Thedwastre Rural District


Thedwastre was a rural district in West Suffolk, England from 1894 to 1974. Thedwastre was formed under the Local Government Act 1894, from the part of the Stow Rural Sanitary District which was in West Suffolk. It was named after the historic hundred of Thedwastre.
The district was abolished in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and went to form part of the Mid Suffolk district in Suffolk. Its boundaries never changed during its 80 years existence.

Parishes

The rural district comprised the following civil parishes:
  1. Badwell Ash
  2. Beyton
  3. Drinkstone
  4. Elmswell
  5. Felsham
  6. Gedding
  7. Great Ashfield
  8. Hessett
  9. Hinderclay
  10. Hunston
  11. Langham
  12. Norton
  13. Rattlesden
  14. Rickinghall Inferior
  15. Stowlangtoft
  16. Thurston
  17. Tostock
  18. Walsham le Willows
  19. Wattisfield
  20. Woolpit

Premises

The council held its first meeting on 10 January 1895 at the Stow Union Workhouse in the parish of Onehouse, just outside Stowmarket. Hervey Aston Oakes was appointed the council's first chairman, and it was decided that subsequent meetings would be held at the courthouse in Stowmarket.
The council remained based in Stowmarket until 1959, when it moved to purpose-built premises on Cooks Road in Elmswell. The council remained based at Elmswell until its abolition in 1974. The council's former offices were subsequently converted into retirement housing and renamed Manns Court.