Three Towns

Term used to refer to groups of towns

Map of c.1854 showing the Three Towns: Devonport with its defences to the left, Stonehouse in the centre, Plymouth to the right

Three Towns is a term used to refer to several groups of towns.

## United Kingdom[edit]

There are several groups of towns in the United Kingdom referred to as the Three Towns, many of which form contiguous settlements, or are in close proximity to each other.

### England[edit]

#### Devon[edit]

The Three Towns is a term used to refer to the neighbouring towns of Plymouth, Devonport and East Stonehouse in the county of Devon, England.[1][2][3] They were formally merged in 1914 to become the Borough of Plymouth.[4] In 1928, the Borough was granted City status by Royal Charter.

#### Dorset[edit]

Three towns has been used to refer to the towns of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in South-East Dorset, which form a single conurbation. The name was used to refer to an infrastructure project in the area,[5][6] which became a single authority in 2019 called Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. One of the parties which stood for the inaugural elections was initially called Three Towns Together.

#### Lancashire[edit]

The term is also sometimes used to refer to the towns of Great Harwood, Clayton-le-Moors and Rishton, situated to the north of Accrington in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire.[7][8]

### Scotland[edit]

The term 'three towns' is also used[9][10][11][12] in reference to the towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston in North Ayrshire (historically Cunninghame) which together form one contiguous settlement along the eastern shore of the Firth of Clyde with a population of around 32,000; most local amenities are shared across the localities.[13]

## Sudan[edit]

In Sudan, the term "Three Towns" refers to Khartoum, North Khartoum, and Omdurman.[14]

## Poland[edit]

The term 'three cities' (more commonly: Tricity, Polish: Trójmiasto) is used for the metropolitan area of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot on the Baltic Coastline (as well as minor towns in their vicinity[15]). Their total metropolitan population amounts to around 1,100,000.[16]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ "The Deanery of the Three Towns". Devon Family History Society. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
2. ^ "Three towns amalgamation centenary stone". Plymouth City Council. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
3. ^ "Plymouth's Great War: Three Towns United in Conflict". Devon Museums. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
4. ^ "Plymouth City Council - Local history". Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
5. ^ "Three Towns Travel". www.bournemouth.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
6. ^ "Three Towns Travel project: what the £12m scheme to tackle congestion will mean for you". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
7. ^ "Three Towns Food Bank". St Charles RC Church Rishton. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
8. ^ "Office: Great Harwood". Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
9. ^ "The Three Towns". North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
10. ^ "Home". Threetowners. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
11. ^ "Three Towns". North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
12. ^ "The Three Towns". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
13. ^ "Mid-2016 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
14. ^ Essien, Kwame; Falola, Toyin (2008). Culture and Customs of Sudan. ABC-CLIO. p. 110\. ISBN 978-0-313-34439-8.
15. ^ "Tricity, Poland", Wikipedia, 16 December 2020, retrieved 21 January 2021
16. ^ "Urban Audit - Home Page". 31 May 2013. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2021.