 Bristol is both a city and a county, since Edward III granted it a county charter in 1373. The county was expanded in 1835 to include suburbs such as Clifton, and it was named a county borough in 1889 when that designation was introduced. On 1 April 1974, Bristol became a local government district of the county of Avon. The city regained its independence and county status on 1 April 1996, when Avon was abolished and Bristol became a unitary authority.
