Three towns win city status for Diamond Jubilee - BBC News BBC News Three towns win city status for Diamond Jubilee 14 March 2012 Close share panel Image caption St Asaph's Cathedral building dates to the 13th Century Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph are to gain 'city status' to mark this year's Diamond Jubilee. The towns beat off competition from 22 others across the UK to win the "civic honours" accolade. The awards were granted by The Queen under the royal prerogative, following advice from ministers. Events to mark The Queen's 60 years on the throne began last month and come to a head with four days of celebration in the first weekend of June. The grant of city status is purely honorific and confers no additional powers, functions or funding. Local authorities were invited last year to submit bids for their towns to take on city status in a process overseen by the deputy prime minister's office. The winners are Chelmsford in Essex, Perth in Perthshire and St Asaph in Denbighshire.

'High quality' Only one title was expected to be awarded but the government said the awards to towns in England, Scotland and Wales were made "in recognition of the significance of every part of the UK" in Jubilee year, as well as the "high quality" of the bids submitted. Chelmsford, home to Essex County cricket team and Anglia Ruskin University, is one of the fast-growing towns in the south-east of England. The leader of Chelmsford Council, Roy Whitehead, said he was delighted with the announcement, which he called a "tremendous honour". I hope the competition has given the residents of all the places which applied a sense of civic pride Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister Perth, on the banks of the River Tay, is one of Scotland's largest towns and will become the country's seventh city. Pete Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, said the award was "fantastic news". St Asaph, which has a population of about 3,500, will become one of the smallest cities in the UK.

It is one of the few towns in the UK with a cathedral never to have had city status and it also played an important role in the history of the Welsh language. The priest who translated the bible into Welsh, William Morgan, later became the bishop of St Asaph. In recent times, it is more popularly known as the birthplace of Liverpool striker Ian Rush. The current Bishop of St Asaph, Rt Rev Dr Gregory Cameron, said he was pleased "these decisions are made not on the size of the population but on the quality of community life". St Asaph was chosen ahead of Wrexham, a much larger town in north Wales. The other unsuccessful towns which entered the 2012 contest were: Bolton, Bournemouth, Colchester, Coleraine, Corby, Craigavon, Croydon, Doncaster, Dorchester, Dudley, Gateshead, Goole, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Reading, Southend, St Austell, Stockport and Tower Hamlets. 'Civic pride' Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the three towns had won out from an "exceptional" field of entrants.

"I have been moved by the pride and passion which people have shown in putting their nominations forward," he said. "The standard of application was very high and those who missed out should not be downhearted. I hope the competition has given the residents of all the places which applied a sense of civic pride, of collective ownership and community spirit." There are currently 66 cities in the UK. City status is rarely granted, with only 14 new cities created during the 20th century. In the last contest - held in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee - Preston, Newry, Lisburn and Newport were among the winners. In 2000, Brighton and Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton were given the status to mark the new millennium. The government also announced on Wednesday that the right to use the title of Lord Mayor will be bestowed on the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. It was chosen ahead of 11 other cities. Three towns become cities to mark jubilee – Channel 4 News Share on Twitter The towns in England, Scotland and Wales were chosen from a shortlist of 25.

Armagh, which is already a city, has been granted a lord mayoralty. It is now the only place in Northern Ireland outside Belfast to have a lord mayor. The awards were made by the Queen on the advice of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg following a competition launched in December 2010. He said: “Across the United Kingdom, I have been moved by the pride and passion which people have shown in putting their nominations forward. The standard of application was very high, and those who missed out should not be downhearted. I hope the competition has given the residents of all of the places which applied a sense of civic pride, of collective ownership and of community spirit.” Across the UK, St Asaph is the least well known of the four places, outside Wales anyway, so let us start here. St Asaph St Asaph, in Denbighshire, has a population of just 3,400, but manages to attract 800,000 visitors a year. Most of these visitors stay for less than a day, which is just as well as there are not many hotels.

St Asaph is home to the North Wales International Music Festival, founded by William Mathias, the composer who wrote an anthem for the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Musicians perform in the cathedral, where the acoustics are said to be bettter than in Sydney Opera House. It is not the smallest city in Britain; St Davids, in Pembrokeshire, is home to just over 1,700 people. St Asaph has always been known, both locally and nationally, as a city, but there is no record of city status ever being granted. It does boast an historic cathedral, founded in the 6th century – the smallest ancient cathedral in Britain. Fluent Welsh speakers make up 30 per cent of the population – in line with the national average. William Morgan, Bishop of St Asaph at the beginning of the 17th century, translated the Bible into Welsh – an act regarded as a milestone in the history of the Welsh language. The journalist Henry Morton (HM) Stanley, who found Dr Livingstone in Tanzania in 1871, was raised in the workhouse in St Asaph, which is now a hospital.

In 1961, Ian Rush, one of the greatest strikers in the British game, was born in this hospital. He scored a record 229 goals for Liverpool during the club’s heyday in the 1980s and 1990s. He also spent time at the Italian club Juventus, where he found it hard to settle. Legend had it that he once said that being there was “like living in a foreign country”. He played along with this for years until finally revealing in 2008 that the quote had been made up. Lisa Scott-Lee, from the pop group Steps, was born in St Asaph in 1975. Perth Perth, which has a population of 50,000 and a 19th century cathedral, was considered to be a city until 1975, when this status was officially taken away as part of the re-organisation of Scottish local government. This has not stopped the people there continuing to call it a city and the signs pointing towards the “city centre”. Despite 1975, Perth’s enthusiasm for the phrase “the fair city” has not waned.

Scotland’s early monarchs frequently lived in Perth Castle and they were crowned on the Stone of Destiny outside Scone Abbey. Perth was the capital of Scotland from the 9th century until 1437, when King James I was murdered at Blackfriars convent. After the death, the royal household moved to Edinburgh, which was officially recognised as the capital in 1452. Perth remained Scotland’s second city until 1975. It is home to the Black Watch, one of Britain’s most famous army regiments which was formed in the 18th century. It is also synonymous with Famous Grouse whisky and Highland Spring mineral water. The city’s most famous sons and daughters include Sir Patrick Geddes, the biologist and sociologist who coined the phrase, “think global, act local”; John Buchan, author of The 39 Steps; and Tanya Ewing, the inventor who created the Ewgeco device for monitoring energy consumption in homes and businesses. Chelmsford Chelmsford has been the county town of Essex since 1250 and competed with nearby Colchester for city status.

The borough of Chelmsford has a population of 168,000 and houses the second smallest cathedral in England. It was a Roman settlement called Caesaromagus, meaning “market place of Ceasar”. In 1381, it briefly became the seat of national government during the Peasants’ Revolt. In 1899, Guglielmo Marconi opened the world’s first radio company in Chelmsford, opening the way for the first entertainment broadcast in 1920. Hylands House became the headquarters of the newly-formed SAS during the Second World War. Due to its closeness to London, it will host the Olympic torch relay evening celebration in July, three weeks before the Games begin. Some 170,000 music fans make their way every summer to the V Festival in Hylands Park. Essex County Cricket Club, whose players include England internationals Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara, is based at the county ground in Chelmsford. Armagh Armagh was granted city status in 1994. It has a population of 14,590, making it the least populated city in Northern Ireland.

It has two cathedrals, one Roman Catholic, the other Church of Ireland (Protestant). Both are called St Patrick’s, but apparently there is no evidence of people turning up at the wrong place for weddings and christenings. Armagh is the oldest city in Ireland, founded by Saint Patrick in the 5th century after converting the local chieftain at Navan Fort to Christianity. Missionaries based in Armagh travelled the world to spread their Christian message, and the city became a centre of learning, giving Ireland a reputation as a land of saints and scholars during the dark ages. Brian Boru, the last High King of all-Ireland, is buried on the site of the current Saint Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. Apple-growing in Armagh dates back 3,000 years and the area is known as “the Orchard County” and the “Orchard of Ireland”. Local boy Tommy Makem is credited with making the folk music of Armagh popular among Irish Americans. Three UK towns to be made cities following nationwide competition - Wikinews, the free news source Three UK towns to be made cities following nationwide competition From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!

Location of the United Kingdom Collaborate! Thursday, March 15, 2012 St Asaph, with a population of 3,400, was a surprise winner Three towns in the United Kingdom are to become cities after winning a nationwide competition held to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II 's Diamond Jubilee. Chelmsford in Essex , Perth in Scotland , and St Asaph in North Wales were selected as the three victors of the competition, whose bidding process began in November 2010. The city of Armagh in Northern Ireland was granted a lord mayoralty. Across the country, 26 towns in total applied for the honours, which are very rarely granted. The Queen chose winners based on advice from deputy prime minister Nick Clegg . "Across the United Kingdom, I have been moved by the pride and passion which people have shown in putting their nominations forward," he said. He added: "The standard of application was very high, and those who missed out should not be downhearted.

I hope the competition has given the residents of all of the places which applied a sense of civic pride, of collective ownership and of community spirit." St Asaph, a town of only 3,400 residents, won on their third attempt. Although considered a city for centuries thanks to its cathedral, laws drafted in the 20th century saw the township legally demoted from this status. The surprise victory makes it the second-smallest city in the UK behind St Davids , also Welsh. "It is a deserved reward for a diamond of a community within the Big Society, a place which has always punched above its weight in leading north-east Wales in commerce, culture and welfare," the town's council said in a statement. Perth becomes Scotland's seventh city with the honour, which Perth & Kinross provost Dr John Hulbert claimed was "long overdue". "I am delighted that official city status has been restored to Perth. Everyone in the council shares my excitement at the prospect of a glorious new chapter in Perth's long history," he said. He added: "Full restoration of its ancient dignity is long overdue.

This decision reflects the fact that Perth is at the forefront of Scottish life: a modern, dynamic, international city, offering unrivalled business, artistic, educational, cultural and sporting opportunities to its citizens and visitors." Chelmsford will become the only city located in the county of Essex Chelmsford will become the first city in the English county of Essex. It has been Essex's county town since 1218, and currently has a population of around 160,000 residents. One of the fastest-growing towns in the south-east of the country, it holds a Grade I listed cathedral. Chelmsford Museums manager Nick Wickenden said: "If you look historically at the development of Chelmsford, getting city status is the next logical step. We have been the communications centre of the county since the 13th Century. And now it will forever be associated with the Jubilee year when people look back on the events of the Queen's Jubilee." Among the rejected towns were Milton Keynes , Luton and Reading , despite all having populations higher than those of the successful candidates.

The council leader of Medway , a failed bidding town in the county of Kent , spoke of his town's growth over the past few years. Rodney Chambers said: "Our bid has helped to raise our profile and show people how much this area has to offer. We know that Medway's journey continues, and it is definitely heading in the right direction." Have an opinion on this story? Share it! Sources Ordnance Survey Blog Celebrating the Diamond Jubilee cities - Ordnance Survey Blog 29 May 2012 If you attended one of our open data masterclasses recently, you could have been in one of the newest cities in the UK. St Asaph in Denbighshire, Wales, was one of three towns given city status to mark this year’s Diamond Jubilee – and was host to one of our masterclasses. With a population of just 3,500, St Asaph becomes one of the smallest cities in the UK (St Davids is the smallest with a population of around 1,700). Until this year, it was also one of the few British towns with a cathedral that didn’t have city status.

Two other towns also achieved city status this year – Perth, Perthshire and Chelmsford in Essex. Interestingly, Perth was a city until 1975 when their status was removed following a re-jig of Scottish local government. Their city status will be restored this year – although it is unlikely to recover the status lost in 1437 – until which time Perth was the capital of Scotland. All three diamond jubilee cities boast cathedrals – and Chelmsford’s is the second smallest in England. The new city also has the largest population of the three – with over 165,000 people living in the borough of Chelmsford. It’s a common misconception in the UK that any town with a cathedral is automatically a city. Neither having a cathedral nor population size dictate city status in the UK; a town must be granted city status by the British monarch at the time. These three will bring the total number of UK cities to 69. City status is rarely granted – just 14 new cities were created in the 20th century.

So far this century, we’ve seen Brighton and Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton given city status to mark the millennium; and the Golden Jubilee in 2002 was marked by awarding city status to Preston, Newry, Lisburn and Newport. Click on the image to view an interactive map of British cities To mark the occasions, we’ve added the cities in Great Britain, as we’re the national mapping agency for Great Britain, onto our OS OpenSpace map. You can see the full interactive map via our website . You can see the full list of cities on the UK cities website . Did You Know? - Scotland's Cities Did You Know? - Scotland's Cities Background In many parts of the world "city" is applied to any large or important town - or can even be applied to small locations where the founders had big aspirations! In Scotland (and in the rest of the UK) a city used to be defined as somewhere that had a diocesan cathedral (headed by a bishop). In the 19th century, a number of large towns were given a royal charter, which gave them additional honorific status and so the title was strenuously sought.

In the four largest cities in Scotland, the most senior elected local government official is designated as "Lord Provost" instead of just provost (equivalent of mayor in England). For over 100 years, no further city charters were allocated in Scotland, although in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 14 towns were upgraded in the 20th century, most recently Armagh and St David's in 1994 and Sunderland in 1992. Then, to mark the Millennium, followed by the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, two Scottish towns (Stirling and Inverness) were awarded "city" status after competing with a number of other locations. Prior to the creation of cities, a number of towns had been awarded the status of a "Royal Burgh", usually granted by a charter from the king. Many of the very earliest royal burghs were created by King David I (1124-1153). This gave the people who lived there certain rights and responsibilities. Many were sea ports and burgh status gave the "burgesses" (people of status who lived in the burgh) the right to own land and trade abroad.

Nearly all the royal burghs sent a representative to the Scottish parliament and by 1707 (when the parliament was merged with the one in London) there were 70 royal burghs. Strictly speaking, burghs in Scotland were abolished in 1975 a result of local government reorganisation, but the term remains in common usage. Below, you will find brief details of all of Scotland's present cities (and a few towns that are often referred to as cities or aspire to the title, but have never been given official recognition). Edinburgh Although the volcanic rock on which Edinburgh Castle stands and the nearby Arthur's Seat were defensive strongholds from the earliest times, Edinburgh did not crop up very often in Scottish history until the reign of Malcolm III (1058-1093) when he who built a fortress on the site of the present castle. King Robert Bruce granted Edinburgh a charter in 1329 but it did not become the national capital until 1437, following the murder of King James I at Perth, which had been the capital up to that point (though Stirling and even Forfar had been the base for government).

Prior to that date, however, Edinburgh had been the usual residence of the king. In 1603 King James VI of Scotland acceded to the English throne and promptly moved to the "bright lights" of London. In 1633 Edinburgh was again officially recognised as the capital of Scotland - after all, the Scottish Parliament continued to sit and legislate there until 1707 when the Union of the Scottish and English Parliaments took place. Geographically, Edinburgh has expanded greatly since the days of the old walled city and now covers an area of about 260 square kilometres (100 square miles). As a result, the population is now around 400,000. Glasgow Legend has it that St Mungo founded Glasgow in 543AD when he established a church on the banks of the Molendinar Burn (a tributary of the river Clyde). As it was near a crossing point on the Clyde and the river became an important artery, Glasgow grew in importance. William the Lionheart gave the town an official charter in 1175. A university was established in Glasgow in 1451, the second in Scotland after St Andrews.

A charter as a royal burgh was granted in 1454. Glasgow cathedral became an archbishopric, and hence city status, in 1492. By the second half of the 19th century, Glasgow had a population of 800,000 and became known as the "Second City of the Empire". By 1931, the population had peaked at 1.13 million. As its heavy industries declined and as many residents moved to more salubrious surroundings in the suburbs, outside the city boundary, the population declined and is currently around 600,000. Unlike Edinburgh, Glasgow has not expanded its boundaries over the years - those living on its outskirts have resisted such moves. Aberdeen Often referred to as the "Granite City" or "Silver City" because of the large number of buildings made out of this hard, sparkling, local stone, Aberdeen is located in the north-east of Scotland, on the North Sea coast, between the River Don, to the north, and the River Dee, two miles to the south.

William the Lion granted Aberdeen a charter as a royal burgh in 1179 and from the wording it appears that Aberdeen was already a Royal Burgh and trading community of some importance. According to tradition, the people of Aberdeen helped Robert the Bruce in 1306 by entering the castle and killing the English defenders. Later the town's motto became "Bon Accord", which was the password on the night the castle was taken. Robert the Bruce transformed Aberdeen into a property-owning and financially independent community in 1319 when he granted the "Great Charter". Further royal charters granting burgh status were granted in 1489 and 1498. The present city was incorporated in 1891 when the two ancient burghs of Old and New Aberdeen, which for centuries had been legally separate, were united. Aberdeen's current population is around 200,000, many of them involved in the North Sea oil industry.

Dundee King William the Lion made Dundee, at the mouth of the river Tay on the east coast, a Royal Burgh in the twelfth century and its ancient rights were re-established by a Charter of King Robert the Bruce in 1327. The Great Charter of Charles I, dated 14th September 1641, finally confirmed these rights. The Burgh of Dundee was constituted a "City" by Royal Charter on 26 January 1889, the title of "Lord Provost of the City of Dundee" following a few years later. Dundee's population is 143,000. Many of its old industries have declined (from whaling in the 19th century to the post-war decline of jute manufacture) but Dundee is trying to reposition itself as the "City of Discovery". Inverness Located at the mouth of the river Ness before it flows into the Moray Firth, Inverness is sometimes referred to as the "Capital of the Highlands".

This is not just because the Royal Court of the Pictish King Brude (or Bridei) was here in the 6th century, but also because it has long been the social and cultural capital of the Highlands. Inverness was awarded its charter as a Royal Burgh in 1158 by King David of Scotland. But it took the Millennium celebrations in 2000 before the burgh competed with other locations to be awarded the status of "city" by the Queen in 2001 (along with Brighton and Wolverhampton in England). Even before this event, Inverness had been an expanding and vibrant city but being able to refer to itself as the "City of Inverness" seems to have kick-started another growth spurt. Its population is around 42,000 but, unlike many other parts of Scotland, the numbers living and working in the city are rising. There used to be a Royal Burgh coat of arms for the Inverness which incorporated a camel and an elephant (a reminder of its foreign trade links) but it lost that with the formation of the Highland Council, covering a large part of the north of Scotland.

But to qualify for a coat of arms as a city, it must have its own local authority (as is the case with the other - much larger - cities). Undaunted, the Lord Lyon who administers all matters to do with coats of arms, is to be asked to provide special dispensation. Stirling There had been a gap of over 100 years between awarding "city" status to Dundee and then Inverness, but a year after that accolade, Queen Elizabeth II marked her Golden Jubilee on the throne by officially declaring Stirling (population 39,000) to be Scotland's newest city on 24th May 2002. Ayr (population 45,0000), Paisley (80,000 Paisley "Buddies") failed (this time?) in their bid. Three main factors were taken into account when assessing the bids - notable features (including significance regionally or nationally), historical (including Royal) features and a forward-looking attitude. Like a good number of other locations, Stirling had been an ancient capital of Scotland (Robert the Bruce held a parliament there in 1326).

Stirling's location at the lowest crossing point (until the 20th century) of the river Forth meant that it had a strategic importance. Having a royal castle (on top of a volcanic plug, as in the case of Edinburgh) strengthened that role. While this led to economic growth for Stirling, it also meant that it was a target of English invasions. Wallace's defeat of the English at Stirling Bridge and Robert the Bruce's victory over King Edward II at nearby Bannockburn bear witness to that. Perth Often called the "Fair City of Perth" this royal burgh (a status granted by King William the Lionheart in 1210 - and celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2010) was often referred as a city, though it lacked official recognition after a local government reorganisation in 1975 when the definition of a city was re-examined and a list of approved cities omitted Perth. It was therefore considered to be a "former city", like Brechin and Elgin.

However, it is claimed that Perth (currently with a population of 43,450) has been recognised as a city since 1600 when King James VI bestowed a so called "Golden Charter". In more recent times, 19th century official documents such as the Acts of the UK Parliament which were given Royal Assent have also constantly referred to Perth as a city. It was a capital of Scotland for a spell in the 13th and early 14th centuries. For reasons of status, Perth has been agitating to formally become recognised as a city (road-signs around the borders state "The City of Perth", and directional signs within indicate "City Centre". The campaign proved to be successful in March 2012 when, as part of Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee celebrations, Perth was one of three cities awarded that status. The others were St Asaph in Wales (admittedly it has a cathedral but a population of under 3,500) and Chelmsford in England (32 miles / 51 kilometres northeast of central London) were the other winners of the contest for city status.

Aspiring "Cities" Here is a selection of towns that are either often referred to as "City" without being officially recognised or those that aspire to the status. Brechin Brechin in Angus qualified under the old definition of a "city" because it had a cathedral within its boundary. These days it is the Brechin City football (soccer) club which perpetuates the name of this town, which has a population of under 8,000. Paisley The only "City of Paisley" is in Oregon, USA. Despite its size (population of Paisley in Scotland is 80,000) and having a magnificent abbey, a centre of local government in the area and a university, it has failed to be awarded the status of a modern city in Scotland. Paisley has perhaps suffered from its close proximity to Glasgow, though the "Paisley Buddies" would never agree that the town has been overshadowed by its larger neighbour. Ayr Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, born in nearby Alloway, was full of praise for "Auld Ayr, wham ne�er a town surpasses, for honest men and bonnie lassies".

The town has a long history, too, with its "Low Green" designated as a public open space by William the Lion in around 1205, shortly after granting it Royal Burgh status. But that has not been enough to gain the title of city for this Clyde coastal town with a population of 48,000. Like Paisley, Ayr put its name forward in both the Millennium and Queen's Golden Jubilee. Elgin Elgin claims that it was granted city status during the reign of King David I in the 12th century and has described itself as such ever since. Others argue that King David only raised the town to that of a "royal burgh" and not a city. The community council in Elgin describes their location as "City and Royal Burgh of Elgin" and Moray Council support the campaign for official recognition. And the local football (soccer) team, formed in 1893, is Elgin City. Cathedral "Cities" It has been argued that the original definition of a "city", namely that it has a cathedral, should be revived.

If that unlikely claim should be upheld, Elgin, Dunfermline, Brechin, St Andrews, Kirkwall, Dunblane and the villages of Dunkeld, Fortrose, Dornoch and Whithorn would all be recognised. Of course, what these locations are really looking for, apart from prestige, is a share in the funds allocated by the Scottish Executive as a "city growth fund". Use the "Back" button on your browser or click here to return to the Index of "Did You Know?" Where else would you like to go in Scotland? Links Pages Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city - BBC News BBC News Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city 15 March 2012 Close share panel Image caption Perth's city status was removed in 1975 during local government reform Perth will become Scotland's seventh city after winning a UK competition marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The town based its bid on Perth's long history as a city. The status was removed in 1975 as part of a local government shake-up. Perth was one of 25 towns across the UK which applied for the civic honour in the jubilee competition.

Two other UK towns, Chelmsford in England and St Asaph in Wales, will also become cities. Before the announcement there were 66 cities in the UK - 50 in England, five in Wales, six in Scotland and five in Northern Ireland. Scotland's other cities are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. Dr John Hulbert, provost of Perth and Kinross Council, said: "I am delighted that official city status has been restored to Perth. Everyone in the council shares my excitement at the prospect of a glorious new chapter in Perth's long history. Analysis By James CookScotland Correspondent, BBC News On the banks of the bubbling River Tay they are celebrating the righting of a wrong. Perth was stripped of city status in 1975 but it never dropped the sobriquet, The Fair City, defiantly proclaiming it on road signs and shopfronts. The Provost of Perth and Kinross, Dr John Hulbert, says the decision "has been resented in Perth all that time, 37 years".

It is a place with a rich and romantic history, Scotland's capital until 1437, home to monarchs, with a cathedral, a court and a nearby palace. Now locals hope the restoration of city status will bring investment and help Perth escape the shadow of Dundee. Strolling along the riverbank on Tay Street, retired teacher Paul Breslin and his wife Clair are thrilled. "I'm absolutely delighted." says Mrs Breslin, "I think it's richly deserved." "Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful." agrees her husband, who sums up the feelings of many here when he says: "I think Perth is a city, always has been a city and I think it's only right that it should be reinstated as a city." @BBCJamesCook on Twitter "The City and Royal Burgh of Perth was the capital of Scotland from the 9th Century until 1437, and then officially the second city of Scotland until 1975. "Even although city status was summarily removed when local government was reorganised, Perth has continued to be known as the 'Fair City'.

Full restoration of its ancient dignity is long overdue." Local MSPs and MPs also welcomed the announcement that Perth had been one of the three towns to win the competition. Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart praised the success of a "brilliant campaign". "This is fantastic news for the fair city. Perth and the whole community will be celebrating news that we have regained our city status," he said. "It is great to have secured this official recognition from the Queen as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations - Perth is a jewel in the crown." And the Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, Murdo Fraser, said Perth's new status would benefit the whole of Perth and Kinross. He said: "It is welcome news for the whole of Scotland that Perth has gained city status. "Perth can rightly call itself the City of Perth and it has a bright future as one of Scotland's seven cities." Golden charter Perth and Kinross Council made a 50-page submission to the UK government, detailing Perth's ambition to be a "truly dynamic international city", with messages of support from First Minister Alex Salmond and other prominent leaders in Scotland.

Perth, which celebrated its 800th anniversary last year, was an "ecclesiastical city" because it had a cathedral but was legally considered a town. Perth and Kinross Council launched a claim for formal city status in 2005 after a search of its archives uncovered the "Golden Charter" of 1600 to back its claim. City status is a reserved matter and is granted by the Queen under royal prerogative on advice from ministers. Living in Chelmsford: area guide to homes, schools and transport | Homes and Property Back Issues Follow us: We use cookies to enhance your visit to our site and to bring you advertisements that might interest you. Read our Privacy and Cookie Policies to find out more. Living in Chelmsford: area guide to homes, schools and transport A £7 million retail revamp and thousands of new homes are putting this Essex city firmly on the commuter map.

Wednesday 13 August 2014 09:15 BST Average costs: buying and renting 1 Flat £145,000 or £648 a month 2 Flat £201,000 or £892 a month 3 House £370,000 or £1,074 a month 4 House £532,000 or £1,514 a month Nearest stations Schools Awarded city status and with its lovely parish church, St Mary the Virgin, now a cathedral, the Essex town of Chelmsford’s recognition in 2012 as a major employment and commuter destination appears to have put a lasting spring in its step. John Lewis is set to open in 2016, in a new city centre shopping area that will include a public square overlooking the River Can, while 3,600 new homes are planned around Beaulieu Park on the north-eastern edge of town, where there will also be a new train station.

There are new city centre flats around the existing Chelmsford station, along the river and at the Essex County Cricket Club ground, while opposite the station the redevelopment of the former Anglia Ruskin University campus is opening new walkways to the High Street. Chelmsford sits north-east of London close to the A12, the old Roman road from London to Colchester, and is roughly halfway — 35 miles — between the two. Nearby Writtle Village has scenic river views and picturesque period properties Property for sale in Chelmsford The city centre has mainly Victorian and Edwardian homes of varying sizes. A detached Victorian or Edwardian house in the best areas now easily tops £1 million, while a semi-detached house will cost between £650,000 and £750,000. In the popular Moulsham area of the city centre, smaller Victorian terrace houses go for £300,000-£400,000. Chelmsford has been expanding since the Seventies, with new settlements on the periphery such as Chelmer Village, Chancellor Park and Beaulieu Park.

Houses in Beaulieu Park, the most popular of these three areas, can command £1 million. There are period houses to be had in Chelmsford’s surrounding villages of Writtle, Danbury, Little Baddow and Galleywood. The sought-after area of Moulsham, where smaller Victorian terrace houses start from £300,000. There is also a good selection of pubs and food haunts Property to rent in Chelmsford One-bedroom flats near the station are popular with London commuters. This one-bedroom flat in Marconi Plaza next to the station is available to rent for £775 a month. Out in the surrounding countryside there are period homes to rent; this six-bedroom barn conversion in Great Waltham is available to rent for £3,700 a month.“Buy-to-let” investors prefer city centre flats where the yield is over five per cent. Best roads: New London Road, Springfield Road and Bromfield Road. Postcodes: CM1 covers Chelmsford and Writtle; CM2 the rest of Chelmsford; CM3 is a large postcode covering an area east of the town centre including Boreham.

Travel: Chelmsford sits close to the A12 between Colchester and London with access to the M25. Trains into Liverpool Street take 32-40 minutes and an annual season ticket is £3,640. The area attracts: the two grammar schools are a big draw — families are increasingly looking for city centre houses within walking distance of the schools, the high street and the station. House prices in the centre of Chelmsford are only slightly above the autumn 2007 peak, so families moving in from Hackney, for example, are getting a lot more for their money in Chelmsford. Up and coming: the planned new railway station at Boreham will increase the attractiveness of Beaulieu Park and the north-eastern corner of Chelmsford. Nearby Shenfield is also going to benefit from the arrival of Crossrail, which from 2019 will give commuters easy access to the West End with a 45-minute journey to Tottenham Court Road. Staying power: some families make one last move to the Suffolk or Norfolk countryside once their children have left for university. Council: Chelmsford district council is Tory controlled.

Band D council tax in the city is £1,488.06. Shops and restaurants Busy Chelmsford High Street has a Debenhams and The Meadows and High Chelmer shopping centres. There is a Friday and Saturday outdoor market along the High Street and a covered market with more than 80 stalls. Lower and mid-market brands predominate with branches of Primark, New Look, River Island and Topshop. The planned £7 million upgrade of the shopping street is much needed. It is looking tired, and there has been little improvement since it was pedestrianised in 1991. The Co-operative retail movement is still strong here, and Chelmsford Star Co-op owns the Quadrant department store. There are independent shops off the main street, in Baddow Road where the Zagger boutiques cater for the label-conscious, and in Moulsham Street, with its concentration of pubs and The Farmshop and the Essex Cider Shop catering for local foodies. New London Road has Just Imagine, a children’s bookshop and specialist literacy resource and training centre, plus a café, and a store for interior accessories and jewellery.

In the High Street, a sign says Jamie Oliver is coming home to Essex. The celebrity chef is set to open a branch of his Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain in the autumn, near what will become the new retail quarter between Bond Street and the river, with the new John Lewis in 2016. The city centre restaurant scene is dominated by chains such as Café Rouge, Prezzo and Giraffe but interesting gastropubs and restaurants in local villages include the Lion Inn at Boreham, the Blue Strawberry Bistrot at Hatfield Peverel and Grahams on the Green in Writtle. There is much excitement about the imminent arrival of an Albert Roux restaurant in nearby Brentwood. Tanya Ware serves a customer at Brownbread artisan market stall, which sells locally baked loaves and cakes Open space There are lovely walks to be had along the Rivers Can and Chelmer, and the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. The interconnected Central Park, Bell Meadow and Blue Pasture are popular town centre riverside parks.

The park at Hylands House, a poplar wedding venue, was designed by Humphry Repton and has an adventure castle playground and pleasure garden, with a café, gift shop and artists’ studios at the Stables Visitor Centre. Leisure and the arts The Chelmsford City Theatres in Fairfield Road has a theatre offering drama, comedy and music, plus a cinema. There is an Odeon multiplex in The Meadows shopping centre. The Victorian mansion and modern extension in Oaklands Park houses the Chelmsford Museum and Essex Regiment Museum. Chelmsford Golf Club is in Widford Road, and council-owned Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre in Victoria Road has three swimming pools and an ice rink. Test your knowledge: three things about Chelmsford... What links a remarkable Chelmsford campaigner with a village in Jamaica? Anne Knight (1786 to 1862), the daughter of a Chelmsford grocer, was an anti-slavery campaigner and active proponent of women’s suffrage. Knightsville in Jamaica is named after her or her sister Maria.

Various buildings in Chelmsford are named after her including a fine former Quaker chapel, opposite the railway station, that has been recently restored by housing association Genesis Homes as part of its City Park West development. What has Chelmsford got in common with Perth in Scotland and St Asaph in Wales? These three towns were all awarded city status in March 2012. Which Italian sparked a communications revolution in Chelmsford? Guglielmo Marconi (1874 - 1937) set up the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company in 1897. The following year he opened the first wireless factory in Chelmsford. He is credited with transmitting the first international wireless message across the Channel. Marconi’s defence business merged with British Aerospace to form BAE systems in 1999. The rump of the company got into financial problems during the dot.com boom and in 2006 most of its assets were bought by Ericsson. The factory in New Street closed in 2008; it is now the site of a housing development.

Private prep and grammar schools Chelmsford is where parents send their children to private prep schools in order to coach them for the entrance exams to the two grammar schools – King Edward Vi (boys, ages 11 to 18) – known locally as KEGS - and Chelmsford County High (girls, ages 11 to 18) – both in Broomfield Road and both rated “outstanding” by the government’s education watchdog Ofsted. The private prep schools are: St Cedd’s in New London Road (co-ed, ages three to 11); St Anne’s (co-ed, ages three to 11) also in New London Road; and Widford Lodge (co-ed, ages two to 11) in Widford Road.

Primary schools With a handful of exceptions Chelmsford’s primary schools are judged to be “good” or better; those that get an “outstanding” rating are: Oaklands Infants (ages five to seven) in Vicarage Road; The Tyrrells School in Tavistock Road; Perryfields Juniors (ages seven to 11) in Lawn Road; Barnes Farm Juniors (ages seven to 11) in Henniker Gate; Newlands Spring in Dickens Place and Galleywood Infants (ages five to seven) in Barnard Road.

Comprehensive schools and further education There are seven comprehensive schools and a further education college: Moulsham High (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Brian Close; The Boswells School (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Barnard Road; St John Payne RC (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Patching Hall Lane; Hylands School (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Chelmsford Road; Sandon School (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Molrams Lane); Great Baddow High (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Duffield Road; and Chelmer Valley (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Court Road. All are judged to be “good” but it is the first three Moulsham High, The Boswells and St John Payne RC that get the best results at GCSE. Chelmsford College (co-ed, ages 16 plus) in Moulsham Street is only judged to be “satisfactory”.

New Hall School (co-ed, ages, three to 18) in the Avenue is an all-through private Catholic day and boarding school. Why do towns want to become cities? - BBC News BBC News Why do towns want to become cities? By Caroline McClatchey BBC News Magazine 22 June 2011 Read more about sharing. Close share panel More than 20 towns across the UK have applied to become a "city", a status that confers no official benefits. So why would anywhere bother applying? It would make a great pub quiz question. Which of these places is not a city - Dudley, Dundee or St Davids? The answer is Dudley town, with a population of 195,000. Dundee, with 143,000 residents, became a city in 1889. And St Davids is the UK's smallest city with 1,600 inhabitants, having earned its honour in 1995. Most people think they know what a city is - a large, densely-populated, distinct urban area. And a lovely old cathedral is a must.

But when it comes to the UK's official city status, the cathedral requirement is long defunct, ending in the 19th Century. And size does not matter. The bounds of city status throw up a plethora of quirks. There aren't too many people who would deny that London was a city but in the UK it is not an official one, although it contains two of them - the City of London and City of Westminster. Ipswich City sounds stupid Tim Edwards, Ipswich Town Football Club fan A place can also stop being a city overnight. Rochester lost its city status in 1998 due to a technical oversight when the local government structure was reorganised. It took four years for them to realise they had lost it. The definition of a city in the UK is a place which has been granted city status by the monarch. There are 66 cities in the UK - 50 in England, five in Wales, six in Scotland and five in Northern Ireland. A new city will be created next year for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and 25 towns across the UK have thrown their hat into the ring.

The contestants come in a range of shape and sizes, from the Greater Manchester towns of Bolton and Stockport and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, to the new town of Craigavon in Northern Ireland and the small Welsh cathedral town of St Asaph. Although the 2012 contenders were instructed to keep costs down in these budget-conscious times, a lot of effort still goes into the bid, with each local authority submitting 25 pages of information and 25 pages of photographs. When the winner is announced early next year, what can the newest city in the UK expect in return? City status Applications must come from the local authority City status can be granted to areas such as Brighton & Hove in 2000 They certainly won't get any tax breaks or extra powers or a pretty new square. Prof John Beckett, who has written a book on the subject, says it has always been a "status thing". "There never has been any privileges. It's always been a status thing, nothing more. There's nothing to stop places declaring themselves a city - Dunfermline did it." He says the whole system "makes no sense" and it just "gives a bit of patronage to government".

But Dr Steve Musson, from the University of Reading, has been researching the economic impact of city status on the UK's eight newest cities. Preston, Newport, Stirling, Lisburn and Newry were made cities in 2002, while Brighton & Hove, Wolverhampton and Inverness gained the status in 2000. Although the whole of the UK was enjoying an economic boom, the new cities, with the exception of Wolverhampton, outperformed their regional counterparts in terms of increasing investment and reducing unemployment. "The other advantages, less easy to quantify, are the international exposure and the buzz created. There is an element of pride about becoming a city." Selling point Stephen Parkinson led Preston's £30,000 bid in 2002 and he says it put Preston "on the map". He says Preston is now one of the top five areas in the country for private sector growth. "We have been able to do it, not though city status alone, but because of a wide range of factors. We have good transport links and a skilled workforce.

CITY CONTENDERS 2012 'Naive' city status bid defended "It was a unique selling point when talking to developers and investors. We were the 50th city in England and we have joined an elite club. You are recognised internationally and nationally as a place that means business." Dr Musson says the average bid for the 2012 competition will have cost about £10,000 and for some it will be their third or fourth attempt. Swindon was one of the local authorities to pull out, saying it was better to tackle other issues and not chase titles in the current economic climate. Ipswich has tried and failed three times to become a city and it also chose not risk it again, much to the relief of Ipswich Town Football Club. The Town, as the team is known, had been an issue during the previous city status bids. "Ipswich City sounds stupid," says Ipswich fan Tim Edwards. "ICFC is horrible. It sounds like a DIY store." He says he wouldn't want city status, even if it meant catching up with their biggest rivals Norwich City.

"Norwich has four things they can lord over us - a cathedral, an airport, it's a city and they are in the Premier League. We are only bothered about the Premier League and we are confident that won't last for long." Jealously guarded While some people really don't care if they wake up each morning in a town or city, others feel there is a principle at stake and are bitterly aggrieved if their city is downgraded in a newspaper or television report. Like many of the 2012 contenders, Perth believes it is already a city. The town has an ancient history and was the capital of Scotland up until 1437. Perth and Kinross Provost Dr John Hulbert, who led the bid, says Perth has always been a city to its people and "they guard it jealously". Image caption Rochester Cathedral in 1949, when it was still a city "But it's important that we have this official cache," he adds. He says aside from civic pride, it was important for the local authority to have city status because the Scottish government is developing a range of new initiatives around the country's cities.

Dr Hulbert hopes the Queen's love of Scotland may work in Perth's favour. But Prof Beckett, author of City Status in the British Isles 1830-2002, says the Queen's role is to rubber-stamp a ministerial decision. He says British cities have always need some kind of Royal approval and, from before the time of the Norman Invasion, a place had to have a cathedral. The "logic was starting to look a bit fragile" when Truro and St Albans were cities but big industrial places like Belfast and Birmingham were not. Population was a big factor in the decision to award city status from the 1900s and the unofficial figure was 300,000, he says, but the rule would be broken if a place had a link with the Royal family, a major event or a political ambition. The bookies favourite for the 2012 contest is Reading. It boasts good royal connections - Windsor is just down the road and Catherine, the newest member of the Royal Family, was born in Berkshire. Oh, and it has 213,000 people. But no cathedral.

Question: Three British towns were awarded city status in 2012. Perth and Chelmsford were two, which was the other one?
Answer: ST ASAPH