Controversy Over Proposed Merger Threatens Rutland County's Identity

The row over Rutland: can England’s smallest county survive?

Its council is due to merge with Leicestershire’s in 2028, and some locals are incensed. Can the county hold on to its ceremonial status – and biggest selling point? Mysterious disappearances have been taking place lately in Rutland, an East Midlands pocket between Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire that is often considered to be England’s smallest county. Usually, there are road signs when driving into a new county welcoming you over the border. But in recent months, these hav...

By Lucy Knight