Leicestershire: History
The Domesday Book (1086) records four wapentakes in the territory of Leicestershire: Guthlaxton, Framland, Goscote and Gartree. These later became hundreds, with the division of Goscote into West Goscote and East Goscote, and the addition of Sparkenhoe hundred. The first recorded use of the county name occurs in 1087 as Lægrecastrescir.
Leicestershire's external boundaries have changed little since the Domesday Survey. The Measham-Donisthorpe exclave of Derbyshire has been exchanged for the Netherseal area, and the urban expansion of Market Harborough has caused Little Bowden, previously in Northamptonshire to be annexed. Until 1969, the county's legal name was "Leicester" rather than "Leicestershire", although the latter form was in common usage. In legal contexts the county was usually referred to as the "County of Leicester" where necessary to distinguish between the city and the county. In 1969 the government formally changed the county's name to "Leicestershire" at the county council's request.
In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the county borough status of Leicester city and the county status of neighbouring Rutland, converting both to administrative districts of Leicestershire. These actions were reversed on 1 April 1997, when Rutland and the City of Leicester became unitary authorities. Rutland became a distinct Ceremonial County once again, although it continues to be policed by Leicestershire Constabulary.
The symbol of the county council, of the Leicestershire County Cricket Club and of Leicester City FC is a fox. Tradition regards Leicestershire as the birthplace of fox hunting as it is known today. Hugo Meynell (1735-1808), who lived in Quorn, has a reputation as the "father of modern fox-hunting".
Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough have associations with fox hunting, as has neighbouring Rutland.
The flag of Leicestershire features a fox under an heraldic cinquefoil — both symbols often associated with Leicestershire. The flag design, made official in July 2021, was the last one registered for an historic county of England.