Dumfries Burghs (Commonwealth Parliament constituency)

Further information: First Protectorate Parliament § Scotland

Dumfries Burghs
Former constituency for the Protectorate Parliament
Region	Scotland
Former constituency
Created	1654
Abolished	1659
Created from	Scotland
Replaced by	Dumfries Sanquhar Lochmaben Annan Wigtown Kirkcudbright Whithorn New Galloway

During the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland , called the Protectorate, the Scottish burghs of Dumfries, Sanquhar, Lochmaben, Annan, Wigtown, Kirkcudbright, Whithorn and New Galloway were jointly represented by one Member of Parliament in the House of Commons at Westminster from 1654 until 1659. Elections were held at Dumfries.

This unusual electoral arrangement reflected Cromwell's broader reforms to reduce regional influence and create a more centralized parliamentary system, mirroring similar changes in English constituencies. ^[1] The temporary merger of these burghs' representation ended with the Restoration in 1660, when Scotland's traditional parliamentary structure was reinstated. ^[2]

References

1. Stearns, S. J. (1991). "Edward M. Furgol. A Regimental History of the Covenanting Armies, 1639–1651. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers; distributed by Humanities Press, Atlantic Highlands, N.I. 1990. Pp. xvii, 471. $60.00". Albion. 23 (3): 536–537. doi:10.2307/4051131. ISSN   0095-1390.
2. Barnes, Robert Paul; Stevenson, David (February 1976). "The Scottish Revolution, 1637-1644: The Triumph of the Covenanters". The American Historical Review. 81 (1): 149. doi:10.2307/1863821. ISSN   0002-8762.