Pike (978 metres), and its deepest lake, Wastwater.
• Five of England's ten national parks are partly or entirely in the North: Peak District, Lake District, North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland National Park.