Totnes was a parliamentary constituency in Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency name was abolished. With to minor boundary changes, it was renamed South Devon at the 2024 general election.
History An original parliamentary borough of Totnes or Totness was created in 1295. It returned two MPs to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished under the Representation of the People Act 1867 with effect from the 1868 election. The constituency was reformed in 1885, in a much narrower form than previously.
It was abolished again at the 1983, largely replaced by the South Hams constituency. In 1997, South Hams was abolished and largely replaced by the reformed Totnes. At the 2024 general election, the name Totnes disappeared once again, as the constituency was renamed South Devon constituency with minor boundary changes.
Political history The constituency was a generally safe seat for the Conservative Party since the 1920s; it returned a Conservative MP at every general election for which it existed since 1924 (as did South Hams, the constituency that replaced it between 1983 and 1997), though it came close to falling to the Liberal Democrats in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Its Conservative MP from 2010, Dr Sarah Wollaston, defected to the Liberal Democrats in 2019, after a brief spell as an independent, and prior to that as a member of Change UK, a new party formed from MPs formerly Conservative or Labour, after she became disillusioned with the Conservative Party's position on Brexit. She came second to a new Conservative candidate in 2019.
During the 2016 EU Referendum, Totnes is estimated to have narrowly voted to Leave, by 53.9% vs. 46.1% Remain. Although the town of Totnes itself is a Remain stronghold, the larger town of Brixham and the rural areas of the constituency voted in favour of Brexit.
Boundaries
1885–1918: The Municipal Borough of Totnes, and the Sessional Divisions of Ermington and Plympton, and Stanborough and Coleridge.
1918–1950: The Municipal Borough of Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Salcombe, and Teignmouth, the Rural District of Kingsbridge, and parts of the Rural Districts of Newton Abbot and Totnes.
1950–1974: The Municipal Boroughs of Clifton, Dartmouth, Hardness, and Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Salcombe, the Rural Districts of Kingsbridge and Newton Abbot, and part of the Rural District of Totnes.
1974–1983: The Municipal Boroughs of Clifton, Dartmouth, Hardness, and Totnes, the Urban Districts of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Salcombe, and the Rural Districts of Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, and Totnes.
1997–2010: The District of South Hams wards of Avon and Harbourne, Avonleigh, Dartington, Dartmouth Clifton, Dartmouth Hardness, Dart Valley, Eastmoor, Garabrook, Kingsbridge, Kingswear, Malborough, Marldon, Salcombe, Saltstone, Skerries, South Brent, Stoke Gabriel, Stokenham, Thurlestone, Totnes, Totnes Bridgetown, and West Dart, the Borough of Torbay wards of Blatchcombe, Furzeham with Churston, and St Peter's with St Mary's, and the District of Teignbridge wards of Ambrook, Ashburton, and Buckfastleigh.
2010–2024: The District of South Hams wards of Allington and Loddiswell, Avon and Harbourne, Dartington, Dartmouth and Kingswear, Dartmouth Townstal, East Dart, Eastmoor, Kingsbridge East, Kingsbridge North, Marldon, Salcombe and Malborough, Saltstone, Skerries, South Brent, Stokenham, Thurlestone, Totnes Bridgetown, Totnes Town, West Dart, and Westville and Alvington, and the Borough of Torbay wards of Berry Head with Furzeham, Blatchcombe, Churston with Galmpton, and St Mary's with Summercombe.
The Totnes constituency covered the eastern part of the South Hams district of Devon, including the towns of Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe, as well as parts of the unitary authority of Torbay, including the town of Brixham.
Constituency profile Post-1997 recreation, the seat was divided between the South Hams and Torbay council areas, with around 60% of the electorate residing in the former and 40% in the latter in its final form after the 2010 boundary changes.
Despite the name of the constituency, the largest town in it was not Totnes but Brixham, a fishing port in the Torbay portion of the seat of around 17,000 people. Totnes itself, a market town in South Hams of around 9,000 renowned for its alternative and "New Age" community, accounted for only around 10% of the voters in the constituency bearing its name.
The seat also included the South Hams towns of Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Dartmouth, as well as the western suburbs of the Torbay town of Paignton, most of which belonged to the Torbay constituency.
Much of the constituency was rural, taking in numerous villages in the picturesque South Hams district as well as the Torbay village of Churston.
Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.4% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.Unemployment claimants by constituency The Guardian
Members of Parliament MPs 1295–1660 Constituency created 1295 Many of the names missing from this list 1295-1714 can be found in Notitia Parliamentaria: or, an history of the counties, cities, and boroughs in England and Wales. ... By Browne Willis, ... 1715: Vol 2, pp.281-285.
ParliamentFirst memberSecond member1295Johannes de Blakedon 1362Richard Whitelegh 1366John Prescott 1372John Prescott 1373John Prescott 1377 (Jan)William Burlestone 1377 (Oct)William Burlestone 1380 (Jan)William Burlestone 1381William Burlestone1383 (Feb)William Burlestone 1386 Robert French John Pasford 1388 (Feb) John Row Walter Browning 1388 (Sep) John Statham Walter Browning 1390 (Jan) John Poltimore Walter Hotot 1390 (Nov) 1391 John Grey Thomas Norris 1393 John Suell Robert Barneburgh 1394 Richard Whitelegh John Pasford 1395 Ellis Beare John Marshall 1397 (Jan) John Gunne Ellis Beare 1397 (Sep) 1399 Simon Marsh John Rose 1401 1402 Henry Spencer John Hulle 1404 (Jan) 1404 (Oct) 1406 Robert Wastell John Warwick 1407 Alfred Wonston Sir John Pomeroy 1410 Henry Austin Robert Wastell 1411 John Bosom Henry Bremeler 1413 (Feb) 1413 (May) John Sebright Henry Austin 1414 (Apr) 1414 (Nov) William Ryder Henry Berkeley 1415 1416 (Mar) 1416 (Oct) 1417 1419 1420 John Ash Walter Serle 1421 (May) Henry Berkeley Thomas Kirkby 1421 (Dec) Henry Chesewell William Cosyn1449Adam CokkysJohannes Prall1450Johannes HobbysThomas Calwodeley1455 William FowellVivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.369 of Fowelscombe1472 William Hody 1491Lewis PollardBaker, J.H., Biography of Sir Lewis Pollard, published in History of Parliament: House of Commons 1439-1509, eds. Wedgwood, J.C., & Holt A.D. 1510-1523 No names known 1529 John Giles Adam Ralegh 1536 ? 1539 ? 1542 ? 1545 Roger Prideaux John Gale 1547 Roger Prideaux Edmund Sture 1553 (Mar) John Wotton Christopher Savery 1553 (Oct) John Wotton Christopher Savery 1554 (Apr) John Eveleigh Henry Gildon 1554 (Nov) Richard Savery Christopher Savery 1555 Peter Edgecombe Leonard Yeo 1558 Bernard Smith Leonard Yeo 1558–9 Leonard Yeo Sir Nicholas Poyntz 1562–3 Sir Arthur Champernowne Richard Edgecombe I 1571 Richard Hurleston John Stanhope 1572 Robert Monson, made judge and repl. 1576 by Robert Beale Edward Buggin 1584 Christopher Savery Nicholas Ball 1586 John Giles Nicholas Hayman 1588 Richard Edgecombe Simon Kelway 1593 Richard Sparry Christopher Savery 1597 Edward Giles Christopher Buggin 1601 Leonard Darr Philip Holditch 1604 Christopher Brocking Walter Dollings 1614 Nathaniel Rich Lawrence Adams 1621–1622 Sir Edward Giles Richard Rodd 1624 Arthur ChampernounSir Edward Giles 1625 Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet Sir Edward Giles 1626 Arthur Champernoun Philip Holditch 1628–1629 Sir Edward Giles Thomas Prestwood 1629–1640No Parliaments summoned Apr 1640 Oliver St John John Maynard Nov 1640 Oliver St John John Maynard 1645 Oliver St John John Maynard 1648 Oliver St John John Maynard 1653 Totnes not represented in Barebone's Parliament 1654 Major-General Desborough (one seat only) 1656 Christopher Maynard (one seat only) 1659 Capt. John Pleydell Gilbert Evelyn
MPs 1660–1868 Two members Year First member First party Second member Second party1660 Thomas Chafe Thomas Clifford1661 Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet 1673Sir Thomas Berry Feb 1679John Kelland Aug 1679Edward Seymour (later 4th Baronet) 1681Charles Kelland John Kelland 1685Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet 1689Rawlin Mallock Sir John Fowell, Bt 1690Henry Seymour Portman 1692Thomas Coulson 1695Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet Edward Yarde 1698Thomas Coulson 1699Francis Gwyn 1701Sir Christopher Musgrave, Bt 1702William Seymour 1705Sir Humphrey Mackworth 1708Sir Edward Seymour, 5th Baronet George Courtenay 1710Thomas Coulson Francis Gwyn 1713Stephen Northleigh 1715Arthur Champernowne 1717 Sir John Germain, Bt 1718 Sir Charles Wills 1722Joseph Banks 1727Exton Sayer 1732Sir Henry Gough, Bt 1734Sir Joseph Danvers, Bt 1742John Strange 1747Charles Taylor Apr 1754Browse Trist Dec 1754Sir Richard Lloyd 1759Richard Savage Lloyd 1763Henry Seymour 1768Sir Philip Jennings-Clerke, Bt Peter Burrell 1774James Amyatt 1780Launcelot Brown 1784The Hon. Henry Phipps 1788Viscount Barnard 1790William Powlett Powlett Sir Francis Buller Yarde, Bt 1796The Lord Arden Lord George Seymour 1801William Adams 1802John Berkeley Burland 1804Vicary Gibbs 1806Benjamin Hall 1811Thomas Courtenay 1812Ayshford Wise 1818William Holmes 1820John Bent 1826The Earl of Darlington 1830Charles Barry Baldwin 1832Jasper Parrott James Cornish 1835Lord Seymour 1839
1840Charles Barry Baldwin 1852 Thomas Mills 1855The Earl of Gifford 1859 1862John Pender 1863 Alfred Seymour 1866 John Pender declared not duly elected and seat left vacant 1868 Constituency disenfranchised by the Reform Act 1867
MPs 1885–1983 One member Year MemberWhip 1885Francis Mildmay 1886 1912 1922 Samuel Harvey 1923 Henry Vivian 1924 Samuel Harvey 1935 Ralph Rayner 1955 Ray Mawby 1983 constituency abolished: see South Hams and Teignbridge
MPs 1997–2024 Between 1983 and 1997 the constituency was replaced by the South Hams constituency. Anthony Steen was returned at every election. Election Member Party 1997 Anthony Steen 2010 Sarah Wollaston 2019 2019 Anthony Mangnall 2024 constituency abolished: see South Devon
Elections Elections in the 2010s
Elections in the 2000s
Elections in the 1990s
Elections in the 1970s
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Elections in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s General Election 1939–40: Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected; Conservative: Ralph Rayner Liberal: F Vernon Baxter The Liberal Magazine, 1939
Elections in the 1920s
Election results 1885-1918 Elections in the 1910s
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected; Unionist: Francis Mildmay Liberal: Robert DunstanWestern Times Devon, 2 Jun 1914
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1890s
Election results 1832-1868 Elections in the 1860s