Taunton was a

rural district A rural district was a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. I ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, England, from 1894 to 1974. It was created in 1894 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 leve ...

. In 1974 it 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 ...

when it became part of

Taunton Deane Taunton Deane was a Non-metropolitan district, local government district with borough status in Somerset, England. Its council was based in Taunton. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of ...

district. The parishes which were in the rural district included Ash Priors, Bickenhall,

Bishop's Hull Bishop's Hull is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, in the western suburbs of Taunton. It includes the areas of Rumwell, Rumwell Park, Roughmoor and Longaller and is close to the River Tone. The parish, which includes the hamlet o ...

Bishops Lydeard Bishops Lydeard () is a village and civil parish located in Somerset, England, north-west of Taunton. The civil parish encompasses the hamlets of East Lydeard and Terhill, and had a population of 2,839 persons as recorded in the 2011 census; th ...

Burrowbridge Burrowbridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Parrett and the A361 road on the edge of the Somerset Levels. It is located southeast of Bridgwater, and has a population of 508. History The name probab ...

Cheddon Fitzpaine Cheddon Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the Quantock Hills north of Taunton. The village is situated near the Bristol and Exeter Railway, the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, and the River Tone and has ...

, Churchstanton, Combe Florey, Comeytrowe, Corfe, Cothelstone, Creech St Michael, Curland, Durston, Halse, Hatch Beauchamp,

Kingston St Mary Kingston St Mary is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated at the southern end of the Quantock Hills north of Taunton. The village has a population of 921. The parish includes the hamlets of Yarford which includes the grade II Cutl ...

, Lydeard St Lawrence, North Curry, Norton Fitzwarren,

Orchard Portman Orchard Portman is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton. The village has a population of 150. The parish includes the hamlet of Thurlbear and the nearby Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands Site of Special Scie ...

, Otterford, Pitminster, Ruishton, Staple Fitzpaine, Staplegrove, Stoke St Gregory, Stoke St Mary, Thornfalcon, Tolland, Somerset,

Trull Trull is a village, Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral ward and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, situated near Taunton. The parish, which includes Dipford and Staplehay, has a population ...

, West Bagborough, West Hatch and

West Monkton West Monkton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Taunton. The parish includes the Hamlet (place), hamlets of Monkton Heathfield, Bathpool, and Burlinch and the western parts of Coombe and Walford, Somerset ...

References

Taunton Rural District at Britain Through Time
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{{coord, 51.019, -3.100, type:adm3rd_region:GB, display=title Districts of England created by the Local Government Act 1894 Districts of England abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 History of Somerset Local government in Somerset Rural districts of England