The English County Tops
The counties of England have evolved with the most significant changes occurring over the last 100 years. The main groupings are:
Historic Counties. Also referred to as Traditional Counties or Former Counties. These have been in existence since the Middle Ages.
Administrative Counties. Established by the Local Government Act 1888. These closely matched the Historic Counties but with some sub-divisions such as Yorkshire being split into the North, East and West Ridings.
Ceremonial Counties. Areas of England to which lord-lieutenants are appointed and defined by the Lieutenancies Act 1997
Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan counties. Established by the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent changes, the 1888 Administrative Counties were replaced by 82 metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties plus Isles of Scilly and Greater London.
Unitary Authorities. Established by the Local Government Act 1992, they are responsible for the provision of all local government services within a district.
This post shows the highest point in each of England’s counties based on the above groupings. As the Venn diagram shows there is a lot of overlap between the different types of county.
Contact me if you spot a mistake on this page or you have new information and I will make a donation to one of my causes.
Key to abbreviations in the lists below
HC = Historic County.
AC = Administrative County.
CC = Ceremonial County.
UA = Unitary Authority or Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan County.
England’s Historic County Tops
Also referred to as Traditional Counties or Former Counties. These have been in existence since the Middle Ages. More details on Historic Counties.
Scafell Pike. 978 metres. HC, AC = Cumberland. CC = Cumbria.
Helvellyn. 950 metres. HC, AC = Westmorland.
The Cheviot. 815 metres. HC, AC, CC = Northumberland.
The Old Man of Coniston. 803 metres. HC, AC = Lancashire.
Mickle Fell. 790 metres. HC = Yorkshire. AC = North Riding of Yorkshire. CC, UA = County Durham.
Burnhope Seat. 747 metres. HC, AC = County Durham.
Black Mountain. 703 metres. HC, AC, CC = Herefordshire. Also of defunct county of Hereford and Worcester.
Kinder Scout. 636 metres. HC, AC, CC = Derbyshire.
High Willhays. 621 metres. HC, AC, CC = Devon.
Black Hill. 582 metres. HC, AC = Cheshire. CC = West Yorkshire. UA = Kirklees
Brown Clee Hill. 540 metres. HC, AC, CC = Shropshire.
Cheeks Hill. 520 metres. HC, AC, CC = Staffordshire.
Dunkery Beacon. 519 metres. HC, AC, CC = Somerset.
Worcestershire Beacon. 425 metres. HC, AC, CC = Worcestershire.
Brown Willy. 420 metres. HC, AC, CC = Cornwall.
Cleeve Hill. 330 metres. HC, AC, CC = Gloucestershire.
Walbury Hill. 297 metres. HC, AC, CC = Berkshire. UA = West Berkshire.
Leith Hill. 295 metres. HC, AC, CC = Surrey.
Milk Hill. 294 metres. HC, AC, CC = Wiltshire.
Pilot Hill. 286 metres. HC, AC, CC = Hampshire.
Black Down. 280 metres. HC = Sussex. AC, CC = West Sussex.
Lewesdon Hill. 279 metres. HC, AC, CC = Dorset.
Bardon Hill. 278 metres. HC, AC, CC = Leicestershire.
Haddington Hill. 267 metres. HC, AC, CC = Buckinghamshire.
Ebrington Hill. 261 metres. HC, AC, CC = Warwickshire.
Bald Hill. 257 metres. HC = Oxfordshire.
Betsoms Hill. 251 metres. HC, AC, CC = Kent.
Pavis Wood. 244 metres. HC, AC, CC = Hertfordshire.
Dunstable Downs. 243 metres. HC, AC, CC = Bedfordshire. UA = Central Bedfordshire.
Arbury Hill. 225 metres. HC, AC, CC = Northamptonshire. UA = West Northamptonshire. Alternative = Big Hill - Staverton Clump
Silverhill or Newtonwood Lane. 205 metres. HC, AC, CC = Nottinghamshire.
Cold Overton Park. 197 metres. HC, AC, CC, UA = Rutland.
Normanby Top. 168 metres. HC, CC = Lincolnshire. AC = Parts of Lindsey.
Bushey Heath. 153 metres. HC, AC = Middlesex.
Chrishall Common. 147 metres. HC, AC, CC = Essex.
Great Chishill. 146 metres. HC, AC, CC = Cambridgeshire.
Great Wood. 128 metres. HC, CC = Suffolk. AC = West Suffolk.
Beacon Hill. 105 metres. HC, AC, CC = Norfolk.
Boring Field. 80 metres. HC, AC = Huntingdonshire.
England’s Administrative County Tops
The Local Government Act 1888 split some Historic Counties into new Administrative Counties. The list below shows only the counties that were split with their highest points. All of the Historic Counties in the list above have the same Administrative County name and same highest point. More details on Administrative Counties.
Cambridgeshire Historic County, split into:
Cambridgeshire. Administrative County. High Point = Great Chishill. 146 metres.
Isle of Ely. Administrative County. High Point = Haddenham Village. 39 metres.
Cornwall Historic County, split into:
Cornwall Administrative County. High Point = Brown Willy. 420 metres.
Isles of Scilly Administrative County. High Point = Higher Newford. 51 metres.
Hampshire Historic County, split into:
Hampshire Administrative County. High Point = Pilot Hill. 286 metres.
Isle of Wight Administrative County. High Point = St Boniface Down. 241 metres.
Lincolnshire Historic County, split into:
Parts of Lindsey Administrative County. High Point = Normanby Top. 168 metres.
Parts of Kesteven Administrative County. High Point = Viking Way. 151 metres.
Parts of Holland Administrative County. High Point = Pinchbeck Marsh. 8 metres.
London, previous parts of Middlesex, Essex and Surrey
County of London Administrative County. High Point = Hampstead Heath. 134 metres.
Northamptonshire Historic County, split into:
Northamptonshire Administrative County. High Point = Arbury Hill. 225 metres. (alternative is Big Hill - Staverton Clump)
Soke of Peterborough Administrative County. High Point = Racecourse Road. 81 metres. Also Peterborough UA High Point.
Suffolk Historic County, split into:
West Suffolk Administrative County. High Point = Great Wood. 128 metres.
East Suffolk Administrative County. High Point = Wattisham Airfield. 90 metres.
Sussex Historic County, split into:
West Sussex Administrative County. High Point = Black Down. 280 metres.
East Sussex Administrative County. High Point = Ditchling Beacon. 248 metres.
Yorkshire Historic County, split into:
North Riding Administrative County. High Point = Mickle Fell. 790 metres. Also the CC High Point of Durham
West Riding Administrative County. High Point = Whernside. 736 metres. Also the CC High Point of North Yorkshire
East Riding Administrative County. High Point = Bishop Wilton Wold (Garrowby Hill). 248 metres.
The City of York which remained independent from the three Ridings. UA = Stock Hill, 44 metres.
England’s Ceremonial County Tops
Ceremonial Counties area areas of England to which lord-lieutenants are appointed and defined by the Lieutenancies Act 1997. They are more commonly referred to as the Present Day counties. Many of the counties share the same name and geography as the Historic and Administrative Counties. Some of the “new” Administrative Counties such as East and West Suffolk remained while others Isle of Ely and Soke of Peterborough no longer exist as counties. Yorkshire was redivided again into 4 Ceremonial Counties vs the 3 Ridings of the Administrative Counties. More details on Ceremonial Counties.
Counties with the same name as an Historic or Administrative and have the same high point are not shown but are noted in the relevant sections above.
Gragareth. 628 metres or Green Hill. 628 metres. CC = Lancashire. HC = Lancashire (of which Old Man of Coniston is higher).
Shining Tor. 559 metres. CC = Cheshire. HC = Cheshire (of which Black Hill is higher). UA = Cheshire East.
High Stones. 550 metres. CC = South Yorkshire. AC = West Riding of Yorkshire (of which Whernside is higher). UA = Sheffield.
Black Chew Head. 542 metres. CC = Greater Manchester. AC = West Riding of Yorkshire (of which Whernside is higher). UA = Oldham.
Turners Hill. 271 metres. CC = West Midlands. HC = Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is higher). UA = Sandwell.
Whitehorse Hill. 261 metres. CC = Oxfordshire. HC = Berkshire (of which Walbury Hill is higher).
Currock Hill. 259 metres. CC =Tyne and Wear. HC = County Durham (of which Burnhope Seat is higher). UA = Gateshead.
Westerham Heights. 245 metres. CC = Greater London. HC = Kent (of which Betsom’s Hill is higher).
Billinge Hill. 179 metres. CC = Merseyside. HC = Lancashire (of which Old Man of Coniston is higher). UA = St. Helens.
Dundry Hill East. 160 metres. CC = Bristol. HC = Somerset (of which Dunkery Beacon is higher). UA = Bristol.
High Holborn. 22 metres. CC = City of London. HC = Middlesex (of which Bushey Heath is higher).
England’s Metropolitan Borough Tops
A Metropolitan Borough, created by the Local Government Act 1972, is a subdivision of a metropolitan Ceremonial County. These exclude the 32 Boroughs of Greater London (see here for details). Each borough is effectively a Unitary Authority. More details on Metropolitan Boroughs.
Merseyside Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 5 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Billinge Hill. 179 metres. St Helens.
Poll Hill. 108 metres. Wirral.
Knowsley Park. 97 metres. Knowsley.
Woolton Hill. 89 metres. Liverpool.
Melling Mount. 36 metres. Sefton.
Greater Manchester Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 10 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Black Chew Head. 542 metres. Oldham.
Hoarstone Edge. 497 metres. Tameside.
Blackstone Edge. 474 metres. Rochdale. Alternative is Hail Storm Hill-Southeast Slope
Winter Hill Boundary. 445 metres. Bolton.
Scholes Height and Bull Hill. 415 metres. Bury.
Mellor Moor. 327 metres. Stockport. Alternative is Robin Hood's Picking Rods
Billinge Hill North Top. 169 metres. Wigan.
Newcombe Drive, Greenheys. 116 metres. Salford.
Heaton Park. 108 metres. Manchester.
Green Walk (Bowdon). 67 metres. Trafford. Alternative is Devisdale.
South Yorkshire Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 4 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Howden Edge / High Stones. 550 metres. Sheffield.
Howden Edge / Hoar Stones. 514 metres. Barnsley.
Fir Hill / Harthill Field. 157 metres. Rotherham.
Foredoles Hill. 144 metres. Doncaster.
Tyne and Wear Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 5 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Currock Hill. 259 metres. Gateshead.
Warden Law. 182 metres. Sunderland.
Westerhope. 131 metres. Newcastle upon Tyne.
Silverlink Park. 94 metres. North Tyneside.
Boldon Hills. 90 metres. South Tyneside.
West Midlands Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 7 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Turners Hill. 271 metres. Sandwell.
Cawney Hill. 251 metres. Dudley.
Rednal Hill North Top. 250 metres. Birmingham.
Sedgley Beacon. 235 metres. Wolverhampton.
Barr Beacon. 227 metres. Walsall.
Meighs Wood. 185 metres. Solihull.
Corley Moor. 167 metres. Coventry.
West Yorkshire Metropolitan and Ceremonial County, split into 5 Metropolitan Boroughs:
Black Hill. 582 metres. Kirklees.
Waystone Edge. 480 metres. Calderdale.
Withins Height. 455 metres. Bradford.
Burley Moor. 340 metres. Leeds.
Woolley Edge. 176 metres. Wakefield.
England’s Non-Metropolitan County & Unitary Authority Tops
The list below shows the highest points of the Non-Metropolitan counties that were established following the Local Government Act 1972 and Unitary Authorities established following the Local Government Act 1992. More details on Non-Metropolitan Counties and Unitary Authorities.
Counties with the same name as an Historic, Administrative or Ceremonial County and have the same high point are not shown but are noted in the relevant sections above.
Winter Hill. 456 metres. Blackburn with Darwen: formerly part of the Historic County of Lancashire.
The Wrekin. 407 metres. Telford and Wrekin: formerly part of the Historic County of Shropshire.
Gisborough Hill. 328 metres. Redcar and Cleveland: formerly part of the Historic County of Yorkshire (AC = North Riding of).
Liddington Hill. 277 metres. Swindon: formerly part of the Historic County of Wiltshire.
Niver Hill. 264 metres. Bath and North East Somerset: formerly part of the Historic County of Somerset and the former Ceremonial County of Avon.
Meir Heath. 250 metres. Stoke-on-Trent: formerly part of the Historic County of Staffordshire.
Blagdon Hill Farm. 240 metres. North Somerset: formerly part of the Historic County of Somerset and the former Ceremonial County of Avon.
Hanging Hill. 237 metres. South Gloucestershire: formerly part of the Historic County of Gloucestershire and the former Ceremonial County of Avon.
Raw Head. 227 metres. Cheshire West and Chester: formerly part of the Historic County of Cheshire.
Dere Street. 218 metres. Darlington: formerly part of the Historic County of County Durham.
Beacon Hill. 196 metres. Torbay: formerly part of the Historic County of Devon.
Bullock Hill. 195 metres. Brighton and Hove: formerly part of the Historic County of Sussex. (AC = East Sussex).
Whitehill - Butterfield Green: 178 metres. Luton: formerly part of the Historic County of Bedfordshire.
Bow Brickhill. 171 metres. Milton Keynes: formerly part of the Historic County of Buckinghamshire.
Holly Hill. 170 metres. Medway (Towns): formerly part of the Historic County of Kent.
Woolwell Road. 162 metres. Plymouth: formerly part of the Historic County of Devon.
Mill Hill. 161 metres. North Northamptonshire: formerly part of the Historic County of Northamptonshire.
Ashley Hill. 144 metres. Windsor & Maidenhead: formerly part of the Historic County of Berkshire.
Whelly Hill. 142 metres. Hartlepool: formerly part of the Historic County of County Durham and the former Ceremonial County of Cleveland.
Bowsey Hill. 140 metres. Wokingham: formerly part of the Historic County of Berkshire.
Allestree Park. 135 metres. Derby (City): formerly part of the Historic County of Derbyshire.
Nottingham M1 Motorway. 130 metres. Nottingham: formerly part of the Historic County of Nottinghamshire.
Surrey Hill. 128 metres. Bracknell Forest: formerly part of the Historic County of Berkshire.
Fort Southwick. 122 metres. Portsmouth: formerly part of the Historic County of Hampshire.
Wold Newton. 117 metres. North East Lincolnshire: formerly part of the Historic County of Lincolnshire.
Langdon Hill-Southwest Slope. 115 metres. Thurrock: formerly part of the Historic County of Essex.
Nether Hall. 110 metres. Leicester (City): formerly part of the Historic County of Leicestershire.
The Slipe. 107 metres. Bedford (Borough): formerly part of the Historic County of Bedfordshire.
Appleton Park. 105 metres Warrington: formerly part of the Historic County of Cheshire.
Park Lane, Tilehurst. 103 metres. Reading: formerly part of the Historic County of Berkshire.
Saxby Wold. 102 metres. North Lincolnshire: formerly part of the Historic County of Lincolnshire.
Halton Castle. 100 metres. Halton: formerly part of the Historic County of Cheshire.
Quarry Hill. 100 metres. Middlesbrough: formerly part of the Historic County of Yorkshire (AC = North Riding of) and the former Ceremonial County of Cleveland.
Boy Hill. 82 metres. Stockton-on-Tees (alt): formerly part of the Historic County of County Durham and the former Ceremonial County of Cleveland.
Thorpe Larches. 82 metres. Stockton-on-Tees (alt): formerly part of the Historic County of County Durham and the former Ceremonial County of Cleveland.
Basset Avenue. 82 metres. Southampton: formerly part of the Historic County of Hampshire.
Corfe Hills. 78 metres. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: formerly part of the Historic County of Dorset.
Heath Mount. 60 metres. Southend-on-Sea (alt): formerly part of the Historic County of Essex.
London Road. 60 metres. Southend-on-Sea (alt): formerly part of the Historic County of Essex.
East Burnham Park. 51 metres. Slough: formerly part of the Historic County of Berkshire.
Stock Hill. 44 metres. York: formerly part of the Historic County of Yorkshire (AC = North Riding of).
Warbreck Reservoir. 30 metres. Blackpool: formerly part of the Historic County of Lancashire.
South Field. 12 metres. Kingston upon Hull: formerly part of the Historic County of Yorkshire (AC = East Riding of).
Defunct Counties
Herford and Worcester. Formerly parts of the Historic & Administrative Counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. High Point = Black Mountain. 703 metres.
Avon. Formerly parts of the Historic Counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset. High Point = Niver Hill. 264 metres.
Humberside. Formerly parts of the Administrative Counties of East Riding of Yorkshire, West Riding of Yorkshire, and Parts of Lindsey, (Lincolnshire). High Point = (to be verified) Bishop Wilton Wold (Garrowby Hill). 248 metres.
Cleveland. Formerly part of the Historic Counties of County Durham and Yorkshire (AC = North Riding of). High Point = Whelly Hill. 142 metres.
Huntingdon and Peterborough. Formerly the Administrative Counties of Huntingdonshire and Soke of Peterborough. High Point = Racecourse Road. 81 metres.
The Rapes of Sussex
The Rapes of Sussex were major land divisions of the county, thought to pre-date the Norman Conquest. More details here
Blackdown 280 metres. Rape of Chicester. Also Sussex HC and West Sussex CC High Points.
Ditchling Beacon. 248 metres. Rape of Lewes. Also East Sussex CC High Point.
Glatting Beacon. 245 metres. Rape of Arundel.
Crowborough Beacon. 242 metres. Rape of Pevensey.
Chanctonbury Ring. 240 metres. Rape of Bramber.
Brightling Down. 197 meters. Rape of Hastings.
More County Tops
