This is a list of the most populous civil parishes in England .[1] It includes all civil parishes with populations over 30,000, representing less than 1% of all civil parishes but almost 3% of the population.
Lichfield, Hereford and Salisbury are in addition to being some of the most populous civil parishes in England , among the smallest cities .
The first civil parish councils were created in 1894, mostly in rural areas, replacing the duties of local church authorities.
Many large parishes have been created during the 21st century, due in part to new procedures making their creation easier, and also the ongoing creation of large unitary authorities , which has led to the desire to retain a more local tier of government.
In 2020, Northampton became the largest civil parish in England due to local government reorganisation in 2021 which saw it become part of the larger West Northamptonshire unitary authority.[2]
Rank Parish District Population Status Parish council created Council 1 Northampton West Northamptonshire 137,387[3] Town 2020 Northampton Town Council 2 Sutton Coldfield Birmingham 95,107 Town 2016 Sutton Coldfield Town Council 3 Weston-super-Mare North Somerset 80,162 Town 2000 Weston-super-Mare Town Council 4 Shrewsbury Shropshire 76,782 Town 2009 Shrewsbury Town Council 5 Aylesbury Buckinghamshire 57,285 Town 2001 Aylesbury Town Council 6 Kettering Town North Northamptonshire 57,100 Town 2021 Kettering Town Council 7. Lowestoft East Suffolk 56,932 Town 2017 Lowestoft Town Council 8 Kidderminster Wyre Forest 55,530 Town 2015 Kidderminster Town Council 9 Crewe Cheshire East 55,318 Town 2013 Crewe Town Council 10 Keighley Bradford 55,133 Town 2002 Keighley Town Council 11 Bracknell Bracknell Forest 54,265 Town 1955 Bracknell Town Council 12 Weymouth Dorset 53,000 Town 2019 Weymouth Town Council 13 Central Swindon South Swindon 52,515 Parish 2017 South Swindon Parish Council 14 Macclesfield Cheshire East 52,044 Town 2015 Macclesfield Town Council 15 Hereford Herefordshire 50,537 City 2000 Hereford City Council 16 Royal Leamington Spa Warwick 49,563 Town 2002 Royal Leamington Spa Town Council 17 Banbury Cherwell 45,052 Town 2000 Banbury Town Council 18 Folkestone Folkestone and Hythe 42,058 Town 2004 Folkestone Town Council 19 Salisbury Wiltshire 39,896 City 2009 Salisbury City Council 20 Ramsgate Thanet 39,858 Town 2009 Ramsgate Town Council 21 Farnham Waverley 39,167 Town 1984 Farnham Town Council 22 Canvey Island Castle Point 38,941 Town 2007 Canvey Island Town Council 23 Hatfield Welwyn Hatfield 38,600 Town 1894 Hatfield Town Council 24 Bishop's Stortford East Hertfordshire 37,873 Town 1974 Bishop's Stortford Town Council 25 Bury St Edmunds West Suffolk 37,854 Town 2003 Bury St Edmunds Town Council 26 Elstree and Borehamwood Hertsmere 37,084 Town 1894 Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council 27 Leighton–Linslade Central Bedfordshire 37,081 Town 1974 Leighton-Linslade Town Council 28 Andover Test Valley 36,977 Town 2010 Andover Town Council 29 Morecambe Lancaster 36,530 Town 2009 Morecambe Town Council 30 Billingham Stockton-on-Tees 36,424 Town 2007 Billingham Town Council 31 Blyth Northumberland 36,379 Town 2009 Blyth Town Council 32 Bridlington East Riding of Yorkshire 36,324 Town 2000 Bridlington Town Council 33 Bridgwater Sedgemoor 35,625 Town 2003 Bridgwater Town Council 34 Chippenham Wiltshire 35,155 Town 1984 Chippenham Town Council 35 Dunstable Central Bedfordshire 35,068 Town 1985 Dunstable Town Council 36 Exmouth East Devon 34,441 Town 1995 Exmouth Town Council 37 Earley Wokingham 33,755 Town 1974 Earley Town Council 38 Central Swindon North Swindon 33,495 Parish 2017 Central Swindon North Parish Council 39 Ecclesfield Sheffield 32,903 Parish 1894 Ecclesfield Parish Council 40 Abingdon-on-Thames Vale of White Horse 32,183 Town 1974 Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council 41 Rayleigh Rochford 31,982 Town 1996 Rayleigh Town Council 42 Morley Leeds 31,832 Town 2000 Morley Town Council 43 Stanley County Durham 31,673 Town 2007 Stanley Town Council 42 Trowbridge Wiltshire 31,392 Town 1974 Trowbridge Town Council 45 Loughton Epping Forest 31,218 Town 1996 Loughton Town Council 46 Newbury West Berkshire 31,200 Town 1997 Newbury Town Council 47 Lichfield Lichfield 31,068 City 1980 Lichfield City Council 48 Winsford Cheshire West and Chester 31,038 Town 1974 Winsford Town Council 49 Bicester Cherwell 30,474 Town 1974 Bicester Town Council
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