In England, a civil parish (CP) is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority. It is an administrative parish, in contrast to an ecclesiastical parish. 

A civil parish can range in size from a large town with a population of about 80,000 to a single village with fewer than a hundred inhabitants. In a limited number of cases a parish might include a whole city where city status has been granted by the Monarch. Reflecting this diverse nature, a civil parish may be known as a town, village, neighbourhood or community by resolution of its parish council. Approximately 35% of the English population live in a civil parish. As of 31 December 2015 there were 10,449 parishes in England. 

On 1 April 2014, Queen's Park became the first civil parish in Greater London. Before 2008 their creation was not permitted within a London borough. 

The division of land into ancient parishes was linked to the manorial system: parishes and manors often covered the same area and had the same boundaries. The manor was the principal unit of local administration and justice in the early rural economy. Later the church replaced the manor court as the rural administrative centre, and levied a local tax on produce known as a tithe. In the medieval period, responsibilities such as relief of the poor passed increasingly from the Lord of the Manor to the parish's rector, who in practice would delegate tasks among his vestry or the (often well-endowed) monasteries. After the dissolution of the monasteries, the power to levy a rate to fund relief of the poor was conferred on the parish authorities by the Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601. Both before and after this optional social change, local (vestry-administered) charities are well-documented.
How many parishes were there in England in 2015?
What is a civil parish?
What kind of territorial designation is it?
About what percentage of English live in a civil parish?
What was the first civil parish in Greater London?
On what date?
What was the dividing up of land into ancient parishes linked to?
What was a manor?
What later replaced it?
What's the range in size of a civil parish?
Can parishes include whole cities?
What wasn't permitted before 2008?
In medieval times, where did responsibilities pass?
What was the  Act for the Relief of the Poor?
In what year?
Did parishes and manors sometimes cover the same places?
What was the main unit of local administration and justice in early rural economy?
What was a tithe?
Who delegated tasks to his vestry?
10,449
As of 31 December 2015 there were 10,449 parishes in England. 
a town, village, neighbourhood or community
a civil parish may be known as a town, village, neighbourhood or community
the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties
 a civil parish (CP) is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties
Approximately 35
Approximately 35% of the English population live in a civil parish.
Queen's Park
 Queen's Park became the first civil parish in Greater London
1 April 2014
On 1 April 2014, Queen's Park became the first civil parish in Greater London
the manorial system
The division of land into ancient parishes was linked to the manorial system
the principal unit of local administration and justice in the early rural economy
The manor was the principal unit of local administration and justice in the early rural economy
the church
 Later the church replaced the manor court
about 80,000 to  fewer than a hundred inhabitants
A civil parish can range in size from a large town with a population of about 80,000 to a single village with fewer than a hundred inhabitants
Yes
In a limited number of cases a parish might include a whole city
creation of civil parishes were not permitted within a London borough.
Before 2008 their creation was not permitted within a London borough. 
to the parish's rector
In the medieval period, responsibilities such as relief of the poor passed increasingly from the Lord of the Manor to the parish's rector
the power to levy a rate to fund relief of the poor
the power to levy a rate to fund relief of the poor was conferred on the parish authorities by the Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601
1601
Act for the Relief of the Poor 1601
Yes
parishes and manors often covered the same area and had the same boundaries.
The manor
The manor was the principal unit of local administration and justice in the early rural economy.
a local tax on produce
a local tax on produce known as a tithe
the parish's rector
the parish's rector, who in practice would delegate tasks among his vestry 