Association of British Counties (ABC)

The Royal Mail (see Sherds, p.64) no longer regards county names as part of your postal address, a fact that the Association of British Counties – set up ‘to promote awareness of the continuing importance of the 92 historic (or traditional) counties of the United Kingdom’ – regards as a matter of regret: hence they advocate the continued use of historic county names within postal addresses ‘as a simple but effective way of expressing pride and affection for one’s county’. So do carry on using Rutland, Banffshire, or Radnorshire on your letterhead if it pleases you. The ABC believes that the historic counties are an important part of our national heritage, a geographical fram