Lewes | |
Parliament: | uk |
Year: | 1295 |
Type: | County |
Electorate: | 75,091 (2023)[1] |
Region: | England |
County: | East Sussex |
Lewes is a constituency in East Sussex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by James MacCleary, a Liberal Democrat.
The constituency includes the town of Lewes, most of the Lewes District, including the coastal towns of Seaford and Newhaven, Polegate and Alfriston all in outer parts of the London Commuter Belt, though with a high number of people who have retired from across the country.[2] The constituency excludes the District of Lewes District wards of East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs, Peacehaven East, Peacehaven North, and Peacehaven West (which since 1997 have been in the Brighton, Kemptown (UK Parliament constituency), and instead includes part of neighbouring Wealden District.
1885–1918: The Borough of Brighton, the Sessional Divisions of Hove and Worthing, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Lewes and Steyning.
1918–1950: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Newhaven, Portslade-by-Sea, and Seaford, and the Rural Districts of Chailey, Newhaven, and Steyning East.
1950–1955: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Burgess Hill, Newhaven, and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and parts of the Rural Districts of Cuckfield and Hailsham.
1955–1974: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Burgess Hill, Newhaven, and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and part of the Rural District of Cuckfield.
1974–1983: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Newhaven and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and part of the Rural District of Hailsham.
1983–1997: The District of Lewes, and the District of Wealden wards of Alfriston, Arlington, and East Dean.
1997–2010: The District of Lewes wards of Barcombe, Chailey, Ditchling, Hamsey, Kingston, Lewes Bridge, Lewes Castle, Lewes Priory, Newhaven Denton, Newhaven Meeching, Newhaven Valley, Newick, Ouse Valley, Plumpton, Ringmer, Seaford Central, Seaford East, Seaford North, Seaford West, and Wivelsfield.
2010–2024: The District of Lewes wards of Barcombe and Hamsey, Chailey and Wivelsfield, Ditchling and Westmeston, Kingston, Lewes Bridge, Lewes Castle, Lewes Priory, Newhaven Denton and Meeching, Newhaven Valley, Newick, Ouse Valley and Ringmer, Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington and St John Without, Seaford Central, Seaford East, Seaford North, Seaford South, and Seaford West.With the District of Wealden wards of Alfriston, Arlington, East Dean, Polegate North, and Polegate South.
2024–present: The District of Lewes wards of: Ditchling & Westmeston; Kingston; Lewes Bridge; Lewes Castle; Lewes Priory; Newhaven North; Newhaven South; Ouse Valley & Ringmer; Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington & St. John; Seaford Central; Seaford East; Seaford North; Seaford South; Seaford West; and the District of Wealden wards of: Arlington; Lower Willingdon; Polegate Central; Polegate North; Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill; South Downs; Stone Cross; Upper Willingdon.[3]
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, changes from the 2024 United Kingdom general election described as following:
Three small rural District of Lewes wards will be included in the newly created constituency of East Grinstead and Uckfield, offset by the addition of parts of the District of Wealden, including the communities of Willingdon (from Eastbourne) and Stone Cross (from Bexhill and Battle).
The constituency of Lewes has existed since commoners were first summoned to Parliament in 1295, the Model Parliament. This is the county town, though less significant in population today, far surpassed by the City of Brighton and Hove — it has nonetheless been continuously represented since that date.
From 1874 the constituency's electorate in elections sent only Conservative MPs except between 1997 and 2015.
Parliament | First member | Second member | |
---|---|---|---|
1295 | Gervasius de Wolvehope | Ricardus le Palmere[4] | |
1297 | No return | ||
1298 | Gervasius de Wolvehope | Williemus Serverleg | |
1300/1 | Reginaldus de Combe | Rogerus Coppyng | |
1302 | Gervasius de Wolvehope | Ricardus le Palmere | |
1304/5 | Galfridus de Wolvehope | Walterus Nyng | |
1307 | Robertus le Bynt | Walterus le Fust | |
1309 | Simon Tring | Johannes Arnald | |
1311 | Simon Tring | Ricardus le Hurt | |
1313 (Jul) | Willielmus de la Chapele | Galfridus de Wolvehope | |
1313 (Sep) | Simon Tring | Johannes Gouman | |
1319 | Willielmus Walewere | Henricus de Rudham | |
1320 | Thomas atte Novene | Radulphus atte Lote | |
1322 (May) | Philippus le Mareschal | Thomas de Lofelde | |
1322 (Nov) | Robertus le Spicer | Ricardus le Poleter | |
1323 | Willielmus Walewere | Robertus le Spicer | |
1327 | No return | ||
1328 | Willielmus Darnel | Johannes le Bake | |
1329/30 | Walterus atte Markette | Ricardus le Hurt | |
1330 | Thomas Comyn | Stephanus le Boche | |
1331/2 | Thomas Comyn | Johannes Scoteryld | |
1333/4 | Robertus ? | ||
1334–1347 | No names known | ||
1348 | Ricardus Ploket | Johannes Payn | |
1350 | Willielmus Gardyner | Willielmus Darnel | |
1354 | Willielmus Darnel | Willielmus Gardiner | |
1355 | Willielmus Darnel | Willielmus Gardiner | |
1357/8 | Robertus atte Brouke | Ricardus Crompe | |
1360 | Thomas Lyndefelde | Willielmus Bocher | |
1360/1 | Ricardus Ferour de Lewes | Thomas Lyndefeld | |
1362 | Robertus Norton | Willielmus Swon | |
1363 | Willielmus Spicer | Thomas Norays | |
1366 | Willielmus Boteller | Stephanus Holte | |
1368 | Robertus de York | Robertus Norton | |
1369 | Robertus de York | Jacobus Ferrour | |
1371 | Henricus Werkeman | ||
1372 | Jacobus Ferour | Thomas Norays | |
1373 | Robertus de York | Stephanus Holte | |
1376/7 | Willielmus Spicer | Jacobus Ferour | |
1378 | Jacobus Ferour | Johannes Shereve | |
1379/80 | Robertus de York | Johannes Peyntour | |
1381 | Henricus Werkeman | Robertus Norton | |
1382 | Henricus Werkeman | Thomas Norrys | |
1382/3 | Stephanus Holte | Johannes Goderyk | |
1383 | Willielmus Spicer | ||
1384 | Thomas Norrys | Willielmus Spicer | |
1385 | Thomas Norris | Stephen Holt | |
1388 (Feb) | Stephen Holt | Thomas Norris[5] | |
1388 (Sep) | Richard atte Gate | Walter Gosselyn | |
1390 (Jan) | |||
1390 (Nov) | |||
1391 | John Bedford | Thomas Norris | |
1393 | William Chepelond | John Godeman | |
1394 | |||
1395 | John Maryot | John Sadeler | |
1397 (Jan) | John Godeman | John Plomer | |
1397 (Sep) | John Godeman | John Maryot | |
1399 | William Chepelond | John Maryot | |
1401 | John Mason | John Maryot | |
1402 | Robert Bynt | John Maryot | |
1404 (Jan) | |||
1404 (Oct) | |||
1406 | Roger Forster | William Green | |
1407 | Roger Forster | William Hyde | |
1410 | |||
1411 | |||
1413 (Feb) | |||
1413 (May) | Andrew Blake | John Maryot | |
1414 (Apr) | |||
1414 (Nov) | John Hert | Robert Lytcombe | |
1415 | |||
1416 (Mar) | William Chepelond | William Northampton | |
1416 (Oct) | |||
1417 | John Gosselyn | John Parker | |
1419 | Andrew Blake | William Fagger | |
1420 | John Gosselyn | Thomas White | |
1421 (May) | William Fagger | William Northampton | |
1421 (Dec) | Thomas White | William Wodefold | |
1422 | William Vaggere | Andreas Mauffay | |
1423 | William Wodefold | Andreas Mafay | |
1425 | William Fagger | John Gosselyn | |
1425/6 | William Penbrugge | William Feret | |
1427 | John Godeman | Roger Forster | |
1429 | Thomas White | John Gosselyn | |
1430/1 | John Rodys | Richard Brasier | |
1432 | Thomas White | William Penbrygge | |
1433 | William Penbrygge | ||
1435 | Thomas White | John Wody | |
1436/7 | William Thwaytes | John Hanmere | |
1441/2 | Giles Wodefold | ||
1446/7 | Robert Wodefold | Thomas Best | |
1448/9 (Feb) | Giles Wodefold | William Godeman | |
1449 (Nov) | John Southwell | William Delve | |
1450 | John Southwell | John Beckwith | |
1452/3 | John Parker | John Southwell | |
1459 | Richard Fairegoo | Thomas Sherman | |
1460 | John Beckwith | Thomas Best | |
1467 | Thomas Lewknor | John Sherman | |
1472 | Christopher Furnes | William Cook | |
1477/8 | William Cooke | John Baker | |
1510–1523 | No names known[6] | ||
1529 | Sir Edward Bray | John Batenore | |
1536 | ? | ||
1539 | ? | ||
1542 | John Kyme | ? | |
1545 | ? | ||
1547 | Sir Walter Mildmay | Sir Anthony Cooke | |
1553 (Mar) | John Southcote | Thomas Gravesend | |
1553 (Oct) | Sir Henry Hussey | George Darrell | |
1554 (Apr) | Robert Gage | George Darrell | |
1554 (Nov) | John Stempe | John Morley | |
1555 | William Devenish | Thomas Gravesend | |
1558 | John Gage | William Peterson | |
1558/9 | George Goring I | Thomas Saunder[7] | |
1562/3 | George Goring I | William Cantrell | |
1571 | William Morley | Edward Fenner | |
1572 | Edward Bellingham | John Shirley | |
1584 | Richard Browne | Thomas Pelham | |
1586 | Richard Browne | Francis Alford | |
1588 | Robert Sackville | John Shirley | |
1593 | Sir Henry Glemham | George Goring II | |
1597 | Sir Henry Glemham | John Shirley | |
1601 | George Goring II | Goddard Pemberton, sat for Peterborough and replaced by Sir Percival Hart | |
1604 | Sir Henry Nevill | ||
1614 | Richard Amhurst | ||
1621 | Richard Amhurst | ||
1624 | Christopher Neville | ||
1625 | Sir George Rivers | ||
1626 | Sir George Rivers | ||
Feb 1628 | Anthony Stapley | Sir George Goring | |
Jul 1628 | Anthony Stapley | Jerome Weston | |
1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | ||
1640 (Apr) | Anthony Stapley, sat for Sussex replaced by Herbert Morley[8] | James Rivers | |
1641 | Herbert Morley | Henry Shelley | |
1645 | Herbert Morley | Henry Shelley | |
1648 | Herbert Morley | Henry Shelley | |
1653 | Lewes not represented in Barebones Parliament | ||
1654 | Henry Shelley | (one seat only) | |
1656 | Anthony Stapley | (one seat only) | |
1659 | Herbert Morley | Richard Boughton |
Election | Member | Party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1868 | Liberal | |||
1874 | Conservative | |||
1885 | Conservative | |||
1910 by-election | Conservative | |||
1924 by-election | Conservative | |||
1931 | Conservative | |||
1936 by-election | Conservative | |||
1945 | Conservative | |||
February 1974 | Conservative | |||
1997 | Liberal Democrat | |||
2015 | Conservative | |||
2024 | Liberal Democrat |
2019 notional result[26] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
26,977 | 48.5 | ||
22,851 | 41.1 | ||
3,930 | 7.1 | ||
1,587 | 2.9 | ||
122 | 0.2 | ||
Others | 113 | 0.2 | |
Turnout | 55,580 | 74.0 | |
Electorate | 75,091 |
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.
New constituency boundaries.
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;
Kemp resigned, causing a by-election.
Blunt's death caused a by-election.
On petition, Harford was unseated, due to bribery and corruption,[27] and Fitzroy was declared elected on 21 March 1842. Fitzroy was then appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election.
Elphinstone resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
Brand was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
FitzRoy was appointed First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings, requiring a by-election.
FitzRoy's death caused a by-election.