Three Counties

The Three Counties of England are traditionally the three agrarian counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Including towns and cities such as Worcester, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford, Leominster, Stourbridge and Kidderminster, they extend from the southern boundaries of Birmingham in the north to Bristol in the south. Traditionally rugby union and cricket playing areas, there is a Three Counties Showground situated in the Worcestershire town of Malvern that holds an annual Show, and the area is also referred to in the names of local businesses and in the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association - the popular apple and pear derived alcoholic beverages some of the finest of which are made in this area.

The Three Choirs Festival is a classical music event held each August in one of the three county towns. It often features music by local composer Edward Elgar.

The expression is sometimes used for other groups of three counties as in BBC Three Counties Radio which refers to Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

External links

* [http://www.threecounties.co.uk Three Counties Showground]
* [http://www.3choirs.org Three Choirs Festival]