This is a list of the municipal boroughs, urban districts, and rural districts in Wales immediately prior to the coming into force of the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974. The number of districts gradually reduced from their creation in 1894 through consolidation.
In addition to these 164 local government sub divisions of the 13 County Councils, Wales also had 4 county boroughs, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Merthyr Tydfil. Following the establishment of the Welsh Office in 1966, and subsequent legislative processes, the question of whether Monmouthshire (including Newport) should be considered as being within Wales was no longer in serious dispute, and it was finally conclusively resolved by the Local Government Act 1972.
Anglesey
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Aethwy Rural District | Anglesey |
| Amlwch Urban District | Anglesey |
| Beaumaris Borough | Anglesey |
| Holyhead Urban District | Anglesey |
| Llangefni Urban District | Anglesey |
| Menai Bridge Urban District | Anglesey |
| Twrcelyn Rural District | Anglesey |
| Valley Rural District | Anglesey |
Brecon (Brecknockshire)
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Brecknock Rural District | Brecknock |
| Brecon Borough | Brecknock |
| Brynmawr Urban District | Blaenau Gwent |
| Builth Wells Rural District | Brecknock |
| Builth Wells Urban District | Brecknock |
| Crickhowell Rural District | Blaenau Gwent, Brecknock |
| Hay Rural District | Brecknock |
| Hay Urban District | Brecknock |
| Llanwrtyd Wells Urban District | Brecknock |
| Vaynor and Penderyn Rural District | Merthyr Tydfil, Brecknock, Cynon Valley |
| Ystradgynlais Rural District | Brecknock |
Caernarvonshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Bangor Borough | Arfon |
| Bethesda Urban District | Arfon |
| Betws-y-Coed Urban District | Aberconwy |
| Caernarfon Royal Borough | Arfon |
| Conwy Borough | Aberconwy |
| Criccieth Urban District | Dwyfor |
| Gwyrfai Rural District | Arfon, Dwyfor |
| Llandudno Urban District | Aberconwy |
| Llanfairfechan Urban District | Aberconwy |
| Lleyn Rural District | Dwyfor |
| Nant Conway Rural District | Aberconwy |
| Ogwen Rural District | Arfon |
| Penmaenmawr Urban District | Aberconwy |
| Porthmadog Urban District | Dwyfor |
| Pwllheli Borough | Dwyfor |
Cardiganshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Aberaeron Rural District | Ceredigion |
| Aberaeron Urban District | Ceredigion |
| Aberystwyth Borough | Ceredigion |
| Aberystwyth Rural District | Ceredigion |
| Cardigan Borough | Ceredigion |
| Lampeter Borough | Ceredigion |
| New Quay Urban District | Ceredigion |
| Teifiside Rural District | Ceredigion |
| Tregaron Rural District | Ceredigion |
Carmarthenshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Ammanford Urban District | Dinefwr |
| Burry Port Urban District | Llanelli |
| Carmarthen Borough Council | Carmarthen |
| Carmarthen Rural District | Carmarthen |
| Cwmamman Urban District | Dinefwr |
| Kidwelly Borough | Llanelli |
| Llandeilo Rural District | Dinefwr |
| Llandeilo Urban District | Dinefwr |
| Llandovery Borough | Dinefwr |
| Llanelli Borough | Llanelli |
| Llanelli Rural District | Llanelli |
| Newcastle Emlyn Rural District | Carmarthen |
| Newcastle Emlyn Urban District | Carmarthen |
| Whitland Rural District | Carmarthen |
Denbighshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Abergele Urban District | Colwyn |
| Aled Rural District | Colwyn, Aberconwy |
| Ceiriog Rural District | Glyndwr |
| Colwyn Bay Borough | Colwyn |
| Denbigh Borough | Glyndwr |
| Hiraethog Rural District | Aberconwy, Colwyn |
| Llangollen Urban District | Glyndwr |
| Llanrwst Urban District | Aberconwy |
| Ruthin Borough | Glyndwr |
| Ruthin Rural District | Glyndwr |
| Wrexham Borough | Wrexham Maelor |
| Wrexham Rural District | Wrexham Maelor, Glyndwr |
Flintshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Buckley Urban District | Alyn and Deeside |
| Connah's Quay Urban District | Alyn and Deeside |
| Flint Borough | Delyn |
| Hawarden Rural District | Wrexham Maelor, Alyn and Deeside |
| Holywell Rural District | Delyn |
| Holywell Urban District | Delyn |
| Maelor Rural District | Wrexham Maelor |
| Mold Urban District | Delyn |
| Prestatyn Urban District | Rhuddlan |
| Rhyl Urban District | Rhuddlan |
| St Asaph (Flint) Rural District | Rhuddlan |
Glamorgan (Glamorganshire)
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Aberdare Urban District | Cynon Valley |
| Barry Borough | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Bridgend Urban District | Ogwr |
| Caerphilly Urban District | Rhymney Valley, Taff-Ely |
| Cardiff Rural District | Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Rhymney Valley, Taff-Ely |
| Cowbridge Borough | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Cowbridge Rural District | Taff-Ely, Vale of Glamorgan |
| Gelligaer Urban District | Rhymney Valley, Merthyr Tydfil |
| Glyncorrwg Urban District | Port Talbot |
| Gower Rural District | Swansea |
| Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre Rural District | Taff-Ely |
| Llwchwr Urban District | Lliw Valley |
| Maesteg Urban District | Ogwr |
| Mountain Ash Urban District | Cynon Valley |
| Neath Borough | Neath |
| Neath Rural District | Neath, Cynon Valley |
| Ogmore and Garw Urban District | Ogwr |
| Penarth Urban District | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Penybont Rural District | Ogwr |
| Pontardawe Rural District | Lliw Valley |
| Pontypridd Urban District | Taff-Ely |
| Port Talbot Borough | Port Talbot |
| Porthcawl Urban District | Ogwr |
| Rhondda Borough | Rhondda |
Merioneth (Merionethshire)
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Bala Urban District | Meirionnydd |
| Barmouth Urban District | Meirionnydd |
| Deudraeth Rural District | Meirionnydd |
| Dolgellau Rural District | Meirionnydd |
| Dolgellau Urban District | Meirionnydd |
| Edeyrnion Rural District | Glyndwr |
| Ffestiniog Urban District | Meirionnydd |
| Penllyn Rural District | Meirionnydd |
| Tywyn Urban District | Meirionnydd |
Monmouthshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Abercarn Urban District | Islwyn |
| Abergavenny Borough | Monmouth |
| Abergavenny Rural District | Monmouth |
| Abertillery Urban District | Blaenau Gwent |
| Bedwas and Machen Urban District | Rhymney Valley |
| Bedwellty Urban District | Islwyn, Rhymney Valley |
| Blaenavon Urban District | Torfaen |
| Caerleon Urban District | Newport |
| Chepstow Rural District | Monmouth |
| Chepstow Urban District | Monmouth |
| Cwmbran Urban District | Torfaen |
| Ebbw Vale Urban District | Blaenau Gwent |
| Magor and St Mellons Rural District | Cardiff, Newport, Torfaen |
| Monmouth Borough | Monmouth |
| Monmouth Rural District | Monmouth |
| Mynyddislwyn Urban District | Islwyn |
| Nantyglo and Blaina Urban District | Blaenau Gwent |
| Pontypool Rural District | Torfaen, Monmouth |
| Pontypool Urban District | Torfaen |
| Rhymney Urban District | Rhymney Valley |
| Risca Urban District | Islwyn |
| Tredegar Urban District | Blaenau Gwent |
| Usk Urban District | Monmouth |
Newport was a county borough.
Montgomeryshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Forden Rural District | Montgomery |
| Llanfyllin Borough | Montgomery |
| Llanfyllin Rural District | Montgomery |
| Llanidloes Borough | Montgomery |
| Machynlleth Rural District | Montgomery |
| Machynlleth Urban District | Montgomery |
| Montgomery Borough | Montgomery |
| Newtown and Llanidloes Rural District | Montgomery |
| Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Urban District | Montgomery |
| Welshpool Borough | Montgomery |
Pembrokeshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Cemaes Rural District | Preseli |
| Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District | Preseli |
| Haverfordwest Borough | Preseli |
| Haverfordwest Rural District | Preseli |
| Milford Haven Urban District | Preseli |
| Narberth Rural District | South Pembrokeshire |
| Narberth Urban District | South Pembrokeshire |
| Neyland Urban District | Preseli |
| Pembroke Borough | South Pembrokeshire |
| Pembroke Rural District | South Pembrokeshire |
| Tenby Borough | South Pembrokeshire |
Radnorshire
| District | Successor |
|---|---|
| Colwyn Rural District | Radnor |
| Knighton Rural District | Radnor |
| Knighton Urban District | Radnor |
| Llandrindod Wells Urban District | Radnor |
| New Radnor Rural District | Radnor |
| Painscastle Rural District | Radnor |
| Presteigne Urban District | Radnor |
| Rhayader Rural District | Radnor |
See also
- List of rural and urban districts in England in 1973
- List of rural and urban districts in Northern Ireland
- List of local government areas in Scotland 1930–75
References
| Geography of Wales | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | |||||||
| Environment | |||||||
| Land use | |||||||
| Administrative |
| ||||||
| Social | |||||||
| Other | |||||||
