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rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of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

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, England from 1894 to 1974. It surrounded

Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...

on the north, west and east sides. The district was created 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 ...

. It 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 ...

, with its area being split between the new districts of South Ribble,

and

Ribble Valley Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status within the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. The total population of the non-metropolitan district at the 2011 Census was 57,132. Its council is based in Clith ...

. It contained the following parishes: * Barton, Broughton, Elston (until 1934 when merged into Grimsargh), Goosnargh, Grimsargh-with-Brockholes (until 1934 when merged into Grimsargh), Grimsargh (from 1934),

Haighton Haighton is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. It is a rural area north east of the urban city of Preston, beyond Fulwood and Brookfield. Geography Haighton also contains the hamlets of Haighton Green and Haighton ...

, Lea Ashton Ingol and Cottam (until 1934 when split into Lea,

Fulwood Urban District Fulwood was an urban district of Lancashire, England. It was subject to some changes in its boundaries:http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10137019&c_id=10001043 *1 April 1934: lost to County Borough of Preston P ...

and the

County Borough of Preston Preston Municipal Borough, also known as the County Borough of Preston from 1889, was a local government district coterminate with the town of Preston in Lancashire, northwest England from 1836 to 1974. Preston was one of only a few industri ...

), Lea (from 1934), Whittingham and Woodplumpton which were all transferred to the Borough of Preston in 1974 * Dutton,

Hothersall Hothersall is a civil parish in the Ribble Valley district, in Lancashire, England. The parish, which is on the north bank of the River Ribble, is rural and in the 2001 census had a population of 136, increasing to 145 at the 2011 Census. It is ...

and

Ribchester Ribchester is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Ribble, northwest of Blackburn and east of Preston. The village has a long history with evidence of Bronze ...

which were all transferred to Ribble Valley in 1974 * Cuerdale, Farington, Howick (until 1934 when merged into Penwortham), Hutton, The Holme (until merged into Penwortham), Little Hoole, Longton,

Much Hoole Much Hoole is a village and civil parish in the borough of South Ribble, Lancashire, England. The parish of Much Hoole had a population of 1,851 at the time of the 2001 census, increasing to 1,997 at the 2011 Census. History Hoole derives fro ...

Penwortham Penwortham () is a town in South Ribble, Lancashire, England, on the south bank of the River Ribble facing the city of Preston. The town is at the most westerly crossing point of the river, with major road and rail links crossing it here. T ...

and Samlesbury which were all transferred to South Ribble in 1974 * Ribbleton (until 1934 when absorbed into the County Borough of Preston)Ribbleton Tn/CP
''Vision of Britain'', retrieved 9 June 2014

References

History of Lancashire Local government in Preston Districts of England created by the Local Government Act 1894 Districts of England abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 Rural districts of England {{Lancashire-geo-stub