List of rural and urban districts in England in 1973
This is a list of all the rural districts, urban districts and municipal boroughs in England as they existed prior to the entry into force of the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974. There were 1086 such districts and boroughs at this time, the result of a gradual consolidation since their formation in 1894. Apart from these, England also had 79 county boroughs.
Bedford">Bedfordshire">Bedford
was a county borough.[Berkshire]
was a county borough.Buckingham">Buckinghamshire">Buckingham
There were no county boroughs.[Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely]
There were no county boroughs.[Cheshire]
, Chester, Stockport, and Wallasey were county boroughs.[Cornwall]
There were no county boroughs.[Cumberland]
was a county borough.[Derbyshire]
was a county borough.[Devon]
, Plymouth and Torbay were county boroughs.[Dorset]
Durham">County Durham">Durham
, Gateshead, Hartlepool, South Shields, Sunderland and Teesside were county boroughs.East Suffolk">East Suffolk (county)">East Suffolk
was a county borough.[East Sussex]
, Eastbourne and Hastings were county boroughs.[Essex]
| District | Successor |
| Basildon Urban District | Basildon |
| Benfleet Urban District | Castle Point |
| Braintree Rural District | Braintree |
| Braintree and Bocking Urban District | Braintree |
| Brentwood Urban District | Brentwood |
| Brightlingsea Urban District | Tendring |
| Burnham-on-Crouch Urban District | Maldon |
| Canvey Island Urban District | Castle Point |
| Chelmsford Borough | Chelmsford |
| Chelmsford Rural District | Chelmsford, Brentwood |
| Chigwell Urban District | Epping Forest |
| Clacton Urban District | Tendring |
| Colchester Borough | Colchester |
| Dunmow Rural District | Uttlesford |
| Epping Urban District | Epping Forest |
| Epping and Ongar Rural District | Brentwood, Epping Forest |
| Frinton and Walton Urban District | Tendring |
| Halstead Rural District | Braintree |
| Halstead Urban District | Braintree |
| Harlow Urban District | Harlow |
| Harwich Borough | Tendring |
| Lexden and Winstree Rural District | Colchester |
| Maldon Borough | Maldon |
| Maldon Rural District | Maldon |
| Rayleigh Urban District | Rochford |
| Rochford Rural District | Rochford |
| Saffron Walden Borough | Uttlesford |
| Saffron Walden Rural District | Uttlesford |
| Tendring Rural District | Tendring |
| Thurrock Urban District | Thurrock, Basildon |
| Waltham Holy Cross Urban District | Epping Forest |
| West Mersea Urban District | Colchester |
| Witham Urban District | Braintree |
| Wivenhoe Urban District | Colchester |
Southend-on-Sea was a county borough.
[Gloucestershire]
and Gloucester were county boroughs.[Hampshire]
, Portsmouth and Southampton were county boroughs.[Herefordshire]
There were no county boroughs.[Hertfordshire]
There were no county boroughs.[Huntingdon and Peterborough]
There were no county boroughs.[Isle of Wight]
There were no county boroughs.[Kent]
was a county borough.[Lancashire]
, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Bootle, Burnley, Bury, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Preston, Rochdale, Salford, Southport, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan were county boroughs.[Leicestershire]
| District | Successor |
| Ashby de la Zouch Rural District | North West Leicestershire |
| Ashby de la Zouch Urban District | North West Leicestershire |
| Ashby Woulds Urban District | North West Leicestershire |
| Barrow upon Soar Rural District | Charnwood |
| Billesdon Rural District | Harborough |
| Blaby Rural District | Blaby |
| Castle Donington Rural District | North West Leicestershire |
| Coalville Urban District | North West Leicestershire |
| Hinckley Urban District | Hinckley and Bosworth |
| Loughborough Borough | Charnwood |
| Lutterworth Rural District | Harborough |
| Market Bosworth Rural District | North West Leicestershire, Hinckley and Bosworth |
| Market Harborough Rural District | Harborough |
| Market Harborough Urban District | Harborough |
| Melton and Belvoir Rural District | Melton |
| Melton Mowbray Urban District | Melton |
| Oadby Urban District | Oadby and Wigston |
| Shepshed Urban District | Charnwood |
| Wigston Urban District | Oadby and Wigston |
Leicester was a county borough.
Lincolnshire, Parts of Holland">Holland, Lincolnshire">Lincolnshire, Parts of Holland
| District | Successor |
| Boston Borough | Boston ' |
| Boston Rural District | Boston |
| East Elloe Rural District | South Holland ' |
| Spalding Rural District | South Holland |
| Spalding Urban District | South Holland |
There were no county boroughs.
Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven">Kesteven">Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven
| District | Successor |
| Bourne Urban District | South Kesteven ' |
| East Kesteven Rural District | North Kesteven ' |
| Grantham Borough | South Kesteven |
| North Kesteven Rural District | North Kesteven |
| Sleaford Urban District | North Kesteven |
| South Kesteven Rural District | South Kesteven |
| Stamford Borough | South Kesteven |
| West Kesteven Rural District | South Kesteven |
There were no county boroughs.
Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey">Lindsey (government district)">Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey
and Lincoln were county boroughs.[Norfolk]
and Norwich were county boroughs.[Northamptonshire]
was a county borough.[Northumberland]
| District | Successor |
| Alnwick Rural District | Alnwick |
| Alnwick Urban District | Alnwick |
| Amble Urban District | Alnwick |
| Ashington Urban District | Wansbeck |
| Bedlingtonshire Urban District | Wansbeck |
| Belford Rural District | Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Bellingham Rural District | Tynedale |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough | Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Blyth Borough | Blyth Valley |
| Castle Ward Rural District | Castle Morpeth, Newcastle upon Tyne ' |
| Glendale Rural District | Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Gosforth Urban District | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Haltwhistle Rural District | Tynedale |
| Hexham Rural District | Tynedale |
| Hexham Urban District | Tynedale |
| Longbenton Urban District | North Tyneside ' |
| Morpeth Borough | Castle Morpeth |
| Morpeth Rural District | Castle Morpeth |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Urban District | Wansbeck |
| Newburn Urban District | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Norham and Islandshires Rural District | Berwick-upon-Tweed |
| Prudhoe Urban District | Tynedale |
| Rothbury Rural District | Alnwick |
| Seaton Valley Urban District | Blyth Valley, North Tyneside |
| Wallsend Borough | North Tyneside |
| Whitley Bay Borough | North Tyneside, Blyth Valley |
Newcastle upon Tyne and Tynemouth were county boroughs.
[Nottinghamshire]
| District | Successor |
| Arnold Urban District | Gedling |
| Basford Rural District | Rushcliffe, Broxtowe, Ashfield, Gedling |
| Beeston and Stapleford Urban District | Broxtowe |
| Bingham Rural District | Rushcliffe |
| Carlton Urban District | Gedling |
| East Retford Borough | Bassetlaw |
| East Retford Rural District | Doncaster , Bassetlaw |
| Eastwood Urban District | Broxtowe |
| Hucknall Urban District | Ashfield |
| Kirkby in Ashfield Urban District | Ashfield |
| Mansfield Borough | Mansfield |
| Mansfield Woodhouse Urban District | Mansfield |
| Newark Borough | Newark |
| Newark Rural District | Newark |
| Southwell Rural District | Newark |
| Sutton in Ashfield Urban District | Ashfield |
| Warsop Urban District | Mansfield |
| West Bridgford Urban District | Rushcliffe |
| Worksop Borough | Bassetlaw |
| Worksop Rural District | Doncaster, Bassetlaw |
Nottingham was a county borough.
Oxford">Oxfordshire">Oxford
| District | Successor |
| Banbury Borough | Cherwell |
| Banbury Rural District | Cherwell |
| Bicester Urban District | Cherwell |
| Bullingdon Rural District | South Oxfordshire |
| Chipping Norton Borough | West Oxfordshire |
| Chipping Norton Rural District | West Oxfordshire |
| Henley Rural District | South Oxfordshire |
| Henley-on-Thames Borough | South Oxfordshire |
| Ploughley Rural District | Cherwell |
| Thame Urban District | South Oxfordshire |
| Witney Rural District | West Oxfordshire |
| Witney Urban District | West Oxfordshire |
| Woodstock Borough | West Oxfordshire |
Oxford was a county borough.
[Rutland]
| District | Successor |
| Ketton Rural District | Rutland |
| Oakham Rural District | Rutland |
| Oakham Urban District | Rutland |
| Uppingham Rural District | Rutland |
There were no county boroughs.
[Shropshire] (Salop)
| District | Successor |
| Atcham Rural District | Shrewsbury and Atcham |
| Bridgnorth Rural District | Bridgnorth |
| Clun and Bishop's Castle Rural District | South Shropshire |
| Dawley Urban District | The Wrekin |
| Ludlow Rural District | South Shropshire |
| Market Drayton Rural District | North Shropshire |
| Newport Urban District | The Wrekin |
| North Shropshire Rural District | North Shropshire |
| Oakengates Urban District | The Wrekin |
| Oswestry Rural District | Oswestry |
| Shifnal Rural District | The Wrekin, Bridgnorth |
| Shrewsbury Borough | Shrewsbury and Atcham |
| Wellington Rural District | The Wrekin |
| Wellington, Shropshire Urban District | The Wrekin |
There were no county boroughs.
[Somerset]
| District | Successor |
| Axbridge Rural District | Woodspring ', Sedgemoor, Mendip |
| Bathavon Rural District | Wansdyke ' |
| Bridgwater Borough | Sedgemoor |
| Bridgwater Rural District | Sedgemoor |
| Burnham-on-Sea Urban District | Sedgemoor |
| Chard Borough | Yeovil |
| Chard Rural District | Yeovil |
| Clevedon Urban District | Woodspring |
| Clutton Rural District | Wansdyke, Mendip |
| Crewkerne Urban District | Yeovil |
| Dulverton Rural District | West Somerset |
| Frome Rural District | Mendip |
| Frome Urban District | Mendip |
| Glastonbury Borough | Mendip |
| Ilminster Urban District | Yeovil |
| Keynsham Urban District | Wansdyke |
| Langport Rural District | Yeovil |
| Long Ashton Rural District | Woodspring |
| Minehead Urban District | West Somerset |
| Norton-Radstock Urban District | Wansdyke |
| Portishead Urban District | Woodspring |
| Shepton Mallet Rural District | Mendip |
| Shepton Mallet Urban District | Mendip |
| Street Urban District | Mendip |
| Taunton Borough | Taunton Deane |
| Taunton Rural District | Taunton Deane |
| Watchet Urban District | West Somerset |
| Wellington Rural District | Taunton Deane |
| Wellington Urban District | Taunton Deane |
| Wells Borough | Mendip |
| Wells Rural District | Mendip |
| Weston-super-Mare Borough | Woodspring |
| Williton Rural District | West Somerset |
| Wincanton Rural District | Yeovil |
| Yeovil Borough | Yeovil |
| Yeovil Rural District | Yeovil |
Bath were county boroughs.
[Staffordshire]
| District | Successor |
| Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District | Walsall |
| Biddulph Urban District | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| Cannock Rural District | South Staffordshire |
| Cannock Urban District | Cannock Chase |
| Cheadle Rural District | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| Kidsgrove Urban District | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Leek Rural District | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| Leek Urban District | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| Lichfield Borough | Lichfield |
| Lichfield Rural District | Cannock Chase, Lichfield |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme Rural District | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Rugeley Urban District | Cannock Chase |
| Seisdon Rural District | South Staffordshire |
| Stafford Borough | Stafford |
| Stafford Rural District | Stafford |
| Stone Rural District | Stafford |
| Stone Urban District | Stafford |
| Tamworth Borough | Tamworth |
| Tutbury Rural District | East Staffordshire |
| Uttoxeter Rural District | East Staffordshire |
| Uttoxeter Urban District | East Staffordshire |
Burton upon Trent, Dudley, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton were county boroughs.
[Surrey]
| District | Successor |
| Bagshot Rural District | Surrey Heath |
| Banstead Urban District | Reigate and Banstead |
| Caterham and Warlingham Urban District | Tandridge |
| Chertsey Urban District | Runnymede |
| Dorking Urban District | Mole Valley |
| Dorking and Horley Rural District | Crawley , Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead |
| Egham Urban District | Runnymede |
| Epsom and Ewell Borough | Epsom and Ewell |
| Esher Urban District | Elmbridge |
| Farnham Urban District | Waverley |
| Frimley and Camberley Urban District | Surrey Heath |
| Godalming Borough | Waverley |
| Godstone Rural District | Tandridge |
| Guildford Borough | Guildford |
| Guildford Rural District | Guildford |
| Hambledon Rural District | Waverley |
| Haslemere Urban District | Waverley |
| Leatherhead Urban District | Mole Valley |
| Reigate Borough | Reigate and Banstead |
| Staines Urban District | Spelthorne |
| Sunbury-on-Thames Urban District | Spelthorne |
| Walton and Weybridge Urban District | Elmbridge |
| Woking Urban District | Woking |
There were no county boroughs.
[Warwickshire]
| District | Successor |
| Alcester Rural District | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Atherstone Rural District | North Warwickshire |
| Bedworth Urban District | Nuneaton |
| Kenilworth Urban District | Warwick |
| Meriden Rural District | Solihull ', North Warwickshire, Coventry ' |
| Nuneaton Borough | Nuneaton |
| Royal Leamington Spa Borough | Warwick |
| Rugby Borough | Rugby |
| Rugby Rural District | Rugby |
| Shipston on Stour Rural District | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Southam Rural District | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Stratford-on-Avon Rural District | Solihull, Stratford-on-Avon |
| Stratford-upon-Avon Borough | Stratford-on-Avon |
| Sutton Coldfield Borough | Birmingham |
| Warwick Borough | Warwick |
| Warwick Rural District | Warwick |
Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham were county boroughs.
West Suffolk">West Suffolk (county)">West Suffolk
| District | Successor |
| Bury St. Edmunds Borough | St Edmundsbury ' |
| Clare Rural District | St Edmundsbury |
| Cosford Rural District | Babergh ' |
| Hadleigh Urban District | Babergh |
| Haverhill Urban District | St Edmundsbury |
| Melford Rural District | Babergh |
| Mildenhall Rural District | Forest Heath ' |
| Newmarket Urban District | Forest Heath |
| Sudbury Borough | Babergh |
| Thedwastre Rural District | Mid Suffolk ' |
| Thingoe Rural District | St Edmundsbury |
There were no county boroughs.
[West Sussex]
There were no county boroughs.[Westmorland]
There were no county boroughs.[Wiltshire]
| District | Successor |
| Amesbury Rural District | Salisbury |
| Bradford and Melksham Rural District | West Wiltshire |
| Bradford-on-Avon Urban District | West Wiltshire |
| Calne Borough | North Wiltshire |
| Calne and Chippenham Rural District | North Wiltshire |
| Chippenham Borough | North Wiltshire |
| Cricklade and Wootton Bassett Rural District | North Wiltshire |
| Devizes Borough | Kennet |
| Devizes Rural District | Kennet |
| Highworth Rural District | Thamesdown |
| Malmesbury Borough | North Wiltshire |
| Malmesbury Rural District | North Wiltshire |
| Marlborough Borough | Kennet |
| Marlborough and Ramsbury Rural District | Kennet |
| Melksham Urban District | West Wiltshire |
| Mere and Tisbury Rural District | Salisbury |
| New Sarum Borough | Salisbury |
| Pewsey Rural District | Kennet |
| Salisbury and Wilton Rural District | Salisbury |
| Swindon Borough | Thamesdown |
| Trowbridge Urban District | West Wiltshire |
| Warminster Urban District | West Wiltshire |
| Warminster and Westbury Rural District | West Wiltshire |
| Westbury Urban District | West Wiltshire |
| Wilton Borough | Salisbury |
There were no county boroughs.
[Worcestershire]
and Worcester were county boroughs.Yorkshire, East Riding">East Riding of Yorkshire">Yorkshire, East Riding
| District | Successor |
| Beverley Borough | Beverley ' |
| Beverley Rural District | Beverley |
| Bridlington Borough | North Wolds ' |
| Bridlington Rural District | North Wolds, Scarborough ' |
| Derwent Rural District | Selby ' |
| Driffield Rural District | North Wolds |
| Driffield Urban District | North Wolds |
| Filey Urban District | Scarborough |
| Haltemprice Urban District | Beverley |
| Hedon Borough | Holderness ' |
| Holderness Rural District | Holderness |
| Hornsea Urban District | Holderness |
| Howden Rural District | Boothferry ' |
| Norton Rural District | Ryedale |
| Norton Urban District | Ryedale |
| Pocklington Rural District | North Wolds |
| Withernsea Urban District | Holderness |
Kingston upon Hull and York were county boroughs.