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Devon (UK Parliament constituency)

Former parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom


Summary

Former parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

FieldValue
nameDevon
parliamentuk
year1290
abolished1832
typeCounty
elects_howmanyTwo
nextNorth Devon
South Devon
regionEngland
countyDevon

South Devon

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 1801 to 1832. Elections were held using the bloc vote system of elections.

Under the Reform Act 1832, it was split into two divisions, North Devon and South Devon, for the 1832 general election.

Boundaries

The constituency consisted of the historic county of Devon, excluding the city of Exeter which had the status of a county in itself after 1537. (Although Devon contained a number of other parliamentary boroughs, each of which elected two MPs in its own right for part of the period when Devon was a constituency, these were not excluded from the county constituency, and owning property within the borough could confer a vote at the county election. This was not the case, though, for Exeter.)

Members of Parliament

1290–1640

Constituency created 1290, during the reign of King Edward I (1272–1307).

YearFirst memberSecond member
1290 (Jul)Sir Robert de WodetonSir Andrew Trelosk of Dunterton
1294 (Nov)unknown
1295 (Nov), the
Model ParliamentSir Robert de WodetonSir William Prous of Gidleigh (1245–1315)
1297 (Oct)Sir Henry Ralegh of Strete Ralegh in WhimpleSir Hugh Prous of Gatcombe in Colyton
1298 (May)Sir John Umfraville of Lapfordauthor=J. J. Alexandertitle=Devon County Members of Parliament. Part I. The early Plantagenet Period (1212–1327)journal=Report & Transactions of the Devonshire Associationyear=1912volume=44pages=366–381}}
1300 (Mar)Sir Robert Beaple of KnowstoneSir Reginald Ferrers of Bere and Newton Ferrers
YearFirst memberSecond member
1331Sir Roger de Pridias (Prideaux) of Orcheton, Modbury
1340Adam de Branscombe
1356/7John Daubernon of Dunsland
1364Sir John Cary (d. 1395) of Cockington, Devon, Chief Baron of the ExchequerSir William Cary (brother)
1348Adam de Branscombe
1369Sir John Cary (d. 1395) of Cockington, Devon, Chief Baron of the ExchequerSir William Cary (brother)
1371Sir William Bonville
1376Sir William Bonville
YearFirst memberSecond member
1377 (Oct)Sir William Bonville
1378Sir William Bonville
1379Sir William Bonville
1379John Beaumont (d. 1379/80)
1380John Beaumont (d. 1379/80)
1380 (Nov)Sir William Bonville
1381Sir William Bonville
1382 (May)Sir William Bonville
1382 (Oct)Sir William Bonville
1383Sir Philip Courtenay
1383Ivo FitzWarin
1384 (Apr)Sir William Bonville
1385Sir John Stretch
1386Sir Philip CourtenaySir John Stretch
1388 (Feb)Sir Philip CourtenaySir John Prideaux
1388 (Sep)Sir John StretchSir John Grenville
1390 (Jan)Sir Philip CourtenaySir James de Chudleigh
1390 (Nov)Sir James de ChudleighJohn Prescott
1391Sir James de ChudleighSir William Sturmy
1393Sir Philip CourtenaySir James de Chudleigh
1394Sir John GrenvilleSir James de Chudleigh
1395Sir Philip CourtenaySir Hugh Courtenay
1397 (Jan)Sir William BonvilleSir John Grenville
1397 (Sep)Sir Hugh CourtenaySir William Bonville
YearFirst memberSecond member
1399Sir Philip CourtenayJohn Stretch
1401Sir Philip CourtenaySir John Wadham
1402Sir William BonvilleSir John Grenville
1404 (Jan)Sir Thomas PomeroyEdmund Pyne
1404 (Oct)Sir William SturmyWalter Reynell
1406Sir Hugh LuttrellSir Thomas Pomeroy
1407Sir Hugh LuttrellRobert Cary
1410Sir Thomas PomeroyRobert Cary
1411Edmund PyneRobert Cary
YearFirst memberSecond member
1413 (Feb)
1413 (May)Sir Thomas PomeroyRobert Cary
1414 (Apr)John St. AubynRobert Cary
1414 (Nov)Richard I HankfordJohn Arundell
1415
1416 (Mar)Richard I HankfordRobert Cary
1416 (Oct)
1417John ColeRobert Cary
1419Edward PomeroyRobert Cary
1420Sir Robert ChalonsThomas Archdeacon
1421 (May)Sir Hugh CourtenayRobert Cary
1421 (Dec)John CopplestoneHenry Fortescue
NoYearFirst memberSecond member
1st1422William Bonville, 1st Baron BonvilleRobert Cary
2nd1423Richard HankefordJohn Cole
3rd1425William Bonville, 1st Baron BonvilleRobert Cary
4th1426Robert CaryJames Chuddelegh
5th1427Philip CourtenayWilliam Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville (& John Reynell 1427/8)
6th1429
7th1430
8th1432
9th1433Sir Philip Cary
10th1435Nicholas RadfordJohn Copplestone
171439John Copplestone
331454/5Walter Reynell (died 1478) of Malston in the parish of Sherford, Devon
YearFirst memberSecond member
1491John Crocker
YearFirst memberSecond member
1510–1523No names known
1529Sir William Courtenay (d. 1535) of Powderham, *died Nov.1535
and repl. Jan 1536 by* George CarewSir Thomas Denys
1536
1539Sir Thomas DenysRichard Pollard
1542Richard Pollard?Gawain Carew
1545?Sir Gawain Carew
YearFirst memberSecond member
1547Sir Gawain CarewJohn Chichester
1553 (Mar)Sir Peter CarewJohn Fulford
YearFirst memberSecond member
1553 (Oct)Sir Peter CarewSir Thomas Denys
1554 (Apr)Sir John ChichesterJohn Prideaux
1554 (Nov)James BassettJames Courtenay
1555James BassettRobert Denys
YearFirst memberSecond member
1558James BassettGeorge Kirkham
1559Sir Peter CarewSir John St Leger
author = J. J. Alexandertitle = Devon Country Members of Parliament, Part IV, The Tudor Period (1485-1603)journal = Rep. Trans. Devon. Ass. Advmt Sci.pages = 365–370year = 1915 }}John Chichester
1571Sir John St LegerPeter Edgcumbe
1572–1583Arthur Bassett
1584–1585Walter RaleighWilliam Courtenay
1586–1587John Chudleigh
1588–1589William CourtenayGeorge Cary
1593Sir Thomas DenysSir Edward Seymour, 1st Baronet
1597–1598William StrodeAmias Bampfield
1601William CourtenaySir Edward Seymour, 1st Baronet
YearFirst memberSecond member
1604–1611{{Citationauthor = J. J. Alexandertitle = Devon Country Members of Parliament, Part V, The Stuart Period (1603-1688)
(from 1607)Sir John Acland
1614John DrakeSir Edward Giles
1621–1622Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet
1624–1625Sir William Strode
YearFirst memberSecond member
1625Francis FulfordFrancis Courtenay
1626John DrakeJohn Pole
1628–1629John BampfieldSir Francis Drake, Bt

1640–1832

YearFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party
April 1640Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd BaronetRoyalist
November 1640
1641Sir Samuel RolleParliamentarian
January 1643Seymour disabled to sit – seat vacant
1646Sir Nicholas Martyn
1648William Morice
December 1648Morice and Martyn excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant.
1653Seven nominated members in the Barebones Parliament: George Monck, John Carew, Thomas Saunders, Christopher Martyn, James Erisey, Francis Rous, Richard Sweet
Devon's representation was increased to 11 MPs in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate
1654Thomas Saunders, Robert Rolle, Arthur Upton, Thomas Reynell, William Morice, John Hale,
William Bastard, William Fry, Sir John Northcote, Bt, Henry Hatsell, John Quick
1656Thomas Saunders, Robert Rolle, Arthur Upton, Thomas Reynell, William Morice, John Hale,
Sir John Northcote, Bt, Captain Henry Hatsell, Sir John Yonge, Edmund Fowell, John Doddridge
January 1659Sir John Northcote, Bt
May 1659Not represented in the restored Rump
April 1660George Monck
July 1660Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet
1661Sir Hugh Pollard, Bt
1667Earl of Torrington
1671Sir Coplestone Bampfylde, Bt
Tories (British political party)}}"February 1679Sir Edward Seymour, 4th BaronetTory
September 1679Samuel Rolle
1685Sir Bourchier Wrey, Bt
1689Francis Courtenay
September 1699Thomas Drewe
January 1701Sir William Courtenay, Bt
December 1701Sir John Pole, Bt
1702Robert Rolle
Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"1710Sir William Pole
Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="4"1712Sir William Courtenay, BtTory
Tories (British political party)}}"1713Sir Coplestone Bampfylde, BtTory
Tories (British political party)}}"1727John RolleTory
1730Henry Rolle
1736John Bampfylde
1741Sir William Courtenay, Bt
1746Sir Thomas Dyke-Acland, Bt
1747Sir Richard Bampfylde, Bt
1762John Parker
1776John Rolle Walter
1780John Rolle
Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="3"1784John Pollexfen BastardTory
1796Sir Lawrence Palk, Bt
Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"1812Sir Thomas Dyke-Acland, BtTory
1816Edmund Pollexfen Bastard
Whigs (British political party)}}"1818Viscount EbringtonWhig
Tories (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"1820Sir Thomas Dyke-Acland, BtTory
Whigs (British political party)}}" rowspan="2"1830Viscount EbringtonWhig
Whigs (British political party)}}"1831Lord John RussellWhig
  • Constituency abolished (1832)

Elections

Notes

References

References

  1. J. J. Alexander. (1912). "Devon County Members of Parliament. Part I. The early Plantagenet Period (1212–1327)". Report & Transactions of the Devonshire Association.
  2. [[John Lambrick Vivian. Vivian, Lt.Col. J. L.]], (ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the [[Heraldic visitation. Heralds' Visitations]] of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 616, pedigree of Prideaux.
  3. [[Tristram Risdon. Risdon, Tristram]] (d. 1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p. 251.
  4. Vivian, Lt.Col. J. L., (ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 150, pedigree of Cary ([[regnal year]] 37 Edward III, i.e. 1363); see also biography of his son Sir Robert Cary in [[History of Parliament]] [http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/cary-robert-1431]
  5. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 150, pedigree of Cary ([[regnal year]] 37 Edward III, i.e. 1363).
  6. Vivian, p. 150 ([[regnal year]] 42 Edward III, i.e. 1368).
  7. Beaumont, Edward T., The Beaumonts in History. A.D. 850-1850. Oxford, c. 1929, (privately published), Chapter 5, pp. 56–63, The Devonshire Family, p. 62 (term given as 1376–80).
  8. "STRETCH, Sir John (1341-90), of Pinhoe and Hempston Arundel (Little Hempston), Devon.". History of Parliament Online.
  9. "History of Parliament".
  10. [[John Lambrick Vivian. Vivian, Lt.Col. J. L.]], (ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the [[Heraldic visitation. Heralds' Visitations]] of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 643: [[regnal date]] "6 Henry IV" (sic), probably "6 Henry VI" 1427/8; corrected date deduced as his brother was [[Walter Reynell (died 1478). Walter Reynell]] (died 1478) of Malston (Vivian, p. 643) a Member of Parliament for Devon in 1454/5 (Vivian, p. 643).
  11. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/radford-nicholas-1455 History of Parliament Online article.
  12. "COPPLESTONE, John (D.1458), of Copplestone in Colebrooke, Devon. | History of Parliament Online".
  13. [[Regnal date]] 33 Henry VI per [[John Lambrick Vivian. Vivian, Lt.Col. J. L.]], (ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the [[Heraldic visitation. Heralds' Visitations]] of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pp. 643–5, pedigree of Reynell, p. 643.
  14. Appointed Treasurer in Ireland 1607.
  15. Youngest brother (1588–1637) of [[Francis Drake]].
  16. Died March 1641.
  17. Died December 1647.
  18. Morice may not have taken his seat before being excluded in [[Pride's Purge]].
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