Plympton Erle (UK Parliament constituency)

Plympton Erle was a parliamentary constituency in Devon, England, returning two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1654 to 1832. It was a borough constituency, electing its MPs by the burgage tenure system.

History

The constituency was created in 1654, during the Protectorate, when Oliver Cromwell issued writs for boroughs to return representatives to Parliament. It comprised the town of Plympton Erle, also known as Plympton Maurice, near Plymouth. After the Restoration in 1660, Plympton Erle continued to be represented, though the system of representation reverted to its pre-Protectorate form.

The borough was a "rotten borough," meaning it had a very small electorate, typically controlled by a local landowner or family. This made it susceptible to bribery and influence, as securing the votes of a small number of electors guaranteed a seat in Parliament.

Abolition

The Reform Act 1832 abolished the Plympton Erle constituency, deeming it too small and corrupt to justify continued representation. The town was subsequently incorporated into the Southern division of Devon for parliamentary elections.