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 165 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 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
Cardiff, Merthyr Tidfil and Swansea were county boroughs.
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 Local Government Act 1972