List of counties and boroughs of the unreformed House of Commons in 1800
Introduction This is a list of the counties and boroughs of the Unreformed House of Commons*In the following tables, the size of the electorate is shown as it was estimated to be in about 1800.These figures are estimates only, particularly in seats which were rarely contested. *In England, Scotland and Wales, there were 29 general elections between 1700 and the Reform Act of 1832.In Ireland, there were 11 elections between the Act of Union in 1801 and 1832.The figure under "Times contested" is the number of general elections at which the seat was contested during these periods. By-elections are not counted. *The dominant families in the counties gradually changed over time. They are shown as they were around 1800. *Monmouthshire was an English county from its formation in 1536, although it is in most respects Welsh and was formally made part of Wales in 1974.
English counties  County  Voters (1800)  Times contested  Dominant interests  Comments Bedfordshire  2,000  14  Russell, St John  Under the dominant influence of the Duke of Bedford, head of the Russell family, Bedfordshire was a Whig stronghold. Berkshire  3,000  11  Dundas, Neville, Vansittart  There was no single dominant family. The seats were usually shared between Tories and Whigs. Buckinghamshire  4,000  10  Cavendish Bentinck, Grenville  The Grenvilles, led after 1821 by the Duke of Buckingham, and the Cavendish-Bentincks, led by the Duke of Portland, shared the representation. There was only one contest between 1734 and 1831.Cambridgeshire  3,000  9  Manners, Yorke  The Tory Manners family, led by the Duke of Rutland, dominated the county until 1830, when two Whigs were elected. Cheshire  5,000  8  Cholmondeley, Crewe, Egerton  Uncontested between 1734 and 1831, Cheshire was a Tory stronghold, the representation shared among the leading families by agreement. Cornwall  2,700  5  Lemon, St Aubyn, Tremaine, Vyvyan  Cornwall's 21 boroughs attracted candidates from all over the country, but the county seats were rarely contested, since the Whig Lemons and the Tory Tremaines usually shared the representation. Cumberland  4,000  6  Fletcher, Lowther  The dominant northern family, the Tory Lowthers, always controlled one seat. The other usually went to a Whig family such as the Fletchers. Contests were rare. Derbyshire  3,000  4  Cavendish, Curzon, Mundy  The Whig Cavendish family, led by the Duke of Devonshire, always nominated one member, leaving the other to the local Tory families. As a result of this arrangement contests were very rare. Devon  8,000  6  Acland, Bastard  Despite the large electorate, the county was not contested between 1700 and 1790, being dominated by the Tory Aclands and Bastards. The Tories were dramatically overthrown in 1831 when Lord John Russell won a seat.Dorset  3,000  4  Chaffin, Pitt, Portman, Stangways  There was no one dominant family, although one of the members was usually a Tory Pitt. There was no contest between 1727 and 1806.County Durham  3,500  6  Eden, Vane  Most of the local families were Whigs, and usually shared the representation among themselves, making contests rare.Essex  6,000  12  Abdy, Bullock, Bramston  Essex was a large and wealthy county, close to the metropolis, and saw regular contests, usually when the Whig Bullocks and the Tory Bramstons could not agree on candidates.Gloucestershire  6,000  9  Berkeley, Guise, Somerset  The Tory Somersets, led by the Duke of Beaufort, and two Whig families, the Berkeleys and their cousins the Guises, conducted a long feud in the county, which ended in an agreement in 1783 to share the representation. Thereafter there were no contests until 1832.Hampshire  5,000  8  Heathcote, Jervoise, Thistlethwayte  The Tory Heathcotes and the Whig Jervoises and Thistlethwaytes were regular rivals, with the Whig Duke of Bedford using his influence in the county to assist his allies. But the Tories usually controlled the representation until being overthrown in 1831.Herefordshire  3,500  8  Cornewall, Cotterell, Harley  The Whig Cornewalls and the Tory Harleys dominated the county until 1802, when the Tory Cotterells entered the fray. Thereafter the Tories usually controlled the representation. Hertfordshire  4,000  13  Brand, Plumer, Seabright  Being close to London, Hertfordshire saw regular contests. Despite the presence of the Tory magnate the Marquess of Salisbury, the county families were mostly Whigs and after 1803 they fended off the Tories at every election.Huntingdonshire  1,700  9  Montague  The Tory Montague family, led by the Earl of Sandwich, was the dominant force in this small county, although sometimes rival members of the same family gave the Sandwich interest trouble. Only in 1831 did the Whigs manage to win a seat.Kent  9,000  14  Knatchbull  The Tory Knatchbulls were the leading county family, but the county's size, wealth and proximity to London made it impossible to control and there were frequent contests, often between East Kent and West Kent interests. The government, through the Admiralty's influence in the Kent ports, also had a big say. Lancashire  8,000  5  Blackburn, Stanley  The Stanleys, led by the Earl of Derby (at this time a Whig) dominated the county. One seat was nearly always held by a Stanley relative, the other by one of the leading Tory families.Leicestershire  6,000  7  Keck, Manners, Palmer  The representation was divided between the Tory Manners family, led by the Duke of Rutland, and local families, who were also mostly Tories.Lincolnshire  7,000  4  Chaplin, Heathcote, Pelham  A large agricultural county, Lincolnshire had no dominant interest, but the Pelhams, relatives of the Duke of Newcastle, usually held one seat for the Whigs. The Chaplins were the leading Tory family. There was no contest between 1710 and 1806.Middlesex  6,000  14  None  By 1800 the Middlesex electorate was more than 70% urban as the London suburbs grew, and the remaining landed families lost their influence. The county was frequently and hotly contested, with radicals such as John Wilkes, Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet and Joseph Hume being elected.Monmouthshire  1,500  4  Morgan, Somerset  The Tory Somersets, led by the Duke of Beaufort, shared the representation with the leading local Whigs, the Morgans. There were no contests after 1727.Norfolk  7,000  8  Astley, Coke, Wodehouse  Norfolk was a large county and expensive to contest, so the Whig Astleys and Cokes and the Tory Wodehouses usually shared the representation. Northamptonshire  3,000  5  Cartwright, Powys, Spencer  The Whig relatives of Earl Spencer were the most prominent county family, but did not dominate county politics until after 1806, when Viscount Althorp was elected. The Tory Cartwrights usually held the other seat.Northumberland  2,000  6  Grey, Percy  The Tory Percys, led by the Duke of Northumberland, shared the representation with the Whig Greys, led by Charles Grey, who sat for the county until he became Earl Grey in 1807.Nottinghamshire  3,000  4  Bentinck, Pierrepont  The Duke of Newcastle and the Duke of Portland, both Whigs, dominated the county until well into the 19th century, which was why there was no contest after 1722.The Newcastle seat was usually held by a Pierrepont. Oxfordshire  4,000  4  Spencer  The Tory Spencers, family of the Duke of Marlborough, dominated the county from their seat at Blenheim Palace. One seat was usually held by a Spencer, the other by a local family acceptable to the Duke. Between 1700 and 1826 there was only one contest.Rutland  800  7  Finch, Noel  This small county was controlled, not by the Duke of Rutland, but by local Tory families. There was no contest after 1761.Shropshire  4,000  7  Cotes, Hill, Lyster, Powell  Shropshire was a rural county dominated by local families, mostly Tories, although the Whig Coteses sometimes held a seat.Somerset  9,000  6  Acland, Coxe, Dickinson, Langton  Local families shared the representation, usually in a way which meant that one member came from East Somerset and one from the West. The Tory Dickinsons and the Whig Langtons were prominent.Staffordshire  5,000  3  Leveson Gower, Littleton  There were few contests in Staffordshire, despite the county's rapid industrialisation, because the representation was shared between two Whig families, the Leveson Gowers and the Littletons.Suffolk  5,000  7  Bunbury, Davers, Gooch  There was no dominant interest, and local families such as the Whig Bunburys and the Tory Gooches usually shared the representation. Surrey  4,000  17  None  Being close to London and densely settled, Surrey was not open to domination by landed interests, and saw frequent contests, with the Tories usually successful until their final overthrow in 1826.Sussex  5,000  12  Lennox, Pelham  The Pelhams, Whig relatives of the Duke of Newcastle, and the Tory Lennoxes, led by the Duke of Richmond, dominated West and East Sussex respectively, but there were frequent contests. Prime Minister Henry Pelham represented the county from 1722 to 1747.Warwickshire  4,000  2  Dugdale, Lawley, Mordaunt  Warwickshire was contested only in 1705 and 1774.This was because of an agreement that one member should always be a Whig from Birmingham (which had no representation) and the other a Tory from a county family, usually a Mordaunt.Westmorland  2,400  11  Lowther  The Tory Lowther family was completely dominant in the county and usually nominated both members. After 1818 there were regular contests only because Henry Brougham insisted on running against the Lowthers.Wiltshire  5,000  5  Long, Wyndham  There was no aristocratic influence in Wiltshire and the county families, mostly Tories, amicably shared the representation. Worcestershire  3,500  5  Foley, Lygon, Lyttleton, Ward  There were few contests in Worcestershire, because the Tory Lygons, led by Earl Beauchamp, and the Whig Foleys usually shared the representation.Yorkshire  20,000  6  Fitzwilliam, Lascelles  Contests were surprisingly rare in England's largest and most populous county, partly because of the expense. No one family had enough influence to elect a member. Until 1784 there was an agreement between the Whigs and Tories to share the representation, but from 1784 to 1812 William Wilberforce and his personal brand of reforming Toryism dominated the county. In 1830 Henry Brougham stormed the county for the Whigs.
English boroughs In alphabetical order by county Borough  County  Franchise type  Members Voters in 1800  Times contested  Fate in 1832Bedford  Bedfordshire  Freemen andinhabitant householders  2  1,200  13  Retained two seatsAbingdon  Berkshire  Scot and lot  1  260  18  Retained one seatNew Windsor  Berkshire  Scot and lot  2  300 to 400  7  Retained two seats (as Windsor)Reading  Berkshire  Scot and lot  2  over 800  18  Retained two seatsWallingford  Berkshire  Scot and lot  2  200  14  Retained one seatAmersham  Buckinghamshire  Scot and lot  2  130  3  AbolishedAylesbury  Buckinghamshire  Inhabitant householders. From 1804, freeholders in nearby areas as well. 2  500.After 1804, over 1,000  17  Retained two seatsBuckingham  Buckinghamshire  Corporation  2  13  4  Retained two seatsChipping Wycombe  Buckinghamshire  Freemen  2  50  3  Retained two seats (as Wycombe)Great Marlow  Buckinghamshire  Scot and lot  2  220  19  Retained two seats (as Marlow)Wendover  Buckinghamshire  Inhabitant householders  2  150  9  AbolishedCambridge  Cambridgeshire  Freemen  2  100  9  Retained two seatsChester  Cheshire  Freemen  2  1,500  11  Retained two seatsDover  Cinque Ports  Freemen  2  1,500  15  Retained two seatsHastings  Cinque Ports  Resident freemen  2  20  7  Retained two seatsHythe  Cinque Ports  Freemen  2  200  17  Retained one seatNew Romney  Cinque Ports  Corporation  2  15   AbolishedRye  Cinque Ports  Scot and lot  2  15  9  Retained one seatSandwich  Cinque Ports  Freemen  2  700  12  Retained two seatsSeaford  Cinque Ports  Scot and lot  2  120  12  AbolishedWinchelsea  Cinque Ports  Resident freemen  2  very few  8  AbolishedBodmin  Cornwall  Corporation  2  36  9  Retained two seatsBossiney  Cornwall  Freemen  2  10  3  AbolishedCallington  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  60  8  AbolishedCamelford  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  25  4  Abolished East Looe  Cornwall  Freemen  2  50  2  AbolishedFowey  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  130  8  AbolishedGrampound  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  60  5  Disfranchised 1821Helston  Cornwall  Corporation  2  50  6  Retained one seatLaunceston  Cornwall  Resident freemen  2  20  5  Retained one seatLiskeard  Cornwall  Freemen  2  32  2  Retained one seatLostwithiel  Cornwall  Corporation  2  24  5  AbolishedMitchell  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  20  9  AbolishedNewport  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  60  3  AbolishedPenryn  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  250  17  Retained two seats (as Penryn and Falmouth)St Germans  Cornwall  Resident householders  2  10  0  Abolished St Ives  Cornwall  Scot and lot  2  250  17  Retained one seatSt Mawes  Cornwall  Freemen  2  20  5  AbolishedSaltash  Cornwall  Burgage holders  2  40  7  AbolishedTregony  Cornwall  Inhabitant householders  2  200  12  AbolishedTruro  Cornwall  Corporation  2  25  6  Retained two seatsWest Looe  Cornwall  Freemen  2  70  0  AbolishedCarlisle  Cumberland  Freemen  2  700  16  Retained two seatsCockermouth  Cumberland  Burgage holders  2  200  8  Retained two seatsDerby  Derbyshire  Freemen  2  650  8  Retained two seatsAshburton  Devon  Burgage holders  2  100  9  Retained one seatBarnstaple  Devon  Freemen  2  500  16  Retained two seatsBere Alston  Devon  Burgage holders  2  very few  0  AbolishedDartmouth  Devon  Freemen  2  40  4  Retained one seatExeter  Devon  Freemen and freeholders  2  1,300  13  Retained two seatsHoniton  Devon  Householders  2  450  17  Retained two seatsOkehampton  Devon  Freemen and freeholders  2  250  8  AbolishedPlymouth  Devon  Freemen  2  200  6  Retained two seatsPlympton Erle  Devon  Freemen  2  50  3  AbolishedTavistock  Devon  Freeholders  2  100  5  Retained two seatsTiverton  Devon  Corporation  2  24  2  Retained two seatsTotnes  Devon  Freemen  2  80  11  Retained two seatsBridport  Dorset  Scot and lot  2  250  15  Retained two seatsCorfe Castle  Dorset  Scot and lot  2  50  2  AbolishedDorchester  Dorset  Ratepayers  2  200  10  Retained two seatsLyme Regis  Dorset  Freemen  2  40  8  Retained one seatPoole  Dorset  Freemen  2  120  8  Retained two seatsShaftesbury  Dorset  Scot and lot  2  350  18  Retained one seatWareham  Dorset  Scot and lot  2  120  5  Retained one seatWeymouth and Melcombe Regis  Dorset  Freeholders  4  600  14  Retained two seatsDurham  County Durham  Freemen  2  1,000  9  Retained two seatsColchester  Essex  Freemen  2  1,400  23  Retained two seatsHarwich  Essex  Corporation  2  32  5  Retained two seatsMaldon  Essex  Freemen  2  150 until 1810, 1,500 after 14  Retained two seatsBristol  Gloucestershire  Freemen and freeholders  2  5,000  19  Retained two seatsCirencester  Gloucestershire  Householders  2  600  15  Retained two seatsGloucester  Gloucestershire  Freemen  2  2,000  14  Retained two seatsTewkesbury  Gloucestershire  Freemen and freeholders  2  500  8  Retained two seatsAndover  Hampshire  Corporation  2  24  9  Retained two seatsChristchurch  Hampshire  Corporation  2  24  5  Retained one seatLymington  Hampshire  Freemen  2  20  2  Retained two seatsNewport  Hampshire  Corporation  2  24  3  Retained two seatsNewtown  Hampshire  Burgage holders  2  39  2  AbolishedPetersfield  Hampshire  Burgage holders  2  50  8  Retained one seatPortsmouth  Hampshire  Freemen  2  100  7  Retained two seatsSouthampton  Hampshire  Scot and lot  2  700  14  Retained two seatsStockbridge  Hampshire  Scot and lot  2  140  9  Abolished Whitchurch  Hampshire  Burgage holders  2  70  6  Abolished Winchester  Hampshire  Freemen  2  100  8  Retained two seatsYarmouth  Hampshire  Corporation  2  21  2  AbolishedHereford  Herefordshire  Freemen  2  1,000  14  Retained two seatsLeominster  Herefordshire  Scot and lot  2  600  20  Retained two seatsWeobley  Herefordshire  Burgage holders  2  100  8  AbolishedHertford  Hertfordshire  Freemen  2  600  12  Retained two seatsSt Albans  Hertfordshire  Freemen  2  600  19  Retained two seatsHuntingdon  Huntingdonshire  Freemen  2  200  8  Retained two seatsCanterbury  Kent  Freemen  2  1,700  23  Retained two seatsMaidstone  Kent  Freemen  2  700  28  Retained two seatsQueenborough  Kent  Freemen  2  150  15  Abolished Rochester  Kent  Freemen  2  700  22  Retained two seatsClitheroe  Lancashire  Burgage holders  2  102  5  Retained one seatLancaster  Lancashire  Freemen  2  2,000  10  Retained two seatsLiverpool  Lancashire  Freemen  2  3,000  24  Retained two seatsNewton  Lancashire  Freemen  2  50  0  AbolishedPreston  Lancashire  Freemen until 1768, inhabitants thereafter  2  2,000  16  Retained two seatsWigan  Lancashire  Freemen  2  100  10  Retained two seatsLeicester  Leicestershire  Scot and lot  2  2,500  13  Retained two seatsBoston  Lincolnshire  Scot and lot  2  500  16  Retained two seatsGrantham  Lincolnshire  Freemen  2  800  12  Retained two seatsGreat Grimsby  Lincolnshire  Resident freemen  2  300  21  Retained one seatLincoln  Lincolnshire  Freemen  2  1,200  19  Retained two seatsStamford  Lincolnshire  Scot and lot  2  650  6  Retained two seatsLondon  Middlesex  Freemen  4  10,000  27  Retained four seatsWestminster  Middlesex  Scot and lot  2  12,000 19  Retained two seatsMonmouth Boroughs(Monmouth, Newport, Usk)  Monmouthshire  Freemen  1  800  3  Retained one seatCastle Rising  Norfolk  Burgage holders  2  50  1  AbolishedGreat Yarmouth  Norfolk  Freemen  2  1,200  19  Retained two seatsKing's Lynn  Norfolk  Freeman  2  300  5  Retained two seatsNorwich  Norfolk  Freemen and freeholders  2  3,000  23  Retained two seatsThetford  Norfolk  Corporation  2  31  3  Retained two seatsBrackley  Northamptonshire  Corporation  2  33  6  AbolishedHigham Ferrers  Northamptonshire  Freemen  1  50  1  AbolishedNorthampton  Northamptonshire  Householders  2  1,000  16  Retained two seatsPeterborough  Northamptonshire  Scot and lot  2  400  7  Retained two seatsBerwick-upon-Tweed  Northumberland  Freemen  2  1,000  14  Retained two seatsMorpeth  Northumberland  Freemen  2  200  8  Retained one seatNewcastle-upon-Tyne  Northumberland  Freemen  2  2,500  9  Retained two seatsEast Retford  Nottinghamshire  Freemen  2  160  15  Seats transferred to Bassetlaw in 1827, retained two seats in 1832.Newark-on-Trent  Nottinghamshire  Scot and lot  2  1,000  15  Retained two seatsNottingham  Nottinghamshire  Freemen and freeholders  2  4,000  22  Retained two seatsBanbury  Oxfordshire  Corporation  1  18  5  Retained one seatNew Woodstock  Oxfordshire  Freemen  2  180  9  Retained one seat (as Woodstock)Oxford  Oxfordshire  Freemen  2  1,400  14  Retained two seatsBishop's Castle  Shropshire  Resident freemen  2  170  12  AbolishedBridgnorth  Shropshire  Freemen  2  700  9  Retained two seatsLudlow  Shropshire  Freemen  2  500  9  Retained two seatsShrewsbury  Shropshire  Scot and lot  2  750  17  Retained two seatsWenlock  Shropshire  Resident freemen  2  400  3  Retained two seatsBath  Somerset  Corporation  2  30  16  Retained two seatsBridgwater  Somerset  Scot and lot  2  350  16  Retained two seatsIlchester  Somerset  Householders  2  100  16  AbolishedMilborne Port  Somerset  Scot and lot  2  100  15  AbolishedMinehead  Somerset  Householders  2  300  10  AbolishedTaunton  Somerset  Householders  2  500  15  Retained two seatsWells  Somerset  Freemen  2  250  12  Retained two seatsLichfield  Staffordshire  Scot and lot  2  700  10  Retained two seatsNewcastle-under-Lyme  Staffordshire  Resident freemen  2  700  16  Retained two seatsStafford  Staffordshire  Resident freemen  2  600  15  Retained two seatsTamworth  Staffordshire  Scot and lot  2  350  11  Retained two seatsAldeburgh  Suffolk  Freemen  2  80  4  AbolishedBury St Edmunds  Suffolk  Corporation  2  17 11  Retained two seatsDunwich  Suffolk  Freemen  2  32  5  AbolishedEye  Suffolk  Scot and lot  2  200  2  Retained one seatIpswich  Suffolk  Freemen  2  700  21  Retained two seatsOrford  Suffolk  Freemen  2  20  7  AbolishedSudbury  Suffolk  Freemen  2  750  22  Retained two seatsBletchingley  Surrey  Burgage holders  2  90  2  AbolishedGatton  Surrey  Scot and lot  2  7  1  AbolishedGuildford  Surrey  Scot and lot  2  150  14  Retained two seatsHaslemere  Surrey  Resident freeholders  2  65  13  AbolishedReigate  Surrey  Freeholders  2  200  5  Retained one seatSouthwark  Surrey  Scot and lot  2  2,500  24  Retained two seatsArundel  Sussex  Scot and lot  2  300  9  Retained one seatBramber  Sussex  Burgage holders  2  36  8  AbolishedChichester  Sussex  Scot and lot  2 600  12  Retained two seatsEast Grinstead  Sussex  Burgage holders  2  36  5  AbolishedHorsham  Sussex  Burgage holders  2  70  9  Retained one seatLewes  Sussex  Scot and lot  2  300  16  Retained two seatsMidhurst  Sussex  Burgage holders  2  118  2  Retained one seatNew Shoreham  Sussex  40 shilling freeholders  2  1,000  13  Retained two seatsSteyning  Sussex  Scot and lot  2  150  10  AbolishedCoventry  Warwickshire  Freemen  2  2,700  25  Retained two seatsWarwick  Warwickshire  Ratepayers  2  500  8  Retained two seatsAppleby  Westmorland  Burgage holders  2  200  6  AbolishedCalne  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  17  9  Retained one seatChippenham  Wiltshire  Burgage holders  2  129  12  Retained two seatsCricklade  Wiltshire  Freeholders (in five adjacent hundreds) 2  1,200  19  Retained two seatsDevizes  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  35  7  Retained two seatsDownton  Wiltshire  Burgage holders  2  100  6  AbolishedGreat Bedwyn  Wiltshire  Freeholders  2  120  8  AbolishedHeytesbury  Wiltshire  Burgage holders  2  26  2  AbolishedHindon  Wiltshire  Householders  2  200  12  AbolishedLudgershall  Wiltshire  Freeholders  2  100  7  AbolishedMalmesbury  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  13  10  Retained one seatMarlborough  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  12  7  Retained two seatsOld Sarum  Wiltshire  Burgage holders  2  10  2  AbolishedSalisbury  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  54  10  Retained two seatsWestbury  Wiltshire  Burgage holders  2  70  9  Retained one seatWilton  Wiltshire  Corporation  2  20  3  Retained one seatWootton Bassett  Wiltshire  Scot and lot  2  250  15  AbolishedBewdley  Worcestershire  Freemen  1  13  7  Retained one seatDroitwich  Worcestershire  Corporation  2  25  1  Retained one seatEvesham  Worcestershire  Freemen  2  700  19 Retained two seatsWorcester  Worcestershire  Freemen  2  2,000  19  Retained two seatsAldborough  Yorkshire  Scot and lot  2  60  3  AbolishedBeverley  Yorkshire  Freemen  2  1,400  19  Retained two seatsBoroughbridge  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  64 6  AbolishedHedon  Yorkshire  Freemen  2  200  10  AbolishedKingston upon Hull  Yorkshire  Freemen  2  2,000  17  Retained two seatsKnaresborough  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  96  3  Retained two seatsMalton  Yorkshire  Scot and lot  2  500  4  Retained two seatsNorthallerton  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  200  2  Retained one seatPontefract  Yorkshire  Householders  2  600  15  Retained two seatsRichmond  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  270  4  Retained two seatsRipon  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  146  2  Retained two seatsScarborough  Yorkshire  Corporation  2  40  8  Retained two seatsThirsk  Yorkshire  Burgage holders  2  50  0  Retained one seatYork  Yorkshire  Freemen  2  2,500  12  Retained two seats
Welsh counties  County  Voters in 1800  Times contested  Dominant interests  Comments Anglesey  700  2  Paget  Anglesey was effectively controlled by the Whig Paget family, led by the Earl of Uxbridge. Brecknockshire  1,700  3  Morgan, Wood  The long-dominant Morgan family, absentee landlords from Tredegar, were displaced in 1806 by the Tory Wood family, who thereafter held the seat with little opposition. Cardiganshire  1,000  2  Johnes, Powell  The Whig Johnes family were displaced by the Tory Powells in 1816.There was no contest after 1741.Carmarthenshire  2,500  3  Rice, Seymour, Vaughan  The seat was passed around among several local families, all Tories, until a Whig breakthrough in 1831.Carnarvonshire  1,100  3  Williams, Wynn  Two local families, the Whig Williamses and the Tory Wynnes, vied for control. Sir Robert Williams held the seat for 36 years from 1790.Denbighshire  2,000  1  Williams Wynn  The Whig Williams Wynn family had unchallenged control of the representation. Sir Watkin Williams Wynn held the seat from 1796 to 1840.Flintshire  1,000  1  Mostyn  The Whig Mostyn family controlled the seat all through the 18th century, and were not defeated until 1837.Glamorganshire  2,000  2  Morgan, Stuart Glamorgan was the richest county in Wales and the most difficult to control. The Tory Stuarts, the family of the Marquess of Bute, had extensive interests in the county, and supported Tory members such as Thomas Wyndham, MP from 1789 to 1814.Merionethshire  1,000  0  Vaughan  The Tory Vaughans held the seat without opposition through the entire 18th century and were not displaced until 1836.Montgomeryshire  1,400  1  Mostyn, Williams Wynn  The county was not contested between 1700 and 1836.The Williams Wynn family (who in Montgomeryshire were Tories) held the seat without challenge from 1795.Pembrokeshire  3,000  3  Owen, Phillipps  The Tory Owens and the Whig Phillippses, led by Baron Milford, vied for control of the representation. Sir John Owen won the seat in 1812 and held it until 1841.Radnorshire  1,000  3  Johnes, Wilkins  Two Whig families, the Johneses and the Wilkinses, succeeded each other in the representation.
Welsh boroughs  Borough  County  Franchise type  Members Voters in 1800  Times contested  Fate in 1832Beaumaris  Anglesey  Corporation  1  24  0  Retained one seatBrecon  Brecknockshire  Freemen  1  12  0  Retained one seatCaernarvon Boroughs(Caernarvon, Conway, Criccieth, Nevin, Pwllheli)  Caernarvonshire  Freemen  1  700  2  Retained one seatCardiff Boroughs(Aberavon, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Kenfig, Llantrisant, Loughor, Neath, Swansea)  Glamorganshire Freemen  1  800  2  Retained one seatCardigan Boroughs (Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Lampeter)  Cardiganshire Freemen  1  2,500  3  Retained one seatCarmarthen  Carmarthenshire  Freemen  1  500  5  Retained one seatDenbigh Boroughs(Denbigh, Holt, Ruthin) Denbighshire Freemen  1  24  4  Retained one seatFlint Boroughs(Caergwrle, Caerwys, Flint, Overton, Rhuddlan)  Flintshire  Scot and lot  1  600  3  Retained one seatHaverfordwest  Pembrokeshire  Scot and lot  1  500  3  Retained one seatMontgomery  Montgomeryshire  Freemen  1  500  1  Retained one seatNew Radnor Boroughs(Cefnllys, Cnwclas, Knighton, New Radnor, Rhayader)  Radnorshire  Freemen  1  1,000  4  Retained one seatPembroke Boroughs(Pembroke, Tenby, Wiston)  Pembrokeshire  Freemen  1  500  2  Retained one seat
Scottish counties  County  Voters in 1800  Times contested  Dominant interests  Comments  Fate in 1832 Aberdeenshire  140  5  Gordon  The Tory Dukes of Gordon were the dominant interest in the county, retaining control through the creation of fictitious or "parchment" voters. Retained one seat Argyllshire  45  0  Campbell  The control of the Dukes of Argyll, who until the 1830s were Whigs, was complete and unchallenged. Retained one seat Ayrshire  140  1  Fergusson, Montgomerie  Ayrshire had a large electorate by Scottish standards, and several local families vied for control. Chief of these were the Tory Montgomeries, led by the Earl of Eglinton. Retained one seat Banffshire  35  1  Duff, Grant  The Duff family of the Earl of Fife were the strongest influence in the county – Fife (who was technically an Irish peer) sat for the seat himself, then handed it over to his natural son. Later Sir William Grant supplanted the Fife influence. Retained one seat Berwickshire  120  2  Home, Hume-Campbell  A long rivalry between the Homes and Humes ended in 1784, and thereafter several local Tory families competed for support. The county did not elect a Whig until 1832.Retained one seat Buteshire and Caithness  Buteshire 15, Caithness 20  0  Stuart in Bute, Sinclair in Caithness  These two small counties returned members at alternate elections. The Tory Stuarts, led by the Earl of Bute, controlled Bute, while the Whig Sinclairs dominated Caithness (and still do: John Thurso, the member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross from 2001 until 2015, is a Sinclair). Bute and Caithness were given one seat each. Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire  Clackmannan 15, Kinross 15  0  Abercromby in Clackmannanshire, Graham in Kinross  These two small counties returned members at alternate elections. The Whig Abercrombys controlled Clackmannan while the Tory Grahams controlled Kinross. There were no contests. Retained one seat between them Cromartyshire and Nairnshire  Cromarty 10, Nairn 20  2  Macleod in Cromarty, Brodie and Campbell in Nairn  These two small counties returned members at alternate elections, tiny Cromarty always struggling to find any voters at all. The Whig Campbells dominated Nairn from the 1760s to the 1830s. Cromarty was paired with Ross-shire and given one seat, while Nairn was paired with Elgin and given one seat. Dumfriesshire  60  1  Douglas  The Douglas family of the Duke of Queensberry were the dominant force in this their home county, but did not usually represent the county themselves, rather supporting government nominees. Retained one seat Dunbartonshire  50  5  Campbell, Elphinstone, Graham  The Duke of Argyll and the Grahams led by the Duke of Montrose both had an interest in the county, which they used to install relatives and supporters, causing more contests than usual in a Scottish county. Retained one seat Edinburghshire (or Midlothian)  100  2  Dundas  The Dundas family, led by the Tory party's Scottish manager Henry Dundas, had complete control of the county. Dundas held the seat himself from 1774 to 1790, when he was succeeded by his son. Retained one seat Elginshire (or Morayshire)  40  1  Grant  The Tory Grant family monopolised the representation all through the 18th century, and usually nominated family members. Retained one seat, with Nairnshire Fifeshire  160  4  None  Fife was one of the largest and wealthiest counties, and there were no dominant local interests. The government, represented by Henry Dundas, was usually able to muster enough support for the Tory nominee, but in 1820 the Whigs won the seat and generally retained it thereafter. Retained one seat Forfarshire (or Angus)  100  1  Douglas, Maule  The Whig Maule family, led by the Earls of Panmure, dominated the representation from the 1740s to 1831.Retained one seat Haddingtonshire (or East Lothian)  70  2  Hamilton  The Hamilton family led by the Earl of Haddington had a strong but not controlling interest in the county. The government, represented by Henry Dundas, was often able to nominate the member, including Dundas's brother-in-law. Retained one seat Inverness-shire  50  1  Fraser, Gordon, Grant  Inverness was a large county and difficult to control, particularly since the Fraser clan created many "parchment" voters to support their claims. From 1802, however, the Tory Grants dominated the county. Retained one seat Kincardineshire  40  4  Adam, Drummond, Irvine  There was no dominant influence in the county, and the represented by Henry Dundas, controlled the representation until 1806, when a Whig was elected. Retained one seat Kirkcudbright Stewartry (or Kirkcudbrightshire)  140  3  Murray, Stewart  The Stewarts, led by the Earl of Galloway, were the most influential family, but rarely nominated family members, instead bargaining with Henry Dundas for government favours in exchange for supporting his nominee. The seat fell to the Whigs in 1826.Retained one seat Lanarkshire  100  8  Hamilton  The Duke of Hamilton was the dominant influence in the county, and from 1802 he installed his son, a Whig, in the seat. The Tories were unable to regain the seat until 1830.Retained one seat Linlithgowshire (or West Lothian)  60  3  Hope  In 1790 the Tory manager Henry Dundas installed his brother-in-law John Hope in the seat, and the Hopes then held it without a break until 1847.Retained one seat Orkney and Shetland  26  3  Balfour, Dundas, Honyman  The Dundas family influence was strong but not enough to shut out the rival Balfour and Honyman interests, leading to several contests. The Whigs won the seat in 1826.Retained one seat Peeblesshire  38  0  Douglas, Montogomery  The Dukes of Queensberry had a controlling interest, and allowed their friends the Montgomerys to sit as Tory members from 1768 to 1832.Retained one seat Perthshire  150  7  Murray  The Murray family led by the Duke of Atholl were the dominant influence, but the relatively large electorate made the county difficult to control for the Tories. The sitting member was usually a Murray or a related Drummond. Retained one seat Renfrewshire  80  3  McDowell, Stewart  The county was dominated by the rivalry between the Whig Stewarts and the Tory McDowells, who had the powerful support of the Tory manager Henry Dundas. Nevertheless, the Whigs usually held the seat. Retained one seat Ross-shire  70  2  Mackenzie, Ross  The Whig Mackenzies, led by the Earl of Seaforth, were the leading family, but the Tory Rosses won the seat in 1796, and the Tories then held it until 1831.Retained one seat, paired with Cromarty Roxburghshire  120  3  Elliot, Ker, Scott  The Whig Elliot family dominated the representation, although the Tory Scotts, led by the Duke of Buccleuch, were frequent challengers. Retained one seat Selkirkshire  40  0  Scott  the Tory Scotts, led by the Duke of Buccleuch, controlled the county, and their nominees held the seat until 1832.Retained one seat Stirlingshire  80  4  Dundas, Hamilton  The Stirlingshire Dundases were Whigs and enabled the Whigs to hold the seat until 1812, when the Tories won with the support of the Duke of Hamilton. Retained one seat Sutherlandshire  25  1  Leveson-Gower  The Duke of Sutherland owned most of the county and his influence, placed at the service of the government, was unchallengeable. Retained one seat Wigtownshire  50  2  Stewart  The Stewarts, led by the Earl of Galloway, were the most influential family, and usually supported Tories. The Whigs won the seat in 1830.Retained one seat
Scottish burghs  Borough  County  Members  Times contested  Fate in 1832Aberdeen Burghs(Aberdeen, Arbroath, Brechin, Inverbervie, Montrose)  Aberdeenshire, Forfarshire, Kincardineshire  1  1  Aberdeen was given one seat, the other burghs retained one seat as Montrose Burghs.Anstruther Burghs(Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Kilrenny, Pittenweem)  Fifeshire  1  1  AbolishedAyr Burghs(Ayr, Campbeltown, Inverary, Irvine, Rothesay)  Argyllshire, Ayrshire, Buteshire  1  0 Retained one seatDumfries Burghs(Annan, Kirkcudbright, Lochmaben, Sanquhar)  Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire 1  1  Retained one seatDysart Burghs(Burntisland, Dysart, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy)  Fifeshire  1  2  Retained one seatEdinburgh  Edinburghshire 1  3  Given two seatsElgin Burghs(Banff, Cullen, Elgin, Inverurie, Kintore)  Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Elginshire  1  1  Retained one seatGlasgow Burghs(Dumbarton, Glasgow, Renfrew, Rutherglen)  Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire  1   Abolished: Glasgow was given two seats in its own right.Haddington Burghs(Dunbar, Haddington, Jedburgh, Lauder, North Berwick)  Berwickshire, Haddingtonshire, Roxburghshire 1  3  Retained one seatInverness Burghs(Forres, Fortrose, Inverness, Nairn)  Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Ross-shire 1  1  Retained one seatLinlithgow Burghs(Lanark, Linlithgow, Peebles, Selkirk)  Lanarkshire, Linlithgowshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire  1  2  Retained one seat as Falkirk BurghsPerth Burghs(Cupar, Dundee, Forfar, Perth, St Andrews)  Fifeshire, Forfarshire, Perthshire  1  1  Dundee and Perth were given one seat each, the other burghs retained one seat as St Andrews Burghs.Stirling Burghs(Culross, Inverkeithing, Queensferry, Stirling)  Fifeshire, Linlithgowshire, Perthshire, Stirlingshire  1  3  Retained one seatTain Burghs (or Northern Burghs)(Dingwall, Dornoch, Kirkwall, Tain, Wick)  Caithness, Orkney, Ross-shire, Sutherlandshire  1  2  Retained one seatWigtown Burghs(New Galloway, Stranraer, Whithorn, Wigtown)  Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire  1  2  Retained one seat
Irish counties  County  Voters in 1800  Times contested  Dominant interests  Comments County Antrim  8,000  1  O'Neill, Seymour  The O'Neills, led by Earl O'Neill, and the Seymours led by the Earl of Hertford, were the leading families of the county, and since both were Tories they usually agreed to share the representation. County Armagh  6,000  2  Acheson, Brownlow, Caulfeild  The Tory Achesons (led by Earl Gosford) and Brownlows generally shared the representation with the Whig Caulfeilds (led by the Earl of Charlemont). County Carlow  4,000  1  Kavanagh, Latouche  The Kavanaghs were the most influential family, but as Catholics could not be elected, so they supported the Whig Latouches. In 1812, however, Thomas Kavanagh converted to both Protestantism and Toryism, and the county remained Tory until 1835.County Cavan  4,000  3  Maxwell  The Tory Maxwells, led by the Earl of Farnham, were the strongest influence in the county. One seat was usually held by a Maxwell relative, the other by other local families, also Tories, until a Whig breakthrough in 1826.County Clare  6,000  5  Burton, Fitzgerald, O'Brien  Clare had a large and turbulent electorate, and no one interest was strong enough to control it. Various branches of the O'Briens had great prestige. Until 1828 they shared the representation with the Burtons and Fitzgeralds. In that year Daniel O'Connell, the Catholic leader, won two famous by-elections, forcing the pace of Catholic Emancipation. County Cork  7,000  1  Bernard, Boyle, King  Cork was a large county with many landed interests, the most important being the Boyle family, led by the Earl of Shannon, who controlled the representation until 1812 and generally supported the Tory government. After 1812 the Duke of Devonshire used his influence to support the Whigs, who won both seats in 1830.County Donegal  6,000  2  Conyngham, Hamilton, Montgomery  Donegal was dominated by rivalry between the Tory Hamiltons, led by the Marquess of Abercorn, and the Whig Conynghams led by the Marquess of Conyngham. After 1812 they shared the representation. County Down  13,000  4  Hill, Stewart  Down was dominated the Whig Hill family, led by the Marquess of Downshire, and the Tory Stewarts, led by the Marquess of Londonderry and his son Viscount Castlereagh, the Foreign Secretary, who held the seat until 1821.The other member was nearly always a Hill. County Dublin  900  8  Hamilton, Talbot, White  Dublin was a small county without large landed interests, and both the government and the Church of Ireland influenced elections. Whigs and Tories shared the representation until 1826, when the Whigs won both seats. County Fermanagh  7,000  5  Archdall, Brooke, Cole  Fear of the Catholic majority made all the leading interests firm Tories, and Protestant families such as the Coles, led by the Earl of Enniskillen, dominated the representation. County Galway  13,000  4  De Burgh, Martin, Trench  A large and poor Catholic county, Galway was dominated by large Protestant landowners, led by the de Burgh family of the Earl of Clanricarde and Trench family, created Earls of Clancarty in 1803.The county was firmly Tory until 1830.County Kerry  5,000  3  Browne, Crosbie, Mullins  The largest landowner in Kerry was the Catholic Earl of Kenmare, who used his influence in support of the Whig Maurice Fitzgerald, who held the seat until 1831.The Protestant Crosbies (the Earls of Glandore) usually nominated the other member. County Kildare  2,000  1  FitzGerald, Latouche  The FitzGerald family, headed by the Duke of Leinster, owned about one-fifth of the county, and used this influence to nominate one member. The other member was usually a Latouche. Both families were Whigs. County Kilkenny  2,000  2  Butler, Ponsonby  Two families dominated Kilkenny politics, the Butlers (Earls of Ormonde) and the Ponsonbys (Earls of Bessborough). Both families were Whigs, and they shared the representation. King's County  2,000  1  Parsons  The Tory Parsons family, headed by the Earl of Rosse, were the dominant interest in the county, and kept it safely Tory until 1826.County Leitrim  5,000  5  Clements, Latouche, White  The Tory Clements family, led by the Earl of Leitrim, were the strongest influence in the county, and usually nominated a family member to one of the seats. The Whig Latouches and Whites usually filled the other seat. County Limerick  8,500  5  FitzGibbon, Odell, O'Grady  The Whig FitzGibbons, led by the Earl of Clare, were the largest, but far from dominant, interest in the county. The FitzGibbons usually filled one seat, while the other county families, some of them Tories, held the other. County Londonderry  8,500  2  Beresford, Stewart  Two Tory Protestant families, the Stewarts, led by the Marquess of Londonderry, and the Beresfords, led by the Marquess of Waterford, dominated the county, and usually shared the representation. County Longford  3,000  2  Parsons  The Tory Parsons family, headed by the Earl of Rosse, were the dominant interest in the county, and used their position to support Tory members such as Sir Thomas Fetherston. County Louth  600  2  Foster  The Tory Foster family were the most powerful influence in this small county, and kept both seats in Tory hands until 1826.County Mayo  12,000  4  Browne  The Tory Browne family headed by the Marquess of Sligo and the Whig Dillon family headed by Viscount Dillon were the leading influences in this large Catholic county. They usually shared the representation. County Meath  4,300  2  Bligh, Somerville, Taylour  The county was dominated by Whig families, of which the Taylours (led by the Marquess of Headfort) were the most important and usually controlled one seat. Sir Marcus Somerville held the other from 1801 to 1831.County Monaghan  3,500  2  Dawson, Leslie, Westenra  The Dawson family, led by Baron Cremorne, who were politically independent, usually shared the representation with the Tory Leslies. The Whig Westenras (Baron Rossmore) won a seat from 1818.Queen's County  6,000  3  Parnell, Wellesley Pole  The Tory Wellesley Poles, relatives of the Duke of Wellington, nearly always held one seat. The Whig Parnells held the other from 1806.County Roscommon  6,000  1  French, King, Mahon  The King family, headed by the Earl of Kingston, were the largest interest, although they seldom contested the seats themselves, instead supporting their close Whig allies, the Frenches and Mahons. County Sligo  2,000  0  Cooper, O'Hara, Temple  There was no dominant interest in this poor and Catholic county. Two local families, the Tory Coopers and the Whig O'Haras, shared the representation until 1823, when the King family, headed by the Earl of Kingston, intervened. County Tipperary  18,000  4  Bagwell, Caher, Mathew, Prittie  Two Whig families, the Mathews, led by the Earl of Llandaff, and the Pritties, shared the representation until 1818, when they were challenged by the Tory Bagwells and Cahers. County Tyrone  20,000  0  Lowry-Corrie, Stewart  The Tory Hamiltons, led by the Marquess of Abercorn, used their influence in support of the Lowry-Corries (related to the Earl of Belmore), who usually held one of the seats. The Whig Stewart family held the other seat until 1835.County Waterford  3,300  4  Cavendish  The Whig Cavendish family, led by the Duke of Devonshire, were the leading landowners in the county, but as non-residents their influence was limited. They usually nominated one member, while the local Tory Beresfords nominated the other  County Westmeath  3,000  3  Pakenham, Rochfort, Smyth  All the leading local families were Tories – the Rochforts (Earls of Belvidere), the Pakenhams (Earls of Longford) and the Smyths. These three families dominated the representation until 1830.County Wexford  7,500  5  Alcock, Carew, Loftus, Ram  The Loftus family led by the Marquess of Ely were the largest interest in the county, but after 1806 they did not represent the county themselves. The Tory Alock and Ram families held the seats until 1812, but later the Whig Carews gained the upper hand. County Wicklow  3,000  0  Fitzwilliam  The Whig Earl Fitzwilliam was landlord to about half the county's voters and his influence was dominant. He directly nominated one member and had a right of veto over the other.
Irish boroughs  Borough  County  Franchise type  Members  Voters in 1800  Times contested  Fate in 1832Armagh  Armagh  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatAthlone  Westmeath  Freemen  1  80  0  Retained one seatBandon Bridge  Cork  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatBelfast  Antrim  Corporation  1  13  0  Given two seatsCarlow  Carlow  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatCarrickfergus  Antrim  Freemen  1  800  5  Retained one seatCashel  Tipperary  Freemen  1  20  0  Retained one seatClonmel  Tipperary  Freemen  1  90  0  Retained one seatColeraine  Londonderry  Freemen  1  40  0  Retained one seatCork  Cork  Freemen  2  1,700  6  Retained two seatsDownpatrick  Down  5 pound householders  1  300  6  Retained one seatDrogheda  Louth  Freemen  1  600  6  Retained one seatDublin  Dublin  Freemen  2  3,000  5  Retained two seatsDundalk  Louth  Freemen  1  30  0  Retained one seatDungannon  Tyrone  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatDungarvan  Waterford  5 pound householders  1  250  2  Retained one seatEnnis  Clare  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatEnniskillen  Fermanagh  Freemen  1  14  0  Retained one seatGalway  Galway Freemen  1  500  4  Given two seatsKilkenny  Kilkenny  Freemen  1  1,200  4  Retained one seatKinsale  Cork  Freemen  1  176  1  Retained one seatLimerick  Limerick  Freemen  1  1,000  4  Given two seatsLisburn  Antrim  5 pound householders  1  75  0  Retained one seatLondonderry  Londonderry  Freemen  1  1,000  2  Retained one seatMallow  Cork  40 shilling freeholders  1  524  2  Retained one seatNew Ross  Wexford  Freemen  1  38  0  Retained one seatNewry  Down  5 pound householders  1  500  4  Retained one seatPortarlington  Queen's  Freemen  1  12  0  Retained one seatSligo  Sligo  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatTralee  Kerry  Corporation  1  13  0  Retained one seatWaterford  Waterford  Freemen  1  1,000  2  Given two seatsWexford  Wexford  Freemen  1  150  1  Retained one seatYoughal  Cork  Freemen  1  263  0  Retained one seat
University seats  University  Franchise type  Members  Voters in 1800  Times contested  Fate in 1832Cambridge University  Holders of doctoral and master's degrees  2  800  8  Retained two seatsDublin University  Provost, fellows and foundation scholars  1  70  5  Given two seatsOxford University  Holders of doctoral and master's degrees  2  1,100  2  Retained two seats
References *Edward Porritt, ''The Unreformed House of Commons - Parliamentary representation before 1832'' (Cambridge University Press, 1903 - Reprint: Augustus M. Kelley, 1963) -  Volume I - England and Wales -  Volume II - Scotland and Ireland*John Brooke, ''The House of Commons 1754-1790'' (Oxford University Press, 1964)*John Cannon, ''Parliamentary Reform 1640-1832'' (Cambridge University Press, 1973)*J.E. Neale, ''The Elizabethan House of Commons'' (Jonathan Cape, 1949)*R.G. Thorne, ''The House of Commons 1790-1820'' (Volume II, Constituencies) (Secker and Warburg, 1986)