The district was created by the Local Government Act 1894 based on the former East Ward rural sanitary district, and therefore indirectly on the former East Ward of Westmorland.
The district entirely surrounded the municipal borough of Appleby, situated in the north-west of the district.
Settlements in the district included Kirkby Stephen and Brough under Stainmore.
In 1935, under a County Review Order, it became part of the North Westmorland Rural District.
This Cumbria location article is a stub.