Rural district

In the history of local government in the British Isles, a rural district was a predominantly rural area, defined for the purpose of local government. Rural districts had elected councils, which generally dealt with matters more local than the concerns of the county councils: for example, social housing, playgrounds and cemeteries rather than education and roads.

The districts were initially based on poor law unions, with any urban districts or boroughs within the area of the union excluded. Thus, the typical shape of a rural district was a ring around a small town. Many rural districts were fragmentary, consisting of a number of detached parts. By their geographical nature, they were, in many cases, increasingly influenced by the mentality of the population of the growing town.

Rural districts were established in both Great Britain and Ireland in the late 19th century.

In the Republic of Ireland they were abolished in 1925; and their functions transferred to the county councils. In Northern Ireland they were abolished (along with all other local government of the old pattern), in 1973 and replaced with a system of unitary districts.

In England and Wales they had been created in 1894 along with urban districts, and survived until 1974, although their numbers had been much reduced by mergers, by the time they and urban districts were replaced. The new system was a uniform pattern of districts, which tended to be much larger and for each to comprise urban, suburban and rural areas.