Huntingdonshire
Historic county now a district in Cambridgeshire, England.
Huntingdonshire (abbreviated Hunts) is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England. Historically a county in its own right, its boundaries were established in the Anglo-Saxon era and remained largely unchanged from the 10th century until the 20th. In 1154, Henry II declared all of Huntingdonshire a forest. It became an administrative county in 1889 under the Local Government Act, with a newly formed county council taking over from the Quarter Sessions. At that time, the part of the county within the municipal borough of Peterborough was transferred to the Soke of Peterborough in Northamptonshire. In 1965, Huntingdonshire merged with the Soke of Peterborough to form Huntingdon and Peterborough, and St Neots was expanded westward into Bedfordshire. This entity was then merged with Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely in 1974 to create the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire. A Huntingdon district was created based on the former administrative county borders, excluding Old Fletton and parts of Norman Cross Rural District, which went to Peterborough. The district was renamed Huntingdonshire in 1984 by a council resolution.
The district had a population of 180,800 at the 2021 census. The largest towns are St Neots (33,410), Huntingdon (25,428), and St Ives (16,815). The district council, based in Pathfinder House in Huntingdon, consists of 52 councillors. Elections were held for a third of seats in three out of four years until 2018, after which all seats are contested every four years. The Conservative party held a majority from 1976 until 2022, when a joint administration took control. Historical documents for the area are held by Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies at the County Record Office in Huntingdon.
In the 1990s, the Local Government Boundary Commission considered making Huntingdonshire a unitary authority, but the final recommendations kept it within Cambridgeshire, noting no exceptional county allegiance. A Huntingdonshire Society was later formed to promote awareness of the historic county, establishing an annual Huntingdonshire Day on 25 April, the birthday of Oliver Cromwell. A county flag—a gold hunting horn on a green field—was registered with the Flag Institute in 2009. Huntingdonshire is the birthplace of bandy, with the Bury Fen Bandy Club undefeated for a century according to 1813 documents; member Charles Tebbutt wrote th
- Administrative centre
- Huntingdon
- Historic status
- Former county, now a district of Cambridgeshire
Lore & Background
Huntingdonshire's boundaries were first delimited in Anglo-Saxon times and have remained largely unchanged since the 10th century. Huntingdonshire County Cricket Club is considered one of the 20 minor counties but has never played in the Minor Counties Championship. In the 1990s, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England considered making Huntingdonshire a unitary authority, but final recommendations proposed no change. A Huntingdonshire Society was later set up to promote awareness of the historic county, establishing an annual Huntingdonshire Day on 25 April, the birthday of Oliver Cromwell.
Reader's Guide
Huntingdonshire's significance lies in its long history as a distinct administrative and cultural region, from its Anglo-Saxon origins through its status as an administrative county and its eventual incorporation into Cambridgeshire. Its boundaries have remained remarkably stable for over a millennium, reflecting a deep-rooted local identity. The district's legacy includes being the birthplace of bandy, a sport that later gained IOC recognition, and its association with notable figures such as Oliver Cromwell, who was born there and later became Lord Protector. The continued efforts to revive Huntingdonshire as a unitary authority, along with the establishment of a county flag and an annual day of celebration, demonstrate the enduring attachment to its historic identity. Despite being a district within Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire maintains its own cricket board, local media (including The Hunts Post newspaper), and a distinct sense of place that has persisted through multiple local government reorganizations.
Did You Know?
- Huntingdonshire's boundaries have remained largely unchanged since the 10th century.
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