Barnstaple Rural District was a

rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the Ad ...

in the administrative county of Devon, England, from 1894 to 1974, covering a coastal area in the north of the county. Whilst the district was named after the town of

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...

and had its offices there, the district did not include the town itself. The district was abolished in 1974, when the area became part of the district of

North Devon North Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. North Devon Council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth ...

Origins

The district had its origins in the Barnstaple Poor Law Union, which had been created in 1835 covering Barnstaple itself and several surrounding parishes. In 1872

sanitary districts Sanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1872 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures: *Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies *Rural sanitary dis ...

were established, giving public health and local government responsibilities for rural areas to the existing

boards of guardians Boards of guardians were ''ad hoc'' authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930. England and Wales Boards of guardians were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish overseers of the poor ...

of poor law unions. The Barnstaple Rural Sanitary District therefore covered the area of the poor law union except for the three towns of Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Lynton, which had their own urban authorities. The Barnstaple Rural Sanitary District was administered from Barnstaple Union Workhouse, which had been built in 1837 on Alexandra Road in Barnstaple. Under the Local Government Act 1894, rural sanitary districts became rural districts from 28 December 1894. The Barnstaple Rural District Council held its first meeting on 28 December 1894 at the workhouse. George Christopher Davie of

Bishop's Tawton Bishop's Tawton is a village and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. It is in the valley of the River Taw, about three miles south of Barnstaple. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,176. Des ...

was appointed the first chairman of the council, having already chaired the board of guardians for the previous six years.

Premises

In 1911 the council moved its main offices to a converted late eighteenth century house called the Red House at 23 Castle Street in Barnstaple. Meetings continued to be held in the boardroom at the old workhouse until it was converted into the Alexandra Hospital on the creation of the National Health Service in 1948. The council then extended the Red House to incorporate a council chamber in 1950. The council remained based at the Red House until 1969 when it took offices in the new Barnstaple Civic Centre on North Walk, sharing the building with Barnstaple Town Council.

Abolition

Barnstaple Rural District was abolished in 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

. The area was merged with the neighbouring South Molton Rural District and the borough of Barnstaple and urban districts of Ilfracombe and Lynton to become

References

{{Reflist Districts of England created by the Local Government Act 1894 Districts of England abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 History of Devon Rural districts of England North Devon