51°15′25″N 0°00′01″W / 51.25708°N 0.00027°W / 51.25708; -0.00027

Godstone Rural District
Rural district
Area
 • 191149,907 acres (202.0 km2)
 • 196152,506 acres (212.5 km2)
Population
 • 190118,378
 • 1971[1]40,195
History
 • Created28 December 1894
 • Abolished31 March 1974
 • Succeeded byTandridge
 • HQGodstone (1894–1909)
Oxted (1909–1974)
Subdivisions
 • TypeCivil Parishes

Godstone Rural District was a rural district in Surrey, England from 1894 to 1974, covering an area in the south-east of the county.

Origins

The district had its origins in the Godstone Poor Law Union, which had been created in 1835, covering Godstone itself and several surrounding parishes. A workhouse was built on Church Lane in Bletchingley to serve the union, opening in 1839. 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. As there were no urban authorities within the Godstone Poor Law Union, the Godstone Rural Sanitary District covered the same area as the poor law union.[2]

Under the Local Government Act 1894, rural sanitary districts became rural districts from 28 December 1894. The Godstone Rural District Council held its first meeting on 28 December 1894 at the Clayton Arms (later renamed the White Hart) at 71 High Street, Godstone, which had been the meeting place of the board of guardians. Henry Albert Barclay of Underhill in Bletchingley was appointed the first chairman of the council. He was a major in the army and his father was chairman of Barclays Bank.[3]

In 1899 the parish of Caterham was removed from Godstone Rural District to become an urban district. Warlingham was added to the Caterham Urban District in 1929, when it was renamed Caterham and Warlingham Urban District. Woldingham was subsequently transferred to the Caterham and Warlingham Urban District in 1933.[1]

Parishes

Godstone Rural District contained the following civil parishes:[1]

Premises

Until 1909 the council continued to meet at the Clayton Arms in Godstone. In 1909 the council moved its meetings to the Church Room on Church Lane in Oxted.[4] In 1935 the council built itself a new council chamber and offices on Station Road East in Oxted.[5]

Abolition

Godstone Rural District was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972. The area merged with Caterham and Warlingham Urban District to create Tandridge District with effect from 1 April 1974.[6] The new Tandridge District Council continued to use the offices of both its predecessor councils until the late 1980s, when the former Godstone Rural District Council offices were demolished and a new consolidated office built on the site, opening in 1989.[7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Godstone Rural District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  2. ↑ Higginbotham, Peter. "Godstone Workhouse". The Workhouse. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Godstone: First meeting of the district council". Surrey Mirror. Reigate. 4 January 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Farewell to Godstone". Surrey Mirror. Reigate. 24 September 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "New Council Chamber Opened: Ceremony at Oxted". Westerham Herald. 20 April 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 18 July 2022
  7. ↑ "Oxted makes history". Caterham Mirror. 21 July 1988. p. 1. Retrieved 18 July 2022. Chairman of Tandridge District Council Cllr John Rawling laid the foundation stone to the Council's new offices in Oxted on Friday...
  8. ↑ "We are coming to Oxted". Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser. 4 May 1989. p. 42. Retrieved 18 July 2022. We will be moving into the offices in July...
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