In 1872 sanitary districts were established, giving public health and local government responsibilities for rural areas to the existing boards of guardians of poor law unions.

The Kendal Rural Sanitary District therefore covered the area of the poor law union except for Bowness on Windermere, Grasmere, Kendal, Kirkby Lonsdale, and Windermere, which each had urban authorities and so became their own urban sanitary districts.

It gained Kirkby Lonsdale, which ceased to be a separate urban district.

[5] South Westmorland Rural District was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, with the area becoming part of the new district of South Lakeland on 1 April 1974.

Stricklandgate House was subsequently used as the headquarters of South Lakeland District Council until 1991.