9 4 , ▁the ▁area ▁covered ▁was ▁primarily ▁rural , ▁d otted ▁with ▁small ▁villages ▁and ▁towns , ▁but ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁London ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries ▁led ▁to ▁rapid ▁urban isation ▁and ▁the ▁rural ▁district ▁was ▁progress ively ▁broken ▁up ▁to ▁form ▁newly ▁created ▁urban ▁districts . ▁It ▁was ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁ ▁Its ▁area ▁now ▁forms ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Bor ough s ▁of ▁Cro yd on , ▁M erton ▁and ▁S utton ▁and ▁the ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Re ig ate ▁and ▁Ban st ead . ▁ ▁Par ishes ▁and ▁boundaries ▁ ▁On ▁creation , ▁the ▁district ▁consisted ▁of ▁nine ▁civil ▁par ishes . ▁The ▁number ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁eight ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁with ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁M erton ▁Urban ▁District , ▁and ▁to ▁seven ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁when ▁the ▁parish ▁of ▁M orden ▁was ▁absor bed ▁by ▁M erton ▁U D . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁the ▁Sur rey ▁County ▁Council ▁made ▁orders ▁for ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁rural ▁district , ▁with ▁its ▁area ▁to ▁be ▁reconst it uted ▁as ▁three ▁new ▁urban ▁districts ▁or ▁transferred ▁to ▁neighbour ing ▁rural ▁districts . ▁This ▁was ▁opposed ▁by ▁the ▁County ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Cro yd on ▁which ▁sought ▁to ▁an nex ▁most ▁of ▁Bed d ington , ▁Cou ls don , ▁S ander st ead ▁and ▁Wood man ster ne . ▁Cro yd on ' s