1885–1918: The Borough of Brighton, the Sessional Divisions of Hove and Worthing, and parts of the Sessional Divisions of Lewes and Steyning. 1918–1950: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Newhaven, Portslade-by-Sea, and Seaford, and the Rural Districts of Chailey, Newhaven, and Steyning East. 1950–1955: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Burgess Hill, Newhaven, and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and parts of the Rural Districts of Cuckfield and Hailsham. 1955–1974: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Burgess Hill, Newhaven, and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and part of the Rural District of Cuckfield. 1974–1983: The Borough of Lewes, the Urban Districts of Newhaven and Seaford, the Rural District of Chailey, and part of the Rural District of Hailsham. 1983–1997: The District of Lewes, and the District of Wealden wards of Alfriston, Arlington, and East Dean. 1997–2010: The District of Lewes wards of Barcombe, Chailey, Ditchling, Hamsey, Kingston, Lewes Bridge, Lewes Castle, Lewes Priory, Newhaven Denton, Newhaven Meeching, Newhaven Valley, Newick, Ouse Valley, Plumpton, Ringmer, Seaford Central, Seaford East, Seaford North, Seaford West, and Wivelsfield. 2010–present: The District of Lewes wards of Barcombe and Hamsey, Chailey and Wivelsfield, Ditchling and Westmeston, Kingston, Lewes Bridge, Lewes Castle, Lewes Priory, Newhaven Denton and Meeching, Newhaven Valley, Newick, Ouse Valley and Ringmer, Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington and St John Without, Seaford Central, Seaford East, Seaford North, Seaford South, and Seaford West. With the District of Wealden wards of Alfriston, Arlington, East Dean, Polegate North, and Polegate South The constituency is centred on the town of Lewes, for which it is named. However, the constituency also covers most of the Lewes district, including the coastal towns of Seaford and Newhaven, which are rural and semi-rural and all in outer parts of the London Commuter Belt, though with a high number of people who have retired from across the country., it excludes Peacehaven and Telscombe which since 1997 have formed part of the Brighton, Kemptown constituency and includes some areas of neighbouring Wealden District to make up the numbers.
History
The constituency of Lewes has existed since commoners were first summoned to Parliament in 1295, the Model Parliament. This is the county town, though less significant in population today, far surpassed by the City of Brighton and Hove — it has nonetheless been continuously represented since that date. From 1874 the constituency's electorate in elections sent only Conservative MPs except between 1997 and 2015.
This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.
Elections in the 1980s
Elections in the 1970s
New constituency boundaries.
Elections in the 1960s
Elections in the 1950s
Election in the 1940s
Elections in the 1930s
Elections in the 1920s
Elections in the 1910s
Election results 1868–1915
Elections in the 1860s
Elections in the 1870s
Elections in the 1880s
Elections in the 1890s
Elections in the 1900s
Elections in the 1910s
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;
Blunt's death caused a by-election. On petition, Harford was unseated, due to bribery and corruption, and Fitzroy was declared elected on 21 March 1842. Fitzroy was then appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, requiring a by-election. Elphinstone resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
