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rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of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

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, England from 1894 to 1974, covering an area in the south-east of the county.

Origins

The district had its origins in the Godstone Poor Law Union, which had been created in 1835, covering Godstone itself and several surrounding parishes. A workhouse was built on Church Lane in

Bletchingley Bletchingley (historically "Blechingley") is a village in Surrey, England. It is on the A25 road to the east of Redhill, Surrey, Redhill and to the west of Godstone, has a conservation area with Middle Ages, medieval buildings and is mostly on a ...

to serve the union, opening in 1839. 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. As there were no urban authorities within the Godstone Poor Law Union, the Godstone Rural Sanitary District covered the same area as the poor law union. Under the

Local Government Act 1894 The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level un ...

, rural sanitary districts became rural districts from 28 December 1894. The Godstone Rural District Council held its first meeting on 28 December 1894 at the Clayton Arms (later renamed the White Hart) at 71 High Street, Godstone, which had been the meeting place of the board of guardians. Henry Albert Barclay of Underhill in Bletchingley was appointed the first chairman of the council. He was a major in the army and his father was chairman of

Barclays Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services. Barclays traces ...

Bank. In 1899 the parish of

Caterham Caterham () is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is administratively divided into two: Caterham on the Hill, and Caterham Valley, which includes the main town centre in the middle of a dry valley but rises to equal ...

was removed from Godstone Rural District to become an

urban district Urban district may refer to: * District * Urban area * Quarter (urban subdivision) * Neighbourhood Specific subdivisions in some countries: * Urban districts of Denmark * Urban districts of Germany * Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...

Warlingham Warlingham is a village in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England, south of the centre of London and east of the county town, Guildford. Warlingham is the centre of a civil parish that includes Hamsey Green, a contiguous, smaller settle ...

was added to the Caterham Urban District in 1929, when it was renamed

Caterham and Warlingham Urban District Caterham and Warlingham was an Urban District of Surrey in England until 1974. Geographic evolution It was pre-emptively formed shortly before the major national 1933 reforms of boundaries and entities accordingly to take account of population c ...

Woldingham Woldingham is a village and civil parish high on the North Downs between Oxted and Warlingham in Surrey, England, within the M25, southeast of London. The village has 2,141 inhabitants, many of whom commute to London, making Woldingham part o ...

was subsequently transferred to the Caterham and Warlingham Urban District in 1933.

Parishes

Godstone Rural District contained the following civil parishes: * Addington (1915–1925) Transferred from

Croydon Rural District Croydon was a rural district in north east Surrey, England, United Kingdom, from 1894 to 1915. It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 and replaced the Croydon Rural Sanitary District. The district surrounded the County Borough of Croyd ...

when that district was abolished in 1915. Transferred to

County Borough of Croydon The County Borough of Croydon was a local government district in and around the town of Croydon in north east Surrey, England from 1889 to 1965. Since 1965 the district has been part of the London Borough of Croydon within Greater London. Hi ...

in 1925. *

Burstow Burstow is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England. Its largest settlement is Smallfield. Smallfield is ENE of Gatwick Airport and the M23 motorway, southwest of Oxted and east of Horley. Crawley is a nearby ...

(1933–1974) Transferred from Reigate Rural District, except 10 acres of parish which was added to Horley parish instead. *

(1894–1899) Became Caterham Urban District, then part of

in 1929. *

Chelsham Chelsham is a village in the civil parish of Chelsham and Farleigh and the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. It is located in the Metropolitan Green Belt, from London, from Oxted and from Guildford. History Early history Flint implements ...

(1894–1969) *

Chaldon Chaldon is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The village is situated high on the North Downs, immediately west of Caterham and south of Charing Cross, the traditional centre of London. History Etymology an ...

(1933-1974) * Farleigh (1894–1933) Transferred to

Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Coulsdon and Purley Urban District was a local government district in northeast Surrey from 1915 to 1965. The local authority was Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council. The former area of the district is now mostly part of the London Borough ...

in 1933. *

Chelsham and Farleigh Chelsham and Farleigh is a civil parish in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The parish is high on the North Downs and centred south-southeast of central London and it adjoins the Greater London boundary; it is a predominantly rural/wo ...

(1969–1974) * Crowhurst *

Felbridge __NOTOC__ Felbridge is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey with a playing field within its focal area, narrowly in West Sussex. Felbridge village forms a contiguous settlement with East Grinstead and had 829 homes and ...

Godstone Godstone is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Surrey, England, east of Reigate at the junction of the A22 road, A22 and A25 road, A25 roads, near the M25 motorway and the North Downs. Godstone railway station is separate ...

* Horne *

Limpsfield Limpsfield is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs close to Oxted railway station and the A25.

Lingfield Lingfield can refer to: * Lingfield, County Durham, England, a village * Lingfield, Surrey, England, a village ** Lingfield Park Racecourse ** Lingfield Cricket Club, prominent in the 18th century ** Lingfield railway station, serving the villag ...

* Nutfield (1933–1974) Transferred from Reigate Rural District, except 216 acres of parish which was added to Reigate Municipal Borough instead. *

Oxted Oxted is a town and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs. It is south south-east of Croydon in Greater London, west of Sevenoaks in Kent, and north of East Grinstead in West Sussex. Oxte ...

Tandridge Tandridge is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge District, in the county of Surrey, England. Its nucleus is on a rise of the Greensand Ridge between Oxted and Godstone. It includes, towards its middle one named sub-locality (hamlet), ...

Tatsfield Tatsfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. It is located 3.3 miles north west of Westerham and 3.9 miles north east of Oxted, and is adjacent to the Surrey border with both Greater London and Kent. Geog ...

Titsey Titsey is a rural village and a civil parish on the North Downs almost wholly within the M25 London Orbital Motorway in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. In local government it forms the south-western part of the ward ''Tatsfield ...

(1894–1929) Merged with Caterham Urban District to become new

in 1929. *

(1894–1933) Transferred to Caterham and Warlingham Urban District 1933.

Premises

Until 1909 the council continued to meet at the Clayton Arms in Godstone. In 1909 the council moved its meetings to the Church Room on Church Lane in Oxted. In 1935 the council built itself a new council chamber and offices on Station Road East in Oxted.

Abolition

Godstone Rural District was abolished 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 merged with Caterham and Warlingham Urban District to create

Tandridge District Tandridge is a local government district in east Surrey, England. Its council is based in Oxted, although the largest settlement is Caterham; other notable settlements include Warlingham, Godstone and Lingfield. In mid-2019, the district had an e ...

with effect from 1 April 1974. The new Tandridge District Council continued to use the offices of both its predecessor councils until the late 1980s, when the former Godstone Rural District Council offices were demolished and a new consolidated office built on the site, opening in 1989.

References

{{reflist Districts of England created by the Local Government Act 1894 Rural districts of England