As late as 1888 parts of Long Marston and Puttenham belonged to Bucks. The respective areas are shown on the LMPAGD map. Fields 116, 121, 53, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 43, 42, 41, 41a, 30 and 29m belonged to Drayton Beauchamp and fields 137, 147, 148, 149, 150 and ground (Loxley Farm) to north east of field 145 belonged to Marsworth.
These areas became part of Hertfordshire as a result of the Local Government Bill of 1888. This far-reaching Bill was introduced by the Conservatives to reformed Local Government. The aim of the bill was decentralisation of government, greater representation and to infuse a spirit of municipal life into rural populations. Each county was to be divided into electoral districts and voters would elect members of the council. Where towns or urban districts are situated in two or more counties these were to be included in the county in which the majority of the population is found. Not surprisingly there were worries that the new system would be more expensive and no more effective than the old which had been administered by country gentleman.
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