Wharfedale was a rural district

Rural district

Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...

 in the West Riding of Yorkshire

West Riding of Yorkshire

The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...

 from 1894 to 1974. It was named after Wharfedale

Wharfedale

Wharfedale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale include Buckden, Kettlewell, Conistone, Grassington, Hebden, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Arthington, Collingham, and Wetherby...

.

It contained the following civil parishes:

• Adel cum Eccup (1894—1928) transferred to County Borough of Leeds
  County Borough of Leeds
  The County Borough of Leeds, and its predecessor, the Municipal Borough of Leeds, was a local government district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, from 1835 to 1974. Its origin was the ancient borough of Leeds, which was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835...
  
  
• Alwoodley
  Alwoodley
  Alwoodley is a civil parish and suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is north of central Leeds. The name Alwoodley is said to be a corruption of 'Aethelwaldley', as it was originally known in the Middle Ages, meaning the woodland clearing , at Aethelwald's farm...
  
   (1894—1928) transferred to County Borough of Leeds
  County Borough of Leeds
  The County Borough of Leeds, and its predecessor, the Municipal Borough of Leeds, was a local government district in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, from 1835 to 1974. Its origin was the ancient borough of Leeds, which was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835...
  
  
• Arthington
  Arthington
  Arthington is a small village in Wharfedale, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is a civil parish which, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 561 and is in the LS21 postcode district with Otley as its post town...
  
  
• Askwith
  Askwith
  Askwith is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, with a population of 220 . The village is located in Wharfedale, and is close to the border of West Yorkshire. Nearby towns are Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale....
  
  
• Blubberhouses
  Blubberhouses
  Blubberhouses is a small village and civil parish located in the Washburn Valley in the borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, a county in the north of England. It is situated to the south of the Yorkshire Dales national park, and to the north of a Roman road and Fewston Reservoir.The village is...
  
  
• Bramhope
  Bramhope
  Bramhope is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, north of Holt Park and north east of Cookridge....
  
  
• Carlton
• Castley
  Castley
  Castley is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, It is on the River Wharfe and about 10 miles from the centre of Leeds.-External links:...
  
  
• Denton
  Denton, North Yorkshire
  Denton is a hamlet and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated north east of Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Denton Hall is located in the hamlet....
  
  
• Esholt
  Esholt
  Esholt is a village between Shipley and Guiseley, in the metropolitan district of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.- Derivation of name :The name "Esholt" indicates that the village was first established in a heavily wooded area of ash trees....
  
   (1894—1937) transferred to County Borough of Bradford
• Farnley
• Fewston
  Fewston
  Fewston is a village and civil parish in the Harrogatedistrict of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated north of Otley and close to Swinsty and Fewston reservoirs....
  
  
• Great Timble
• Hawksworth
  Hawksworth, West Yorkshire
  Hawksworth is a small, early twentieth-century council estate in the Kirkstall area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.It is situated on a hill between West Park and Horsforth and is circled by Butcher Hill, the A65 and Vesper Road...
  
  
• Leathley
  Leathley
  Leathley is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near the border with West Yorkshire and the River Wharfe, 1 mile north east of Otley.-External links:...
  
  
• Lindley
  Lindley, North Yorkshire
  Lindley is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near Lindley Wood Reservoir and 1 mile north of Otley. In 2001 the population of the civil parish of Lindley was 52.-External links:...
  
  
• Little Timble
• Menston
  Menston
  Menston is a village and civil parish in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, Menston is part of Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford. It has a population of 4,660.-Landmarks:...
  
   (1894—1937) transferred to Aireborough Urban District
• Middleton
• Nesfield with Langbar
• Newell with Clifton
• Norwood
  Norwood, North Yorkshire
  Norwood is a civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 UK census, Norwood parish had a population of 200....
  
  
• Pool
  Pool-in-Wharfedale
  Pool in Wharfedale is a village and civil parish in the Lower Wharfedale area, 10 miles north of Leeds city centre and 2 miles east of Otley. It is in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire and within the historic boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is in the LS21 ...
  
  
• Stainburn
  Stainburn
  Stainburn is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated 10 miles north of Leeds.-External links:...
  
  
• Weston
  Weston, North Yorkshire
  Weston is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is about 1 mile north west of Otley and near the River Wharfe....
  
  

It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972

Local Government Act 1972

The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....

, and split between two new districts. The parishes of Arthington

Arthington

Arthington is a small village in Wharfedale, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is a civil parish which, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 561 and is in the LS21 postcode district with Otley as its post town...

, Bramhope

Bramhope

Bramhope is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, north of Holt Park and north east of Cookridge....

, Carlton and Pool went to the metropolitan district of the City of Leeds

City of Leeds

The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...

 in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....

, with the rest becoming part of the Borough of Harrogate

Harrogate (borough)

Harrogate is a local government district and borough of North Yorkshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Harrogate but it also includes surrounding towns and villages...

 in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...

.