Middlesex

Middlesex, historic county of southeastern England, incorporating central London north of the River Thames and surrounding areas to the north and west. Most of Middlesex, for administrative purposes, became part of Greater London in 1965.

The River Thames was the key to the history of Middlesex. From about 8000 bce traders and settlers used the Thames as their waterway. During the Iron Age (c. 500 bce) settlements existed at Brentford and Heathrow. By the 1st century bce Belgic tribes had established themselves in southeastern England, and Middlesex formed part of the Catuvellauni territory. The Romans set up outposts at what became Staines and Brentford. In the early 5th century ce the Saxons began to colonize the area. Positioned as it was between the East and West Saxons, the region soon obtained its modern name (meaning “middle Saxons”); the earliest written record of it is in the form Middelseaxan, in a charter of 704.

From early times Middlesex was dominated by the City of London, which in the 12th century obtained the right of appointing the sheriff of the county. It was for centuries the county retreat of royalty and wealthy London merchants. The most outstanding building is the royal palace of Hampton Court; other mansions include Osterley, Syon, and Swakeleys. During early modern times, the urban area of London expanded beyond the boundaries of the City of London into parts of Middlesex such as the present-day London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Camden, and Islington. By the late 19th century, London had grown to encompass all of southeastern Middlesex.

In 1888 the new County of London assumed the administration of 50 square miles (130 square km) of Middlesex, with 2.5 million inhabitants, and the new administrative county of Middlesex governed the remaining area. The administrative county acquired its own sheriff, and the site of its traditional courthouse in Parliament Square, Westminster, was deemed still in the county of Middlesex for the purpose of holding sessions of the peace.

During the early 20th century, suburban London expanded to cover most of Middlesex. A new metropolitan county, Greater London, established (April 1, 1965) under the 1963 London Government Act incorporated most of the area of Middlesex, along with parts of neighbouring counties. Outer London boroughs created wholly or in part from former Middlesex authorities include Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing, Brent, Harrow, Haringey, Enfield, Richmond upon Thames, and Barnet. The inner London boroughs of Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, and the City of London also lie within the boundaries of the historic county of Middlesex. While most of Middlesex lies in the metropolitan county of Greater London, the urban districts of Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames lie within the administrative county of Surrey, and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire. Under the Administration of Justice Act (1964) the Middlesex area of London was deemed a county for purposes of law. The name Middlesex continues to be used for postal districts and in the names of many county institutions and organizations.