Forest of Dean (UK Parliament constituency)

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Sessional Divisions of Coleford, Lydney, Newent, and Newnham.

1918–1950: The Urban Districts of Awre, Coleford, Newnham, and Westbury-on-Severn, the Rural Districts of East Dean and United Parishes, Lydney, Newent, and West Dean, and part of the Rural District of Gloucester.

1997–2010: The District of Forest of Dean, and the Borough of Tewkesbury wards of Haw Bridge and Highnam.

2010–present: The District of Forest of Dean, and the Borough of Tewkesbury ward of Highnam with Haw Bridge. The constituency boundaries remained unchanged by the Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies.

The 2023 review of Westminster constituencies also left the boundaries unchanged.

History

This seat was created for the 1885 general election (replacing the two-seat constituency of West Gloucestershire under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885), was redrawn for the 1918 general election, and abolished for the 1950 general election. It was re-created, with different boundaries, for the 1997 general election, and has thus far not undergone any boundary changes.

Constituency profile

The Forest of Dean constituency covers Gloucestershire west of the river Severn, and lies in the south west of England, near the Welsh border.

The core of the constituency consists of the Royal Forest of Dean itself, which was established by William the Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago and is one of the last surviving Royal Forests in England. The seat has a rich industrial and mining history, evidenced by the market towns of Coleford and Cinderford, and the old port of Lydney from where coal mined in the Forest of Dean Coalfield would start its journey to all parts of the world.

The Wye Valley forms the western border of the Forest and is an area of outstanding natural beauty, whilst the Leadon Valley forms the northern portion of the constituency. The Vale consists of countryside and farmland centred on the Tudor town of Newent, and also produces English wine.

The constituency also includes parishes from Tewkesbury district, including Forthampton, Chaceley Hole, Hasfield, Ashleworth and Highnam.

Members of Parliament

MPs 1885–1950

MPs since 1997

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 71,438

|reg. electors = 70,898

|reg. electors =69,865

|reg. electors = 68,419

Elections in the 2000s

|reg. electors = 67,241

|reg. electors = 66,240

Election in the 1990s

|reg. electors = 63,465

Election in the 1940s

|reg. electors = 42,667

Elections in the 1930s

|reg. electors = 37,643

|reg. electors = 36,547

Elections in the 1920s

|reg. electors = 36,563

|reg. electors=29,696

|reg. electors = 29,696

|reg. electors = 29,174

|reg. electors = 28,686

Election results 1885–1918

Elections in the 1910s

|reg. electors=27,624

General Election 1914–15

A general election was due to take place by the end of 1915. By the autumn of 1914, the following candidates had been selected to contest that election. Due to the outbreak of war, the election never took place;

• Liberal Party: Henry Webb
• Labour Party: James Wignall

|reg. electors =11,214

|reg. electors=10,881

|reg. electors=10,881

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors=9,993

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors=10,782

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors=10,032

• Caused by Blake's resignation.

|reg. electors=9,458 |reg. electors=9,458

Notes

References

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South West". Boundary Commission for England.
2. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
3. "Forest of Dean". Gloucestershire Live.
4. A Glance Back at Lydney Docks, Neil Parkhouse {{ISBN. 9781903599006
5. {{Rayment-hc. f. (March 2012)
6. (2024-07-04). "General election results 2024".
7. "Forest of Dean parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
8. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
9. "Forest of Dean District Council – Page unavailable".
10. "FOREST OF DEAN 2015".
11. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
12. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
13. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
14. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
15. Percentage change and swing for 1997 is calculated relative to the Rallings and Thrasher 1992 notional constituency result, not actual 1992 result. See C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, The Media Guide to the New Parliamentary Constituencies (Plymouth: LGC Elections Centre, 1995)
16. "1992 (Implied) Election Result". Electoral Calculus.
17. (16 July 1925). "Forest of Dean Election". North Devon Journal.
18. FWS Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
19. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
20. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
21. ‘COLCHESTER WEMYSS, Maynard Willoughby’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2015; online edn, Feb 2015 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U207709, accessed 19 Oct 2017] {{Webarchive. link. (21 August 2020)
22. [https://archive.org/details/constitutionaly07unkngoog The Constitutional Year Book], 1904, published by [[Conservative Central Office]], page 144 (168 in web page), Gloucestershire
23. (3 Jul 1886). "The Contest in Dean Forest". [[Western Daily Press]].
24. British Parliamentary Election Results 1885–1918, FWS Craig
25. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
26. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886