Wycombe Rural District was, from 1894 to 1974, 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rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of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 An administrative county was a first-level administrative division in England and Wales from 1888 to 1974, and in Ireland from 1899 until either 1973 (in Northern Ireland) or 2002 (in the Republic of Ireland). They are now abolished, although mos ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Origins

The district had its origins in the Wycombe Poor Law Union, which had been created in 1835, covering

High Wycombe High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, south-southeast of Ayl ...

and several surrounding parishes. In 1872 sanitary districts 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 Wycombe Rural Sanitary District therefore covered the area of the poor law union except for the town of High Wycombe, which was a

municipal borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

(officially called Chepping Wycombe until 1946) and so became its own urban sanitary district. The Wycombe Rural Sanitary District was administered from Wycombe Union Workhouse, which had been built in 1843 in open countryside in the parish of

Saunderton Saunderton is a village in the Saunderton Valley in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England, in the civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton. The village consists of three main areas: a linear settlement along Bledlow Road about southwest ...

, nearly five miles north-west of High Wycombe. 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 Wycombe Rural District Council held its first meeting on 31 December 1894 at the workhouse. William Morris was appointed the first chairman of the council.

Area and parishes

The district consisted of a number of rural

parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

surrounding High Wycombe. In 1934 it was enlarged, when a

county review order The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales. The Act abolished the system of poor law unions in England and Wales and their boar ...

added the area of the abolished Hambleden Rural District.

Premises

The council continued to be based at the workhouse in Saunderton until the First World War, when the building was taken over for military purposes. Meetings were held at

High Wycombe Guildhall The High Wycombe Guildhall is a public building located on the High Street of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building. It was designed by Henry Keene (architect), Henry Keene and completed in 1757. History A me ...

for the next few years, with staff based at various offices. In 1928 the council acquired 17 High Street in High Wycombe, converting it to become their offices and meeting place. The council remained based at 17 High Street until 1967, when it moved to a newly built office building called Bellfield House at 80 Oxford Road in High Wycombe. The council remained at Bellfield House until its abolition in 1974.

Abolition

Wycombe 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 ...

, merging with the borough of High Wycombe and

Marlow Urban District Marlow Urban District was a local government authority in the administrative county of Buckinghamshire, England, between 1896 and 1974, covering the town of Marlow. Origins When parish and district councils were established in December 1894 ...

to become

Wycombe District Wycombe District was a local government district in Buckinghamshire in south-central England. Its council was based in the town of High Wycombe. The district was abolished on 31 March 2020 and its area is now administered by the unitary Buckin ...

. Bellfield House was used as secondary offices for the new council for some years, but was subsequently demolished in the early 2000s.Planning application 98/05390/FUL submitted to Wycombe District Council 19 February 1998, granted 17 December 1999, for demolition of Carrington House and Bellfield House, 80 Oxford Road, and erection of three-storey office and car park.

References

{{coord, 51.65, -0.78, type:adm3rd_dim:25000_region:GB-BKM, display=title Districts of England created by the Local Government Act 1894 Districts of England abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 History of Buckinghamshire Local government in Buckinghamshire Rural districts of England