Hussar

[Hussar]

Why are the Home Counties called that?

[Quizmonster]

They are the counties which touch the borders of London...Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Sussex. It seems that Middlesex used to be included, but may not be nowadays.
The name is probably based on the idea that courts in these counties were called the Home Circuit rather than one of the Provincial Circuits...ie they were serviced by judges based in London itself.

[fredpuli47]

QM When was there a Home Circuit? Whenever it was, it was not the one circuit serviced by judges from London. All the circuits were of High Court judges based in London. Indeed, the circuits were serviced only by barristers from London.There was no' 'provincial bar' such as there is nowadays (when circuits have been abolished). Those who practised on the Northern Circuit, the Western circuit or the Wales and Chester circuit would disappear from chambers for weeks at a time.Some of us, being of an idle disposition,and with no especial family or other connections to a region, opted for the South Eastern circuit, because all of it was within reach of London without overnight stays ! And the circuits were fiercely independent. There was a fee payable for going 'off circuit', always assuming that the circuit tolerated your visit to their patch . I can see, however, that an area of the home counties could be called the home circuit. Middlesex cases , if of serious crime, were tried at the Old Bailey, if less serious at Middlesex Sessions in the building on Parliament Square which now houses our new Supreme Court.

There was,still is, the equivalent of a High Court judge sitting permanently to hear Chancery cases , including commercial cases, in Liverpool and ,I think,Manchester because those cities had a special need for such a post, To that end there were some counsel who kept chambers in Liverpool, but they still spent some of their time working from a London chambers

[Quizmonster]

I knew, Fred - the instant I mentioned courts and judges - that YOU would appear! All I can tell you is that the answer I gave is one I got from somewhere many years ago and have always just 'believed'. In my support, within the opening paragraph of the OED's entry on 'Home Counties, it says, "Home Circuit. The assize circuit which has London as its centre." (As regards your When? query, this statement is a quote from a document dated 1898.)
Under 'circuit' in the legal sense, to which the OED cross-refers, it lists: "Northern, North Eastern, Midland, Western, Oxford, HOME or South Eastern, North Wales, South Wales." It would seem, therefore, that the OED believes 'Home' is an alternative name for 'South Eastern', as you call it.
Given that the OED clearly ties Home Counties and Home Circuit together, as well as listing a Home Circuit, it seemed quite reasonable for me to do so as well. If wrong, I'm happy to stand corrected, so perhaps you need to do a Victoria Coren 'Balderdash and Piffle' and approach the editors of the OED, too. Cheers