# Denbighshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Denbighshire was a county constituency in Denbighshire, in north Wales, from 1542 to 1885.

## History

From 1542, it returned one Member of Parliament (MP), traditionally known as the knight of the shire, to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain until 1800, and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. These MPs were elected by the first past the post voting system.
Under the Reform Act 1832, the constituency's representation was increased to two members, elected by the bloc vote system.
The constituency was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 for the 1885 general election, when Denbighshire was split into two single-member constituencies: the Eastern and Western divisions, each returning one Member of Parliament.

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1542–1604

| Parliament | First member |
| 1542 | John Salusbury the elder |
| 1545 | John Salusbury the younger |
| 1547 | Sir John Salusbury the younger |
| 1553 (Mar) | Robert Puleston |
| 1553 (Oct) | Sir John Salusbury the younger |
| 1554 (Apr) | Sir John Salusbury the younger |
| 1554 (Nov) | Sir John Salusbury the younger |
| 1555 | Edward Almer |
| 1558 | Sir John Salusbury the younger |
| 1558–1559 | John Salusbury the younger |
| 1562–1563 | Simon Thelwall |
| 1571 | Robert Puleston |
| 1572 | William Almer |
| 1584 | Evan Lloyd |
| 1586 | Robert Salesbury |
| 1588–1589 | John Edwards / William Almer |
| 1593 | Roger Puleston |
| 1597 | John Lloyd |
| 1601 | Sir John Salusbury |

### MPs 1604–1832

| Year | Member |
| 1604 | Peter Mutton |
| 1614 | Simon Thelwall |
| 1621 | Sir John Trevor |
| 1624 | Sir Eubulus Thelwall |
| 1625 | Thomas Myddelton |
| 1626 | Sir Eubulus Thelwall |
| 1628 | Sir Eubulus Thelwall |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments convened |
| April 1640 | Sir Thomas Salusbury, 2nd Baronet |
| November 1640 | Sir Thomas Myddelton |
| Year | First Member | Second Member |
| 1653 | Not represented in Barebones Parliament | Not represented in Barebones Parliament |
| Two members in first and second protectorate parliaments |||
| 1654 | Simon Thelwall | John Carter |
| 1656 | John Carter | John Jones Lumley Thelwall |
| Year | Year | Member | Party |
| | 1659 | John Carter | |
| | 1659 | Not represented | |
| | 1660 | Sir Thomas Myddelton | |
| | 1661 | Sir Thomas Myddelton, 1st Baronet | |
| | 1664 | John Wynne | |
| | 1679 | Sir Thomas Myddelton, 2nd Baronet | |
| | 1681 | Sir John Trevor | Tory |
| | 1685 | Sir Richard Myddelton, 3rd Baronet | Tory |
| | 1716 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet | Tory |
| | 1727 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet | Tory |
| | 1741 | John Myddelton | |
| | 1742 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet | Tory |
| | 1749 | Sir Lynch Cotton, 4th Baronet | |
| | 1774 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet | |
| | 1789 | Robert Watkin Wynne | |
| | 1796 | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet | Tory |
| 1832 | 1832 | Great Reform Act: representation increased to two members | Great Reform Act: representation increased to two members |

### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | First member | First member | First party | Second member | Second member | Second party |
| 1832 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet | Tory | | Robert Myddleton-Biddulph | Whig |
| 1834 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet | Conservative | | Robert Myddleton-Biddulph | Whig |
| 1835 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet | Conservative | | William Bagot | Conservative |
| 1840 | | Hugh Cholmondeley | Conservative | | William Bagot | Conservative |
| 1841 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet | Conservative | | William Bagot | Conservative |
| 1852 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet | Conservative | | Robert Myddleton-Biddulph | Whig |
| 1859 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet | Conservative | | Robert Myddleton-Biddulph | Liberal |
| 1868 | | Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet | Conservative | | George Osborne Morgan | Liberal |
| May 1885 | | Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet | Conservative | | George Osborne Morgan | Liberal |
| Nov. 1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished: see East Denbighshire and West Denbighshire |

## Election results
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1830: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 2,500 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 2,500 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Watkin Williams-Wynn | 2,528 | 47.7 |
| | Whig | Robert Myddelton Biddulph | 1,479 | 27.9 |
| | Tory | Lloyd Kenyon | 1,291 | 24.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,050 | 89.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,401 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,049 | 19.8 |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 3.5 |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | 2,378 | 46.2 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | William Bagot | 1,512 | 29.4 | +5.0 |
| | Whig | Robert Myddelton Biddulph | 1,256 | 24.4 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 256 | 5.0 | −14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,793 | 82.4 | −7.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,395 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.1 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +3.4 | |
General election 1837: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Bagot | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,689 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

Williams-Wynn's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 30 January 1840: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Cholmondeley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1841: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | William Bagot | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,024 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Williams-Wynn was appointed Steward of the Queen's Lordships and Manors of Bromfield and Yale, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 7 May 1845: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | 2,055 | 41.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Bagot | 1,530 | 30.7 | N/A |
| | Whig | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | 1,394 | 28.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,490 (est) | 63.2 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,901 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | 2,135 | 40.5 | −0.8 |
| | Whig | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | 1,611 | 30.5 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | William Bagot | 1,532 | 29.0 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,639 (est) | 67.6 (est) | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,901 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 524 | 10.0 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 | 1.5 | N/A |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.5 | |
General election 1857: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,506 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1859: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,508 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,333 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1868: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | 3,355 | 39.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Osborne Morgan | 2,720 | 32.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Robert Myddleton Biddulph | 2,412 | 28.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 635 | 7.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,921 (est) | 77.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,623 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Osborne Morgan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,323 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Osborne Morgan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Watkin Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,469 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Morgan was appointed Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, requiring a by-election.
By-election, 14 May 1880: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | George Osborne Morgan | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Wynn's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 27 May 1885: Denbighshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Herbert Williams-Wynn | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |