City of Peterborough in the context of "Cambridgeshire"

Peterborough (/ˈpiːtərbərə, -bʌrə/ PEE-tər-bər-ə, -⁠burr-ə) is a cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is 74 miles (119 km) north of London, on the River Nene. As of the 2021 census, Peterborough had a population of 192,178, while the population of the district was 215,673.

Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the city centre. There is evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral. In the 19th century, the population grew rapidly after the coming of the railway. The area became known for its brickworks and engineering. After the Second World War, industrial employment fell and growth was limited until Peterborough was designated a new town in the 1960s. The main economic sectors now are financial services and distribution.

North Northamptonshire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, and was created in 2021. The council is based in Corby, the district's largest town. Other notable towns are Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden, Raunds, Desborough, Rothwell, Irthlingborough, Thrapston and Oundle.

North Northamptonshire borders the City of Peterborough, Rutland, Milton Keynes, Huntingdonshire, Bedford, Harborough, West Northamptonshire and South Kesteven districts.

The Soke of Peterborough is a historic area of England associated with the City and Diocese of Peterborough. It was part of Northamptonshire, but was administered by its own county council, while the rest of Northamptonshire was administered by Northamptonshire County Council. The Soke was also described as the Liberty of Peterborough, or as the Nassaburgh hundred, and comprised, besides Peterborough, about thirty parishes. The Soke was abolished in 1965.

The area formed much of the present City of Peterborough unitary authority area in the post-1974 ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire. The Church of England dioceses of Peterborough and Ely still, however, follow the boundary of the Soke, with only the part of the city that is north of the River Nene lying within the Diocese of Peterborough, while urban areas south of the Nene, including Stanground and Fletton, are in the Diocese of Ely.