Parliamentary representation from Devon

Historic counties of England

The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...

of Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

in south west England was represented in Parliament from the 13th century. This article provides a list of constituencies constituting the Parliamentary representation from Devon.

In 1889 Devon became an administrative county. Unlike many other counties there has been no major change between the historic and administrative county boundaries. The first part of this article covers the constituencies wholly or predominantly within the area of the historic county. The second part refers to constituencies mostly in another historic county, which included some territory from the historic county of Devon (if any). The summaries section only refers to the constituencies included in the first section of the constituency list.

List of constituencies

Article names are followed by (UK Parliament constituency). The constituencies which existed in 1707 were those previously represented in the Parliament of England

Parliament of England

The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...

.

Key to abbrieviations:-

(Type) BC Borough constituency, CC County constituency.

Constituencies wholly or predominantly in the historic county

Constituency	Type	From	To	MPs	Notes
Ashburton Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency) Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...	BC	1298	1301	2	Unrepresented 1654-1659
	BC	1640	1868	2 (1640–1832)
	BC	1640	1868	1 (1832–1868)
	CC	1885	1918	1
Barnstaple Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency) Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...	BC (1295-1885)	1295	1950	2 (1295-1654)
				1 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1885)
	CC (1885–1950)			1 (1885–1950)
Bere Alston Bere Alston (UK Parliament constituency) Bere Alston or Beeralston was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough.-History:...	BC	1584	1832	2	Also spelt Beeralston. Unrepresented 1654-1659
Dartmouth Dartmouth (UK Parliament constituency) Dartmouth, also at some times called Clifton, Dartmouth and Hardness, was a parliamentary borough in Devon which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and to the Commons of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from 1351 until 1832, and then one member from...	BC	1298	1301	2	Includes Clifton, Dartmouth, Hardness 1654-1659
	BC	1351	1868	2 (1351-1654)
				1 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1832)
				1 (1832–1868)
Central Devon	CC	next	*	1
Devon Devon (UK Parliament constituency) Devon was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Devon in England. It was represented by two Knights of the Shire, in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...	CC	1290	1832	2 (1290-1654)
				11 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1832)
East Devon East Devon (UK Parliament constituency) East Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...	CC	1868	1885	2
	CC	1997	*	1
North Devon North Devon (UK Parliament constituency) North Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....	CC	1832	1885	2
	CC	1950	*	1
South Devon South Devon (UK Parliament constituency) South Devon, formally known as the Southern Division of Devon, was parliamentary constituency in the county of Devon in England. From 1832 to 1885 it returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-Boundaries:In...	CC	1832	1885	2
South West Devon	CC	1997	*	1
West Devon West Devon (UK Parliament constituency) West Devon was a county constituency in Devon, in the South-West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....	CC	1974	1983	1
Devonport	BC	1832	1918	2
Exeter Exeter (UK Parliament constituency) Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....	BC	1295	*	2 (1295-1885)
	BC	1295	*	1 (1885-*)
Honiton Honiton (UK Parliament constituency) Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...	BC	1301	1307	2
	BC (1640–1885)	1640	1997	2 (1640–1654)
				1 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1885)
	CC (1885–1997)			1 (1885–1997)
Newton Abbot Newton Abbot (UK Parliament constituency) Newton Abbot is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....	CC	next	*	1
Okehampton Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency) Okehampton was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1301 and 1313, then continuously from 1640 to 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...	BC	1301	1307	2	Unrepresented 1654-1659
	BC	1640	1832	2	Unrepresented 1654-1659
Plymouth Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies.-In the...	BC	1298	1301	2
	BC	1442	1918	2
Plymouth Devonport	BC	1918	next	1
Plymouth Drake Plymouth Drake (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth Drake was a borough constituency in the city of Plymouth, in Devon. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system of election.-History:...	BC	1918	1950	1
	BC	1974	1997	1
Plymouth Moor View	BC	next	*	1
Plymouth Sutton	BC	1918	next	1
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport	BC	next	*	1
Plympton Erle Plympton Erle (UK Parliament constituency) Plympton Erle, also spelt Plympton Earle, was a parliamentary borough in Devon. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-1295-1640:-1640-1832:...	BC	1295	1832	2	Unrepresented 1654-1659
South Hams South Hams (UK Parliament constituency) South Hams was a county constituency based on the South Hams district of Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....	CC	1983	1997	1
South Molton South Molton (UK Parliament constituency) South Molton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the small town of South Molton in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....	CC	1885	1950	1
Tavistock Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency) Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...	BC	1295	1296	2	Unrepresented 1654-1659
	BC (1330-1885)	1330	1974	2 (1330-1868)
	CC (1885–1974)	1330	1974	1 (1868–1974)
Teignbridge Teignbridge (UK Parliament constituency) Teignbridge was, from 1983 until 2010, a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...	CC	1983	next	1
Tiverton Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency) Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...	BC (1621–1885)	1621	1997	2 (1621–1654)
				1 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1885)
	CC (1885–1997)			1 (1885–1997)
Tiverton and Honiton	CC	1997	*	1
Torbay Torbay (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Notes and references:...	BC	1974	*	1
Torquay Torquay (UK Parliament constituency) Torquay was a county constituency in Devon, South West England, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....	CC (1885–1950)	1885	1974	1
	BC (1950–1974)	1885	1974	1
Torridge and West Devon	CC	1983	*	1
Torrington Torrington (UK Parliament constituency) Torrington was a county constituency centred on the town of Torrington in Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election....	BC	1295	1307	2
	CC	1950	1974	1
Totnes Totnes (UK Parliament constituency) Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....	BC	1295	1868	2 (1295-1654)
				1 (1654–1659)
				2 (1659–1868)
	CC	1885	1983	1
	CC	1997	*	1

Constituencies mostly in another historic county

Constituency	Type	From	To	MPs	Notes

Periods constituencies represented

	1290–1295	1295–1296	1298–1301	1301–1307	1330–1351	1351–1442	1442–1584	1584–1621
Ashburton Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency) Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...			1298–1301
Barnstaple Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency) Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...		1295–1950
Bere Alston Bere Alston (UK Parliament constituency) Bere Alston or Beeralston was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough.-History:...								1584–1654
Dartmouth Dartmouth (UK Parliament constituency) Dartmouth, also at some times called Clifton, Dartmouth and Hardness, was a parliamentary borough in Devon which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and to the Commons of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from 1351 until 1832, and then one member from...			1298–1301			1351–1868
Devon Devon (UK Parliament constituency) Devon was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Devon in England. It was represented by two Knights of the Shire, in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...	1290–1832
Exeter Exeter (UK Parliament constituency) Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....		1295–*
Honiton Honiton (UK Parliament constituency) Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...				1301–1307
Okehampton Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency) Okehampton was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1301 and 1313, then continuously from 1640 to 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...				1301–1307
Plymouth Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies.-In the...			1298–1301				1442–1918
Plympton Erle Plympton Erle (UK Parliament constituency) Plympton Erle, also spelt Plympton Earle, was a parliamentary borough in Devon. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-1295-1640:-1640-1832:...		1295–1654
Tavistock Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency) Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...		1295–1296			1330–1654
Torrington Torrington (UK Parliament constituency) Torrington was a county constituency centred on the town of Torrington in Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election....		1295–1307
Totnes Totnes (UK Parliament constituency) Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....		1295–1868

	1621–1640	1640–1654	1659–1832	1832–1868	1868–1885	1885–1918	1918–1950	1950–1974
Ashburton Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency) Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...		1640–1654	1659–1868
Barnstaple Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency) Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...	1295–1950
Bere Alston Bere Alston (UK Parliament constituency) Bere Alston or Beeralston was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act as a rotten borough.-History:...	1584–1654		1659–1832
Dartmouth Dartmouth (UK Parliament constituency) Dartmouth, also at some times called Clifton, Dartmouth and Hardness, was a parliamentary borough in Devon which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and to the Commons of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from 1351 until 1832, and then one member from...	1351–1868
Devon Devon (UK Parliament constituency) Devon was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Devon in England. It was represented by two Knights of the Shire, in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...	1290–1832
East Devon East Devon (UK Parliament constituency) East Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...					1868–1885
North Devon North Devon (UK Parliament constituency) North Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....				1832–1885				1950–*
South Devon South Devon (UK Parliament constituency) South Devon, formally known as the Southern Division of Devon, was parliamentary constituency in the county of Devon in England. From 1832 to 1885 it returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-Boundaries:In...				1832–1885
Devonport				1832–1918
Exeter Exeter (UK Parliament constituency) Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....	1295–*
Honiton Honiton (UK Parliament constituency) Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...		1640–1997
Okehampton Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency) Okehampton was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1301 and 1313, then continuously from 1640 to 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...		1640–1654	1659–1832
Plymouth Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies.-In the...	1442–1918
Plymouth Devonport							1918–next
Plymouth Drake Plymouth Drake (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth Drake was a borough constituency in the city of Plymouth, in Devon. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system of election.-History:...							1918–1950
Plymouth Sutton							1918–next
Plympton Erle Plympton Erle (UK Parliament constituency) Plympton Erle, also spelt Plympton Earle, was a parliamentary borough in Devon. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-1295-1640:-1640-1832:...	1295–1654		1659–1832
South Molton South Molton (UK Parliament constituency) South Molton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the small town of South Molton in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....						1885–1950
Tavistock Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency) Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...	1330–1654		1659–1974
Tiverton Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency) Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...	1621–1997
Torquay Torquay (UK Parliament constituency) Torquay was a county constituency in Devon, South West England, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....						1885–1974
Torrington Torrington (UK Parliament constituency) Torrington was a county constituency centred on the town of Torrington in Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election....								1950–1974
Totnes Totnes (UK Parliament constituency) Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....	1295–1868					1885–1983

	1974–1983	1983–1997	1997–next	next–*
Central Devon				next–*
East Devon East Devon (UK Parliament constituency) East Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...			1997–*
North Devon North Devon (UK Parliament constituency) North Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....	1950–*
South West Devon			1997–*
West Devon West Devon (UK Parliament constituency) West Devon was a county constituency in Devon, in the South-West of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....	1974–1983
Exeter Exeter (UK Parliament constituency) Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....	1295–*
Honiton Honiton (UK Parliament constituency) Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...	1640–1997
Newton Abbot Newton Abbot (UK Parliament constituency) Newton Abbot is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....				next–*
Plymouth Devonport	1918–next
Plymouth Drake Plymouth Drake (UK Parliament constituency) Plymouth Drake was a borough constituency in the city of Plymouth, in Devon. It elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system of election.-History:...	1974–1997
Plymouth Moor View				next–*
Plymouth Sutton	1974–next
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport				next–*
South Hams South Hams (UK Parliament constituency) South Hams was a county constituency based on the South Hams district of Devon. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....		1983–1997
Teignbridge Teignbridge (UK Parliament constituency) Teignbridge was, from 1983 until 2010, a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...		1983–next
Tiverton Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency) Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...	1621–1997
Tiverton and Honiton			1997–*
Torbay Torbay (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Notes and references:...	1974–*
Torridge and West Devon		1983–*
Totnes Totnes (UK Parliament constituency) Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....	1885–1983		1997–*

Summary of Constituencies by Type and Period

Note: Dates of representation prior to 1509 are provisional.

Type	1290	1295	1296	1298	1301	1307	1330	1351	1442	1584	1621	1640	1654	1659	1832	1868	1885	1918	1950	1974	1983
Borough	-	6	5	8	7	4	5	6	7	8	9	12	7	12	10	7	3	4	4	5	5
County	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	3	8	7	6	5	5
Total	1	7	6	9	8	5	6	7	8	9	10	13	8	13	12	10	11	11	10	10	10

Type	1997	next
Borough	4	4
County	7	8
Total	11	12

Summary of Members of Parliament by Type and Period

Type	1290	1295	1296	1298	1301	1307	1330	1351	1442	1584	1621	1640	1654	1659	1832	1868	1885	1918	1950	1974	1983
Borough	-	12	10	16	14	8	10	12	14	16	18	24	9	24	18	13	5	4	4	5	5
County	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	11	2	4	6	8	7	6	5	5
Total	2	14	12	18	16	10	12	14	16	18	20	26	20	26	22	19	13	11	10	10	10