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received additional payments of half a guinea (10s. 6d.) each.Nor was the expense confined to bribing the voters. Oldfield records that in 1811, with only 11 voters to poll, the Mayor demanded – and received – a fee of £200 for his services as returning officer. However, he presumably carried out his duties more satisfactorily than his predecessor in 1624, who was "brought to the bar [of the House of Commons], and on his knees severely reprimanded, and sentenced to be committed to prison" for threatening some of the voters and corruptly excluding some others from casting their votes.BOOK, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland, V, 405, 1816, Almost as troublesome was the election of 1667, when it was alleged that the Mayor had not taken the sacrament – being a communicating member of the Church of England was then a requirement for holding civic office – and that therefore the election he had conducted was void. The committee agreed, and proposed a motion that the MP who had been returned was not duly elected, but the whole House voted it down, and the election was allowed to stand. In 1702, again, the Mayor was taken into custody for corrupt practices, and expelled from all his offices in the Customs by resolution of the Commons, against the opposition of government ministers, in whose interests the corruption had been executed.

Patronage

Winchelsea affords an unusual instance of a sitting MP wresting control of a pocket borough from its "patrons", so as to be able to be sure of securing re-election on his own account. In the first half of the 18th century, Winchelsea was a "treasury borough", that is one where the influence of the government was so strong that ministers were able to consider themselves the patrons and were sure of the power to choose both MPs. In 1754, however, one of the government candidates was an Irishman named Arnold Nesbitt. Once elected, Nesbitt began to buy houses in Winchelsea so as to secure influence over the freemen, and was so far successful that by the time of the next election it was accepted that he had the absolute command of one of the seats; indeed, when he stood well with the Treasury he was also allowed to nominate for the other. For the rest of his life he successfully defended his control of Winchelsea from the free-spending of the Treasury's agents; on one occasion, it appears that the town clerk was directing the government campaign and finding himself needing more funds for the purpose than had been provided pawned the town's charters and civic regalia.However, in 1779 Nesbitt died £100,000 in debt, and the Court of Chancery made a decree to auction his property for the relief of his creditors, but his nephew anticipating this managed to sell the Nesbitt interest in the borough back to the government's supporters (in the person of The Earl of Darlington) for the very considerable sum of £15,000, shortly before the court's decree came into force. Ministers were free once more to consider both seats at the ministry's disposal. However, Oldfield notes that Nesbitt's power in the borough was one of influence rather than of any direct property in the votes (as might have been the case in a burgage borough where the right to vote could literally be bought and sold) – and that whatever the bargain between Nesbitt's nephew and Darlington, the voters themselves were not a party to it and had still to be persuaded to co-operate. Therefore, what was sold, in effect, was the unhindered right to bribe the voters without interference, the customary price by this time being apparently £100 per vote.

Abolition

Winchelsea was abolished as a separate constituency by the Reform Act, but the nearby Cinque Port of Rye retained one of its two MPs, and Rye's parliamentary boundaries were extended to include Winchelsea from 1832.

Members of Parliament

1366–1640

{{Expand list|date=September 2010}}{| class="wikitable"!Parliament!!First Member!!Second Member

	Vincent Fynch (fl. 1366)>Vincent Fynch (I)HTTPS://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/FYNCH-VINCENT-I > TITLE=FYNCH, VINCENT I, OF ICKLESHAM AND NETHERFIELD, SUSS. | HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT ONLINE,

	Robert Harry IHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/HARRY-ROBERT-I	WEBSITE=WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG,

	Robert Arnold (MP)>Robert ArnoldHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/ARNOLD-ROBERT-1408>TITLE=ARNOLD, ROBERT (D.C.1408), OF WINCHELSEA, SUSS. | HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT ONLINE	|

	Roger DoverHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/DOVER-ROGER	WEBSITE=WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG,	William Skele IHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/SKELE-WILLIAM-I-1410>TITLE=SKELE, WILLIAM I (D.C.1410), OF WINCHELSEA, SUSS. | HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT ONLINE, www.historyofparliamentonline.org,

	William Skele I>|

| Robert Harry I

	Henry SelyHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/SELY-(CELY)-HENRY	WEBSITE=WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG,

	John PulhamHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/MEMBER/PULHAM-JOHN	WEBSITE=WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG,	William Skele I

	John Pulham>|

	William Skele I >|

	John Pulham>|

	William Skele I>	John PulhamHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1386-1421/CONSTITUENCIES/WINCHELSEA	PUBLISHER= HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT TRUST, 2011-11-29,

	William Skele I>| John Pulham or Robert Harry I

	Henry Sely>| Matthew Goldyve

	William Skele I>| Roger Dover

|

	William Skele I>| Vincent Ewell

	Robert Arnold (MP)>Robert Arnold	Thomas Bette

|

	Vincent Fynch (MP 1395-1402)>Vincent Fynch (II)	William Skele II

	Vincent Fynch (MP 1395-1402)>Vincent Fynch (II)	John Helde

|

	Roger atte Gate>| William Skele II

|

	Vincent Fynch (MP 1395-1402)>Vincent Fynch (II)	John Salerne II

	Walter Young (of Winchelsea)>Walter Young

|

|

	Vincent Fynch (MP 1406 and 1426)>Vincent Fynch (III)	John Worton

	John Salerne II>|Robert Fishlake

	Roger atte Gate>	John Tunstall (MP)>John Tunstall

|

|

	Roger atte Gate>	Thomas Young (MP for Winchelsea)>Thomas Young

|

	Roger atte Gate>	William Catton (MP)>William Catton

|

|

|

	John French (MP for Winchelsea)>John French	William Catton

	John French (MP for Winchelsea)>John French	John Tamwroth

	Edward Hopyere>| Roger atte Gate

	Thomas Thunder>	William Catton (MP)>William Catton

	Alexander Beuley>| Roger atte Gate

	Thomas Young (MP for Winchelsea)>Thomas Young

	Vincent Fynch (MP 1406 and 1426)>Vincent Fynch (III)

	John Greenford>|

	Richard Barkeley >|

	Richard Barkeley >|

	Thomas Ashburnham (MP)>Thomas Ashburnham	Robert Sparrow (by 1459-1528)	HTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1509-1558/CONSTITUENCIES/WINCHELSEA	PUBLISHER= HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT TRUST, 2011-11-29,

	John Ashburnham I>	Robert Sparrow (by 1459-1528)>Robert Sparrow

	John Ashburnham I>	Robert Sparrow (by 1459-1528)>Robert Sparrow

	Thomas Ashburnham (MP)>Thomas Ashburnham	Robert Sparrow

	Thomas Ensing>|George Lowys

	Thomas Ensing>| ?George Lowys

	not known

	John Bell (by 1514-43 or later)>John Bell	Philip Chute

	Philip Chute>| Thomas Hynxstend

	John Rowland (MP)>John Rowland	John More

	William Egleston>| Michael Blount

	Sir Henry Crispe>	William Roper (biographer)>William Roper

	Cyriak Petyt>| Joseph Beverleey

	William Egleston>	John Cheyne (by 1510-67)>John Cheyne II

	Thomas Smith (1522-91)>Thomas Smith	John Peyton

	Sir George Howard (courtier)>Sir George Howard	John Fowler

	Goddard White>	Henry Fane (died 1580)>Henry FaneHTTP://WWW.HISTORYOFPARLIAMENTONLINE.ORG/VOLUME/1558-1603/CONSTITUENCIES/WINCHELSEA> TITLE = HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT	ACCESS-DATE= 2011-11-29,

	Richard Chambers (MP)>Richard Chambers	Henry Fane

1566>	Henry Cobham replaced ?Chambers, ?deceased

	Thomas Wilford (MP for Winchelsea)>Thomas Wilford	Robert Eyre

	Thomas Wilford (MP for Winchelsea)>Thomas Wilford	Richard Barry

	Giles Fletcher, the Elder>Giles Fletcher	Herbert Pelham

	Adam Moyle>	Thomas Egleston(MP)>Thomas Egleston

	Adam Moyle>	Herbert Morley (1562–1610)>Herbert Morley

	Adam Ashburnham>| Ashburnham Pecke

	Ralph Ewens>	Thomas Colepeper (Winchelsea MP)>Thomas Colepeper

	Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet>Moyle Finch	Hugh Beeston

	Adam White (MP)>Adam White	Thomas Unton

	William Binge>	Thomas Godfrey (MP for Winchelsea)>Thomas Godfrey

	Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea>Thomas Finch	Edward Nicholas

	John Finch (MP for Winchelsea)>John Finch	Edward Nicholas

	Sir Roger Twysden, 2nd Baronet>Roger Twysden	Sir Ralph Freeman

	Sir Roger Twysden, 2nd Baronet>Roger Twysden	Sir Nicholas Saunders

	Sir William Twysden, 1st Baronet>Sir William Twysden	Sir Ralph Freeman

	No parliaments summoned

MPs 1640–1832

{| class="wikitable"!Year!!!!First member!!First party!!!!Second member!!Second party

Short Parliament>April 1640		Sir Nicholas Crisp, 1st Baronet	Expelled for being a monopolist, February 1641>	Royalist		John Finch (MP for Winchelsea)>John Finch

Long Parliament>November 1640		John Finch (MP for Winchelsea)	>	Parliamentarian

|1641

	Sir William Smyth, 1st Baronet	>	Royalist

|September 1642

Finch died – seat left vacant

|January 1644

Smith disabled from sitting – seat vacant

|1645

	Sir Henry Oxenden, 1st Baronet>Henry Oxenden			Samuel Gott>|

|December 1648

Oxenden and Gott excluded in Pride's Purge – both seats vacant

|1653

''Winchelsea was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament and the First Protectorate Parliament						and Second Protectorate Parliament>Second Parliaments of the Protectorate''

Third Protectorate Parliament>January 1659		John Busbridge >|		Robert Fowle >|

Rump Parliament>May 1659	Not represented in the restored Rump

|April 1660

	William Howard, 3rd Baron Howard of Escrick>William Howard|	| Samuel Gott|

| 1661

	Sir Nicholas Crisp, 1st Baronet>Sir Nicholas Crisp|		Francis Finch

| 1666

	Robert Austen

|February 1678

	John Banks, 1st Baronet>Sir John Banks|

|March 1678

	Cresheld Draper

| 1681

	Sir Stephen Lennard, 2nd Baronet>Sir Stephen Lennard|

| 1685

	Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton>The Earl of Middleton|

| 1689

	Robert Austen (1642–1696)>Robert Austen|		Samuel Western

| 1696

	Sir George Chute, 1st Baronet>Sir George Chute|

| 1698

	John Hayes (1643-1705)>John Hayes|		Robert Bristow I

|January 1701

	Thomas Newport, 1st Baron Torrington>Thomas Newport|

|November 1701

	John Hayes (1643-1705)>John Hayes|		Robert Austen (c 1672-1728)>Robert Austen|

| 1702

| George Clarke|		James Hayes

| 1705

	George Dodington (died 1720)	Dodington was re-elected in 1708, but had also been elected for Bridgwater (UK Parliament constituency)>Bridgwater, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Winchelsea again

|May 1708

	Sir Francis Dashwood

|December 1708

	Robert Bristow II

| 1713

	George Dodington (died 1720)>George Dodington|

| 1715

	George Dodington, 1st Baron Melcombe>George BubbAdopted the surname Dodington around 1720. He was re-elected in 1722, but had also been elected for Bridgwater, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Winchelsea again|

| 1722

	Thomas Townshend (MP)>Thomas Townshend|

| 1727

	John Scrope (MP)>John ScropeScrope was also elected for Bristol, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Winchelsea|

|February 1728

	Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Baronet>Sir Archer CroftCroft was also elected for Bere Alston, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Winchelsea|

|April 1728

	Peter Walter (died 1746)>Peter Walter|

| 1734

	Edmund Hungate Beaghan

| 1738

	Robert Bristow (1712–1776)>Robert Bristow III|

| 1741

	Arthur St Leger, 3rd Viscount Doneraile>The Viscount Doneraile|		Thomas Orby Hunter

| 1747

	John Mordaunt (MP)>Lieutenant Colonel John Mordaunt|

| 1754

	Arnold Nesbitt

| 1759

	George Gray (MP)>Lieutenant Colonel George Gray|

| 1760

	Thomas Orby Hunter

|March 1761

	Percy Wyndham-O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond>The Earl of Thomond|

|December 1761

	Thomas Sewell (judge)>(Sir) Thomas SewellKnighted on being appointed Master of the Rolls, 1764|

| 1768

	The Earl of Thomond

| 1770

	Arnold Nesbitt (MP)	Nesbitt was re-elected in 1774, but had also been elected for Cricklade (UK Parliament constituency)>Cricklade, which he chose to represent, and did not sit for Winchelsea again

|August 1774

	William Nedham (British politician)>William Nedham|

|October 1774

	Charles Wolfran Cornwall

| 1775

	William Nedham (British politician)>William Nedham|

| 1780

	John Nesbitt

| 1784

	William Nedham (British politician)>William Nedham|

| 1790

	William Vane, 1st Duke of Cleveland>Viscount Barnard|		Richard Barwell

| 1792

	Sir Frederick Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baronet>Sir Frederick Fletcher-Vane|

| 1794

John Hiley Addington	Tory (British political party)>Tory

|May 1796

	William Currie

|December 1796

| William Devaynes|

| 1802

	Robert Ladbroke (MP)>Robert Ladbroke	Whigs (British political party)>Whig		William Moffat (MP)>William Moffat	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1806

	Sir Frederick Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baronet>Sir Frederick Fletcher-Vane	Whigs (British political party)>Whig		Calverley Bewicke	Whig

| 1807

	Sir Oswald Mosley, 2nd Baronet, of Ancoats>Sir Oswald Mosley	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1812

	William Vane, 3rd Duke of Cleveland>William VaneAssumed the surname Powlett by Royal Licence in 1813	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1815

	Henry Brougham	Whig

| 1816

	Henry Vane, 2nd Duke of Cleveland>Viscount Barnard	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1818

George Galway Mills	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1820

Lucius Concannon	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1823

William Leader	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

| 1826

	Viscount Howick	Whig

|February 1830

	John Williams	Whig

|July 1830

	Henry Dundas, 3rd Viscount Melville>Henry Dundas	British Tory Party>Tory

|April 1831

	Stephen Lushington (judge)>Stephen LushingtonLushington was also elected for Ilchester, which he chose to represent, and never sat for Winchelsea	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

|July 1831

James Brougham	Whigs (British political party)>Whig

1832 United Kingdom general election>1832	Constituency abolished

Notes

References

• Robert Beatson, A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807) A Chronological Register of Both Houses of the British Parliament, from the Union in 1708, to the Third Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1807
• D Brunton & D H Pennington, Members of the Long Parliament (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1954)
• Cobbett's Parliamentary history of England, from the Norman Conquest in 1066 to the year 1803 (London: Thomas Hansard, 1808) weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150904125310weblink">titles A-Z
• T. H. B. Oldfield, The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland (London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1816)
• J Holladay Philbin, Parliamentary Representation 1832 – England and Wales (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965)
• Edward Porritt and Annie G Porritt, The Unreformed House of Commons (Cambridge University Press, 1903)
• Henry Stooks Smith, "The Parliaments of England from 1715 to 1847" (2nd edition, edited by FWS Craig – Chichester: Parliamentary Reference Publications, 1973)
• {{Rayment-hc|w|4|date=March 2012}}