It was created in 1894, under the Local Government Act 1894 from that part of the Sudbury rural sanitary district in West Suffolk (the rest becoming Belchamp Rural District in Essex).

[1] Shortly after its creation, in 1896, the parish of Glemsford was made a separate urban district.

On 1 April 1935 it lost the parishes of Cavendish and Hawkedon to the Clare Rural District.

[2] Since 1 April 1974 it has formed part of the District of Babergh.

At the time of its dissolution it consisted of the following 21 civil parishes.