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Cambridgeshire is one of England’s numerous counties which is surrounded by Essex and Hertfordshire (south), Suffolk (east), Lincolnshire (north), Bedfordshire (west). Its main town is Cambridge, and it is also contains the Silicon Fen region, recipient of this nickname due to the numerous technological companies that inhabit it. It has the pleasure of having the German town of Kreis Viersen as its twinned town. Cambridgeshire’s Past William the Conqueror’s Domesday book of the late 11th century called the county by the name ‘Grentebrigescire’ (Grantbridgeshire). The county seen today is the result of a host of government approved amalgamations starting in 1965, but with its origins from 1888. This is when county councils first came into being, and Cambridgeshire was divided into two regions initially. In 1965, Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely were combined, and in 1974, Huntingdon and Peterborough were also joined with the above two. The result is what is now known as Cambridgeshire. However, since 1998, Peterborough has no administrative ties with the county, and is only tied with it for ceremonial purposes and for the smooth operations of the emergency services. In 2002, the Pasqueflower was announced to be the county flower of Cambridgeshire by Plantlife, a charity in the field of conservation. The east part of the county has been the home of several archaeological finds dating from as far back as Stone Age, and also remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages. People from Cambridgeshire have been designated the dubious nicknames ‘Cambridgeshire Camel’ or ‘Cambridgeshire Crane’ which is a reminder of the fact that great effort from drainage engines was needed to keep the area dry, the county is on lowland, so is susceptible to flooding. Famous Cambridgeshire Citizens The county has a number of famous people who reside or originate from the area, here are some of them. Adrian Durham is famous for his Talksport radio show. Musicians such as Matt Bellamy from Muse; Syd Barrett and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd; Keith Palmer from the Prodigy; and Andy Bell from Erasure. Actors such as Nicholas Lyndhurst from ‘Only Fools and Horses’ fame and ‘Willow’ star Warwick Davis. As well as physicist Stephen Hawking, and British military hero, Oliver Cromwell.