# Wilton (UK Parliament constituency)

Wilton was the name of a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1707, then in the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It had two Members of Parliament (MPs) until 1832, but from 1832 to 1885 only one member, as a result of the Reform Act 1832 where it also absorbed the former rotten borough of Old Sarum. In 1885 the borough was abolished, but the name of the constituency was then transferred to a new county constituency electing one Member from 1885 until 1918.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Borough of Salisbury, the Sessional Divisions of Amesbury, Hindon, and Salisbury, and the civil parishes of Figheldean, Fisherton-de-la-Mere, Milston, and Wily.
Stonehenge was within the constituency from 1885 until the seat disappeared in 1918, since when it has been in the Salisbury seat.

## Members of Parliament
### Wilton borough
#### MPs 1295–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1386 | Thomas Cuttyng | Thomas Moleyns |
| 1388 (Feb) | Thomas Cuttyng | William Chitterne |
| 1388 (Sep) | Thomas Cuttyng | John Hulle |
| 1390 (Jan) | Thomas Cuttyng | William Chitterne |
| 1390 (Nov) | |
| 1391 | |
| 1393 | John Cole | Henry Bont |
| 1394 | Thomas Cuttyng | John Cole |
| 1395 | Thomas Cuttyng | John Hardy |
| 1397 (Jan) | John Hardy | William Chitterne |
| 1397 (Sep) | John Hardy | Thomas Cuttyng |
| 1399 | Thomas Cuttyng | William Chitterne |
| 1401 | |
| 1402 | John Bottenham | William Chitterne |
| 1404 (Jan) | |
| 1404 (Oct) | |
| 1406 Robert Frye | John Hardy |
| 1407 Robert Frye | Robert Lardiner |
| 1410 Robert Frye | John Harleston |
| 1411 Robert Frye | John Harleston |
| 1413 (Feb) | |
| 1413 (May) | Robert Frye | John Lambarde |
| 1414 (Apr) | John Valeys | John Harleston |
| 1414 (Nov) | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1415 | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1416 (Mar) | |
| 1416 (Oct) | |
| 1417 | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1419 | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1420 | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1421 (May) | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1421 (Dec) | John Harleston | John Whithorne |
| 1510-1523 | No names known |
| 1529 | Geoffrey Pole | Edmund Knightley |
| 1536 | ? |
| 1539 | ? |
| 1542 | Sir Edward Bayntun | William Herbert |
| 1545 | Sir Thomas Lee | Christopher Willoughby |
| 1547 | Robert Watson | Robert Warner |
| 1553 (Mar) | William Damsell | William Wightman |
| 1553 (Oct) | Nicholas Chowne | Henry Creed |
| 1554 (Apr) | William Clerke | Matthew Colthurst |
| 1554 (Nov) | William Clerke | Henry Creed |
| 1555 | Henry Creed | William Clerke |
| 1558 | William Clerke | Henry Creed |
| 1559 | Henry Bodenham | Thomas Highgate |
| 1562–3 | William Wightman | Thomas Highgate |
| 1571 | William Wightman | Thomas Highgate |
| 1572 | William Clerke | Francis Vaughan |
| 1584 | John Penruddock | Roger Earthe |
| 1586 | Edward Penruddock | Henry Martyn |
| 1588 | Thomas Cavendish | Robert Penruddock |
| 1593 | Sir Thomas Morgan | Robert Penruddock |
| 1597 | Thomas Muffet | Robert Penruddock |
| 1601 | Sir Edmund Morgan | Hugh Sanford |
| 1604-1611 | Sir Thomas Edmonds | Hugh Sandford |
| 1614 | Sir Robert Sidney | Thomas Morgan |
| 1621 | Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny ennobled 1622 replaced by Thomas Morgan | Sir Thomas Tracy |
| 1624 | Sir Thomas Morgan | Sir Percy Hobart |
| 1625 | Sir Thomas Morgan | Sir William Harrington |
| 1626 | Sir Thomas Morgan | Sir John Evelyn |
| 1628 | John Pooley | Sir Thomas Morgan |
| 1629–1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |

#### MPs 1640–1832

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | Sir Henry Vane (the elder) | Parliamentarian | | Sir Benjamin Rudyerd | Parliamentarian |
| November 1640 | | Sir Henry Vane (the elder) | Parliamentarian | | Sir Benjamin Rudyerd | Parliamentarian |
| December 1648 | | Sir Henry Vane (the elder) | Parliamentarian | Rudyerd excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Rudyerd excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Rudyerd excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant |
| 1653 | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Wilton was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | Richard Howe | | | Hon. John Herbert | |
| May 1659 | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump | Wilton was not represented in the restored Rump |
| April 1660 | | Richard Howe | | | Francis Swanton | |
| April 1661 | | John Nicholas | | | Thomas Mompesson | |
| June 1661 | | John Berkenhead | | | Thomas Mompesson | |
| February 1679 | | Hon. Thomas Herbert | | | Thomas Penruddocke | |
| August 1679 | | Hon. Thomas Herbert | | | Sir John Nicholas | |
| 1685 | | Oliver Nicholas | | | Sir John Nicholas | |
| 1689 | | Thomas Penruddocke | | | Thomas Wyndham | |
| 1690 | | Sir Richard Howe | | | Thomas Wyndham | |
| 1695 | | John Hawles | | | John Gauntlett | |
| 1698 | | Sir Henry Ashurst | | | John Gauntlett | |
| January 1701 | | Thomas Phipps | | | John Gauntlett | |
| November 1701 | | Sir Henry Ashurst | | | John Gauntlett | |
| July 1702 | | Sir John Hawles | | | George Boddington | |
| November 1702 | | Sir John Hawles | | | John Gauntlett | |
| 1705 | | William Nicholas | | | John Gauntlett | |
| 1708 | | Sir Lambert Blackwell | | | Charles Mompesson | |
| 1710 | | John London | | | Charles Mompesson | |
| 1711 | | Peter Bathurst | | | Charles Mompesson | |
| 1713 | | John London | | | Thomas Pitt | |
| 1722 | | Hon. Robert Sawyer Herbert | | | Thomas Pitt | |
| 1727 | | Hon. Robert Sawyer Herbert | | | Thomas Martin | |
| 1734 | | Hon. Robert Sawyer Herbert | | | Colonel the Hon. William Herbert | |
| 1757 | | Hon. Robert Sawyer Herbert | | | Hon. Nicholas Herbert | |
| 1768 | | Henry Herbert | | | Hon. Nicholas Herbert | |
| 1775 | | Henry Herbert | | | Captain Charles Herbert | |
| 1780 | | Lord Herbert | Tory | | William Gerard Hamilton | Tory |
| 1785 | | Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Goldsworthy | Tory | | William Gerard Hamilton | Tory |
| 1788 | | Lord Herbert | Tory | | William Gerard Hamilton | Tory |
| 1790 | | Lord Herbert | Tory | | The Viscount FitzWilliam | Tory |
| 1794 | | Major General Philip Goldsworthy | Tory | | The Viscount FitzWilliam | Tory |
| 1801 | | John Spencer | Tory | | The Viscount FitzWilliam | Tory |
| 1804 | | Ralph Sheldon | Tory | | The Viscount FitzWilliam | Tory |
| 1806 | | Ralph Sheldon | Tory | | Captain the Hon. Charles Herbert | Tory |
| 1807 | | Ralph Sheldon | Tory | | Captain Charles Herbert | Tory |
| 1816 | | Ralph Sheldon | Tory | | Viscount FitzHarris | Tory |
| 1821 | | John Penruddocke | Tory |
| 1823 | | John Penruddocke | Tory | | Edward Baker | Tory |
| 1830 | | John Penruddocke | Tory | | Henry Bulwer | Tory |
| 1831 | | John Penruddocke | Tory | | James Dawkins | Tory |
| 1832 | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member | Representation reduced to one member |

#### MPs 1832–1885

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1832 | John Penruddocke | Tory |
| 1834 | John Penruddocke | Conservative |
| 1837 | Edward Baker | Conservative |
| 1841 | James Harris | Conservative |
| 1841 by-election | James Agar | Conservative |
| 1847 | James Agar | Peelite |
| 1852 | Charles A'Court | Peelite |
| 1855 by-election | (Sir) Edmund Antrobus | Peelite |
| 1859 | (Sir) Edmund Antrobus | Liberal |
| 1877 by-election | Hon. Sidney Herbert | Conservative |
| 1885 | Borough abolished - name transferred to county division | Borough abolished - name transferred to county division |

### Wiltshire, Southern or Wilton Division
#### MPs 1885–1918

| Year | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Sir Thomas Grove | Liberal |
| 1886 | Sir Thomas Grove | Liberal Unionist |
| 1892 | Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie | Conservative |
| 1900 | James Morrison | Conservative |
| 1906 | Levi Lapper Morse | Liberal |
| 1910 | Sir Charles Bathurst | Conservative |
| 1918 | Hugh Morrison | Unionist |
| 1918 | Constituency abolished | Constituency abolished |

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

General election 1830: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Penruddocke | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | Henry Bulwer | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 30 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1831: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Penruddocke | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Tory | James Dawkins | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 30 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1832: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | John Penruddocke | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 204 | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold | Tory hold |
General election 1835: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Penruddocke | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 203 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1837: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Edward Baker | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 210 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Harris | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 194 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Harris succeeded to the peerage, becoming 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, causing a by-election.
By-election, 6 October 1841: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Agar | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 205 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1847: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | James Agar | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 216 | | |
| | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative | Peelite gain from Conservative |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | Charles A'Court | 125 | 82.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jeremiah Greene Jones Greene | 26 | 17.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 99 | 65.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 151 | 70.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 219 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Swing | N/A | |
A'Court resigned after being appointed a Special Commissioner of Property and Income Tax in Ireland, causing a by-election.
By-election, 28 March 1855: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
General election 1857: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Peelite | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 251 | | |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Peelite hold |
General election 1859: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 258 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1865: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 265 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1868: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 931 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edmund Antrobus | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,040 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
Antrobus resigned, causing a by-election.
1877 Wilton by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sidney Herbert | 751 | 80.1 | New |
| | Liberal | John Freeman Norris | 187 | 19.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 564 | 60.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 938 | 86.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,087 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sidney Herbert | 819 | 67.4 | N/A |
| | Lib-Lab | Joseph Arch | 397 | 32.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 422 | 34.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,216 | 86.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,401 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
Herbert was appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, requiring a by-election.
1885 Wilton by-election Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sidney Herbert | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1885: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Thomas Grove | 4,151 | 55.5 | +22.9 |
| | Conservative | Sidney Herbert | 3,329 | 44.5 | −22.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 822 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,480 | 86.2 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,675 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +22.9 | |
General election 1886: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Unionist | Thomas Grove | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal | Liberal Unionist gain from Liberal |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie | 3,743 | 52.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Thomas Grove | 3,336 | 47.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,079 | 79.1 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,951 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1895: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jacob Pleydell-Bouverie | 3,828 | 51.8 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal | Lionel Edward Pyke | 3,565 | 48.2 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 263 | 3.6 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,393 | 86.9 | +7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,511 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1900 Wilton by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Morrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1900: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Morrison | 3,733 | 56.3 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal | Martin White | 2,892 | 43.7 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 841 | 12.6 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,626 | 80.7 | −6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,205 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1906: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Levi Lapper Morse | 4,272 | 54.6 | +10.9 |
| | Conservative | James Morrison | 3,548 | 45.4 | −10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 724 | 9.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,820 | 90.6 | +9.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,632 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +10.9 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Bathurst | 4,541 | 53.8 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal | Harry Verney | 3,894 | 46.2 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 647 | 7.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,435 | 93.0 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.4 | |
General election December 1910: Wilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Bathurst | 4,356 | 53.6 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | Francis Rogers | 3,769 | 46.4 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 587 | 7.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,125 | 89.6 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
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;
* Unionist: Charles Bathurst
* Liberal: Charles Leach
1918 Wilton by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Hugh Morrison | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |