Three Towns is a term used to refer to several 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

United Kingdom

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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

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Devon

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

Poland

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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

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  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.