Hexhamshire
Hexhamshire was a county of northern England. The county probably originated as one of the districts of the Kingdom of Northumbria, the town of Hexham then being the seat of a bishopric. It later lost its privileges, and became considered part of County Durham. In the early 1100s, Henry I of England decided to weaken the power of the prince bishops of Durham by removing parts of their realm. In doing so, he elevated Hexhamshire to county status, with Hexham as its county town. Hexhamshire remained a county until 1572, when it was incorporated into Northumberland. At the same time, the district was transferred from the see of Durham to the see of York, where it remained until 1837. Hexhamshire is still used to refer to the parishes of Hexham, Allendale and St John Lee.
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