# North Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)

North Wiltshire was a constituency in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was represented since its 1983 recreation by the Conservative Party. In the period 1832–1983, North Wiltshire was an alternative name for Chippenham or the Northern Division of Wiltshire and as Chippenham dates to the original countrywide Parliament, the Model Parliament, this period is covered in more detail in that article.
The seat was abolished for the 2024 general election and replaced by parts of three other constituencies.

## Boundaries

1832–1885: The Hundreds of Chippenham, North Damerham, Bradford, Melksham, Potterne and Cannings, Calne, Selkley, Ramsbury, Whorwelsdown, Swanborough, Highworth, Cricklade and Staple, Kingsbridge, and Malmesbury.
1983–1997: The District of North Wiltshire.
1997–2010: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Allington, Ashton Keynes, Audley, Avon, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth, Colerne, Corsham, Crudwell, Hill Rise, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lacock, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Malmesbury Road, Minety, Monkton Park, Neston and Gastard, Nettleton, Park, Pickwick, Purton, Queen's, Redland, St Paul Malmesbury Without, Sherston, Somerford, The Lydiards, Town, Westcroft, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.
2010–2024: The District of North Wiltshire wards of Ashton Keynes and Minety, Box, Bremhill, Brinkworth and The Somerfords, Calne Abberd, Calne Chilvester, Calne Lickhill, Calne Marden, Calne Priestley, Calne Quemerford, Calne Without, Colerne, Cricklade, Hilmarton, Kington Langley, Kington St Michael, Lyneham, Malmesbury, Nettleton, Purton, St Paul Malmesbury Without and Sherston, The Lydiards and Broad Town, Wootton Bassett North, and Wootton Bassett South.
The constituency covered most of the northern third of Wiltshire. However, it excluded the eastern town of Swindon which was represented as North Swindon and South Swindon.
North Wiltshire constituency was formed by a renaming for the 1983 general election, with boundaries identical to the former Chippenham constituency (1885–1983). The constituency sat between the Cotswolds and Swindon. Its main towns were Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett, Cricklade and Malmesbury, and it also contained villages, both small and large, spread over a large area of farming countryside, including the well-known (often-painted and photographed) village of Castle Combe.
For the 2010 general election the North Wiltshire constituency changed radically as a result of boundary change recommendations. The revised constituency covered a northern swathe of the previous version, retaining the towns of Malmesbury, Cricklade, Royal Wootton Bassett and Calne, while the largest southern town of Chippenham was given its own seat (which was previously abolished in 1983) that brought in the nearby market towns of Bradford on Avon and Melksham.

## Abolition

Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was abolished for the 2024 general election, with its contents distributed three ways:
* Northern and western parts, including Cricklade, Purton and Malmesbury, forming part of the new seat of South Cotswolds
* Southern and eastern areas, including Royal Wootton Bassett, Lyneham and most of the town of Calne, added to a reconfigured Chippenham constituency
* The Box and Colerne, and Calne South wards included in the new seat of Melksham and Devizes

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | First member | First member | First party | Second member | Second member | Second party |
| 1832 | | Paul Methuen | Whig | | Sir John Astley, Bt | Whig |
| 1835 | | Paul Methuen | Whig | | Walter Long | Whig |
| 1837 | | Francis Burdett | Conservative | | Walter Long | Whig |
| 1841 | | Francis Burdett | Conservative | | Walter Long | Conservative |
| February 1844 | | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative | | Walter Long | Conservative |
| March 1865 | | Lord Charles Bruce | Liberal | | Walter Long | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Lord Charles Bruce | Liberal | | Richard Penruddocke Long | Conservative |
| 1868 | | Lord Charles Bruce | Liberal | | George Jenkinson | Conservative |
| 1874 | | George Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative | | George Jenkinson | Conservative |
| 1880 | | George Sotheron-Estcourt | Conservative | | Walter Long | Conservative |
| 1885 | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency | Redistribution of Seats Act: constituency abolished; see Chippenham constituency |

### MPs since 1983

| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1983 | Richard Needham | Conservative |
| | 1997 | James Gray | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 32,373 | 59.1 | 1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 14,747 | 26.9 | 9.2 |
| | Labour | Jonathan Fisher | 5,699 | 10.4 | 7.1 |
| | Green | Bonnie Jackson | 1,939 | 3.5 | 1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,626 | 32.2 | 10.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,758 | 75.0 | 0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.2 | |
General election 2017: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 32,398 | 60.3 | 3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 9,521 | 17.7 | 2.1 |
| | Labour | Peter Baldrey | 9,399 | 17.5 | 7.7 |
| | Green | Phil Chamberlain | 1,141 | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| | UKIP | Paddy Singh | 871 | 1.6 | 9.9 |
| | Independent | Lisa Tweedie | 376 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22,877 | 42.6 | 1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,706 | 75.34 | 0.84 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.5 | |
General election 2015: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 28,938 | 57.2 | 5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Mathew | 7,892 | 15.6 | 20.6 |
| | UKIP | Pat Bryant | 5,813 | 11.5 | 7.6 |
| | Labour | Peter Baldrey | 4,930 | 9.8 | 3.1 |
| | Green | Phil Chamberlain | 2,350 | 4.6 | 3.4 |
| | Independent | Simon Killane | 390 | 0.8 | New |
| | Independent | Giles Wareham | 243 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,046 | 41.6 | 26.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,556 | 74.5 | 1.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 13.15 | |
General election 2010: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 25,114 | 51.6 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Evemy | 17,631 | 36.2 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | Jason Hughes | 3,239 | 6.7 | −5.3 |
| | UKIP | Charles Bennett | 1,908 | 3.9 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Philip Chamberlain | 599 | 1.2 | New |
| | Independent | Philip Allnatt | 208 | 0.4 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,483 | 15.4 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,699 | 73.4 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.05 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 26,282 | 46.9 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Fox | 20,979 | 37.4 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | David Nash | 6,794 | 12.1 | −2.2 |
| | UKIP | Neil Dowdney | 1,428 | 2.5 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | Philip Allnatt | 578 | 1.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,303 | 9.5 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,061 | 69.3 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.1 | |
General election 2001: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 24,090 | 45.5 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Pym | 20,212 | 38.2 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | Joanne Garton | 7,556 | 14.3 | +0.1 |
| | UKIP | Neil Dowdney | 1,090 | 2.1 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,878 | 7.3 | +1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,948 | 67.3 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.7 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Gray | 25,390 | 43.8 | −12.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Cordon | 21,915 | 37.8 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Nigel Knowles | 8,261 | 14.2 | +4.1 |
| | Referendum | Margaret Purves | 1,774 | 3.1 | New |
| | UKIP | Alan Wood | 410 | 0.7 | New |
| | Natural Law | Joan Forsyth | 263 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,475 | 6.0 | −16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,013 | 74.9 | −6.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −9.3 | |
General election 1992: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Needham | 39,028 | 55.6 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Napier | 22,640 | 32.3 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Christine Reid | 6,945 | 9.9 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Lydia Howitt | 850 | 1.2 | New |
| | Liberal | George Hawkins | 622 | 0.9 | New |
| | Independent | David Martienssen | 66 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,388 | 23.4 | +6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,151 | 81.7 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.1 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Needham | 35,309 | 55.1 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Graham | 24,370 | 38.1 | −2.5 |
| | Labour | Christine Reid | 4,343 | 6.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,939 | 17.0 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,022 | 79.3 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Needham | 30,924 | 53.0 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal | Christopher Graham | 23,692 | 40.6 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | Stephen Allsop | 2,888 | 5.0 | −3.7 |
| | Ecology | Edward Barham | 678 | 1.2 | New |
| | Justice for Divorced Fathers | Henri de la Perriere | 113 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,232 | 12.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,295 | 76.6 | 4.5 |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | 3,090 | 35.5 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | George Sotheron-Estcourt | 2,836 | 32.6 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | George Fuller | 2,784 | 32.0 | +4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 0.6 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,747 (est) | 79.3 (est) | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,249 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Bucknall-Estcourt | 3,195 | 36.8 | +18.0 |
| | Conservative | George Jenkinson | 3,129 | 36.0 | +17.2 |
| | Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,358 | 27.2 | −35.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 8.8 | +6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,520 (est) | 77.2 (est) | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,152 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +17.8 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +17.4 | |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Jenkinson | 2,769 | 37.5 | −23.0 |
| | Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,600 | 35.2 | +15.4 |
| | Liberal | Joseph Trigge Schomberg | 2,016 | 27.3 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 169 | 2.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,077 (est) | 74.0 (est) | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,857 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −17.2 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +13.5 | |
General election 1865: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Bruce | 2,151 | 39.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Penruddocke Long | 1,911 | 35.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | George Jenkinson | 1,373 | 25.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 240 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,793 (est) | 73.7 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,146 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
By-election 20 March 1865: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Bruce | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative |
* Caused by Sotheron-Estcourt's resignation due to ill health.

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,417 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
By-election 8 March 1859: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Sotheron-Estcourt's appointment as Home Secretary
By-election 5 March 1858: North Wiltshire :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Sotheron-Estcourt's appointment as President of the Poor Law Board
General election 1857: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron-Estcourt | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,400 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1852: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,955 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,165 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
By-election, 12 February 1844: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | T. H. S. Sotheron | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Burdett's death.
General election 1841: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Burdett | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,241 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Francis Burdett | 2,365 | 36.7 |
| | Whig | Walter Long | 2,197 | 34.1 |
| | Whig | Paul Methuen | 1,876 | 29.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 321 | 5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,183 | 82.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,068 | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1835: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Walter Long | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Whig | Paul Methuen | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,560 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1832: North Wiltshire (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Paul Methuen | 1,835 | 46.8 |
| | Whig | John Astley | 1,683 | 42.9 |
| | Radical | John Edridge | 403 | 10.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,280 | 32.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,332 | 64.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,614 | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |