South Devon, formerly known as the Southern Division of Devon, is a parliamentary constituency in the county of Devon in England. From 1832 to 1885 it returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.
Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was re-established for the 2024 general election, where it effectively replaced the abolished Totnes constituency with minor boundary changes.
Constituency profile
South Devon is a constituency in Devon in South West England, taking up most of the South Hams district and part of the borough of Torbay. Its largest town is Brixham, which has a population of around 17,000. Other settlements include the towns of Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Modbury, the villages of Galmpton and South Brent and the Foxhole residential area of Paignton.
This is a mostly rural constituency stretching from the upland moors of Dartmoor and through the hills of South Devon National Landscape down to the south coast. Most of the towns here are coastal and have a maritime heritage; Brixham is traditionally an important fishing port, Dartmouth is the location of the Royal Navy's officer training academy, and Salcombe is popular with tourists for its sailing and yachting. The inland Totnes is a historic market town known for its alternative and New Age community. Most of the constituency has average levels of wealth, although there is some deprivation in Brixham and Foxhole. The area's popularity as a location for holiday homes has pushed up house prices, which are generally higher than the regional and UK averages.
South Devon has a very large retired population and low proportions of young and middle-aged adults. Residents have below-average levels of income but above-average rates of homeownership. The child poverty rate is in line with the overall UK figure. They have average levels of education and a high proportion work in the tourism, retail and agriculture sectors. The percentage of residents claiming unemployment benefits is low. White people made up 97% of the population at the 2021 census.
At the local council level, most of this constituency is represented by Liberal Democrats, although Brixham elected Conservatives and Totnes elected Green Party councillors. An estimated 52% of voters in South Devon supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, identical to the UK-wide figure.
Boundaries
Historic
In 1832 the county of Devon, in south western England, was divided for Parliamentary purposes between this constituency and North Devon. In 1868 the Devon county constituencies were re-arranged into North, South and East Devon divisions. Each of these divisions returned two members of Parliament.
In 1885 the three constituencies were again redrawn, so that Devon was represented by eight single member County constituencies (there were also three borough constituencies, two of which returned two members and the third one member). The county was split between the new smaller constituencies of Ashburton (alternatively the Mid Division), Barnstaple (the North-Western Division), Honiton (the Eastern Division), South Molton (the Northern Division), Tavistock (the Western Division), Tiverton (the North-Eastern Division), Torquay and Totnes (the Southern Division). The constituencies in this redistribution are normally referred to by the distinctive place name rather than the alternative compass point designation, so the South Devon division is considered to have been abolished in 1885.
1832–1868: The Hundreds of Axminster, Clyston, Colyton, Ottery St. Mary, East Budleigh, Lifton, Exminster, Teignbridge, Haytor, Coleridge, Stanborough, Ermington, Plympton, Roborough, and Tavistock, and Exeter Castle, and the parts of the hundred of Wonford that are not included in the city of Exeter.
1868–1885: The Hundreds of Black Torrington, Ermington, Lifton, Plympton, Roborough, Stanborough and Coleridge, and Tavistock.
Current The re-established constituency is composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
The District of South Hams wards of: Allington & Strete; Blackawton & Stoke Fleming; Charterlands; Dartington & Staverton; Dartmouth & East Dart; Kingsbridge; Loddiswell & Aveton Gifford; Marldon & Littlehempston; Salcombe & Thurlestone; South Brent; Stokenham; Totnes; West Dart. The Borough of Torbay wards of: Churston with Galmpton; Collaton St. Mary; Furzeham with Summercombe; King’s Ash; St. Peter’s with St. Mary’s.
It is formed from the former seat of Totnes, with only minor changes to its boundaries.
Members of Parliament
1832–1885 ElectionFirst memberFirst partySecond memberSecond party 1832 Lord John Russell WhigJohn Crocker Bulteel Whig 1835 Sir John Yarde-Buller, Bt ConservativeMay 1835 by-electionMontague Parker Conservative 1841Lord Courtenay Conservative1849 by-electionSir Ralph Lopes, Bt Conservative1854 by-election Sir Lawrence Palk, Bt Conservative 1858 by-election Samuel Trehawke Kekewich Conservative 1868 Sir Massey Lopes, Bt Conservative1873 by-electionJohn Carpenter Garnier Conservative1884 by-electionJohn Tremayne Conservative 1885 Constituency abolished
Since 2024 ElectionMemberParty2024Caroline VoadenLiberal Democrats
Elections Elections in the 2020s
2019 notional result Party Vote % Conservative 29,027 53.6 Liberal Democrats 15,308 28.2 Labour 9,228 17.0 Independent 544 1.0 Green 82 0.2Turnout54,18975.6Electorate71,691
Elections in the 1880s
Garnier resigned, triggering a by-election.
Elections in the 1870s
Lopes was appointed a Civil Lord of the Admiralty, triggering a by-election.
Elections in the 1860s
Kekewich's death triggered a by-election.
Elections in the 1850s
Buller was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Baron Churston, triggering a by-election.
Lopes' death triggered a by-election.
Elections in the 1840s
Courtenay resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, triggering a by-election.
Elections in the 1830s
Russell was appointed Home Secretary, triggering a by-election.
See also List of former United Kingdom Parliament constituencies
References
External links Boundaries of Parliamentary Constituencies 1885-1972, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Parliamentary Reference Publications 1972) British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885, compiled and edited by F.W.S. Craig (Macmillan Press 1977) Who's Who of British Members of Parliament: Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
South Devon UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK