Barnstaple Rural District
Barnstaple Rural District was a rural district 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 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. 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 were established, giving public health and local government responsibilities for rural areas to the existing boards of guardians 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