Downham Rural District was a rural district in Norfolk, England from 1894 to 1974.
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.
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.
Welney Rural District Welney Rural District was (at least nominally) a short-lived entity created in 1894 containing one parish, West Welney, which had been in Downham RSD but lay in the Isle of Ely rather than Norfolk. Its population at the time was about 500. In 1895 the parish was transferred to Norfolk, and Welney RD was absorbed by Downham RD. There does not appear to be any evidence that it ever actually functioned.
Statistics Year Area (ha) Population Density(pop/ha)1911 33,156 15,527 0.471921 14,660 0.441931 34,565 15,503 0.451951 50,243 24,496 0.491961 23,655 0.47
Parishes Parish From To Notes Barton Bendish Bexwell 1935 Added to Ryston Boughton Crimplesham Denver Downham West Feltwell 1935 Formerly Thetford RD Fincham Fordham Hilgay Hockwold cum Wilton 1935 Formerly Thetford RD Marham Methwold 1935 Formerly Thetford RD Nordelph 1930 Created from parts of Denver, Downham West & Stow Bardolphand from Outwell and Upwell in Marshland RD Northwold 1935 Formerly Thetford RD Runcton Holme Ryston Ryston with Roxham 1935 Added to Ryston Shouldham Shouldham Thorpe Southery Stoke Ferry Stow Bardolph Stradsett Tottenhill Watlington Welney Wereham West Dereham West Welney 1895 1935 Welney RD 1894-95. Added to Welney 1935 Wiggenhall St Germans As "Wiggenhall St German" before 1935 Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin Wiggenhall St Peter 1935 Added to Wiggenhall St Germans Wimbotsham Wormegay Wretton
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