Downham Rural District

Position within Norfolk, 1894
Position within Norfolk, 1894

Boundaries in 1894. 1930 extension in yellow.
Position within Norfolk, 1935
Position within Norfolk, 1935

Boundaries in 1935

Downham Rural District was a rural district in Norfolk, England from 1894 to 1974.[1]

It was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 based on the Downham rural sanitary district. It completely encircled Downham Market Urban District.

In 1930 a new parish of Nordelph was created in Downham RD, taking land mostly out of the Marshland RD parish of Upwell.[2]

Several changes were made to its boundaries in 1935. In particular, it took in four large (in area terms) parishes from the disbanded Thetford Rural District.

In 1974, the district was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, and became part of the West Norfolk district, renamed King's Lynn and West Norfolk in 1981.

  1. ^ "Downham RD through time: Census tables with data for the Local Government District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Upwell CP through time: Population Statistics: Area (acres)". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Shows reduction in Upwell between 1921 & 1931. Note that several other pages on the site fail to report this transfer. Retrieved 26 June 2017.