Divided kingdom

SIR – In 927, King Athelstan added Northumbria to his other lands and became the first king of England. Northumbria was the land north of the Humber. This river was – and remains – the dividing line between North and South (Letters, November 15).

Robin Nonhebel

Swanage, Dorset

SIR – I was born and brought up in Co Durham yet spent a large part of my career in Bath.

One day a member of my team, who until joining us had always lived in Plymouth, said that the following week she would be working up North. Intrigued, because my understanding of “up North” was so far outside our normal business area, I asked where she was heading. “Oh, Gloucester,” she replied, to my amusement.

Recently, however, I have come to the conclusion that her answer was perhaps not so outlandish. After all, Gloucester City football team plays in what is now the National League North division, along with other such “Northern” stalwarts as Banbury United and Peterborough Sports.

It seems the Football Association atlas, in line with the old joke, still shows the border at Watford.

Alf Storey

Corsham, Wiltshire

SIR – I am convinced that my village, Churchdown, is the border between the Midlands (Letters, November 15) and the west of England.

Cheltenham on one side is in the South Midlands, and Gloucester on the other is in the West Country.

Dave Alsop

Churchdown, Gloucestershire