The area administered by the county council comprises 2,653 square kilometres (1,024 sq mi).

[3] Elected county councils were created in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over many administrative functions that had previously been performed by unelected magistrates at the Quarter Sessions.

The lower tier of local government was rearranged at the same time, with the county being divided into six non-metropolitan districts.

[21] The building had originally been built in 1816 as a courthouse and had served as the meeting place for the quarter sessions which preceded the county council.

The county council then used the Shire Hall as its meeting place and built various extensions to accommodate its offices.