Watford Rural is a civil parish in the Three Rivers District of Hertfordshire, England.

The ancient parish of Watford covered an extensive rural area as well as the town itself.

The first parish council was chosen by a show of hands at that meeting without a formal election being required.

[2] The first meeting of the parish council was then held on 18 December 1894 at Upton House in Watford, which was the offices of the Watford Local Board at the time, and Edward Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon was appointed the first chairman of the parish council.

There is parkland, woodland and some farmland throughout the parish and especially towards the northwest, falling within the Metropolitan Green Belt.

The London—Watford railway line divides the settlements, with Carpenders Park in the east and South Oxhey to the west.