county at large

English

Etymology

county +‎ at large

Noun

county at large (plural counties at large)

1. (history) The whole of a county, as distinct from some portion of it
   • 1765 Roads Act 1765 (5 Geo. 3 c.14 (Ir.)) s.7:

     ... it shall be lawful for the grand jury of such county by presentment to raise .... all such sum or sums of money as shall appear ... to be necessary to fence the land on each side of such roads, upon the county at large, or upon the barony or baronies through which such new road is to be made, if they think fit.

   • 1822 June 7, Hansard Common vol.7 c.853

     It then became the duty of the House to consider in what way the new members were to be elected, and whether they had not better be chosen by a division of the county, than by the county at large.

2. (history) The portion of a county not part of subordinate jurisdictions such as boroughs
   • 1811, Thomas Kirwan, William Ridgeway, Edward Sheridan, Great Britain Court of King's Bench, A report of the proceedings in the cases of Thomas Kirwan ... and Edward Sheridan ...: for misdemeanors charged to be committed in violation of the convention act‎^[1], Graisberry and Campbell:

     But let it be recollected, that it was the case of an information for intrusion into the lands of the crown, which ex vi termini makes it probable, that the premises lay in a county at large, and not in a town; and therefore, that the case regarded a county Grand Jury. But that is put out of all doubt by the enlightened argument of Mr. Townsend who referred us to Higgins's case, Raym. 486. S. C. Ventr. where it appears, that Blunt's case was a case in a county at large and not in a corporation

   • 1827, William Watson, An Historical Account of the Ancient Town and Port of Wisbech, in the Isle of Ely, in the County of Cambridge: And of the Circumjacent Towns and Villages, the Drainage of the Great Level of the Fens, the Origin of the Royal Franchise of the Isle of Ely &c. ...‎^[2], H. and J. Leach, retrieved 11 October 2018, page 105:

     There is no connexion between the isle and county at large, as to their public rates, the inhabitants within the isle not contributing to the rates for that part of the county which is beyond the limits of the isle, nor such part of the county to the isle

   • 1840, Samuel Lewis, A topographical dictionary of Ireland‎^[3], retrieved 11 October 2018, page 487:

     Prior to the Union it sent fourteen members to the Irish parliament, namely, two for the county at large, and two for each of the boroughs of Newry, Downpatrick, Bangor, Hillsborough, Killyleagh, and Newtown-Ardes.

3. (history, law) A county which is not a county corporate
   • 1797 37 Geo.3 c.45 (Ir.) s.15:

     ...it shall be lawful for the collector of the district, upon the production of a like certificate of any two sureties of the peace, if within a county of a city, or county of a town, and if within a county at large, upon the production of a like certificate of any two justices of the peace residing in the barony, or half-barony, in which the person applying for such licenses resides, ... to endorse on such certificate a receipt for the said duty

   • 1839 Public Works (Ireland) Act, 1839 (2 & 3 Vict. c.50) s.27:

     And be it enacted, That wherever the Word "County" occurs in this Act, the same shall be construed to extend to and comprehend a County of a City or a County of a Town, as well as a County at large.