The seat, one of many created in 1918, was a narrower form of the oldest creation of South Northamptonshire and lasted 32 years until it reverted into "South Northamptonshire". Finally today's seat was recreated mostly from the north of the South Northants seat in 1974. Since its recreation and during its first existence, it has been served by Conservative MPs. As the 1997 majority was also not marginal, it has been to date an archetypal safe seat.
Boundaries
The constituency covers the west of Northamptonshire and is named for the market town of Daventry.
Historic
1918–1950: The Boroughs of Daventry and Brackley, the Rural Districts of Brackley, Crick, Daventry, Hardingstone, Middleton Cheney, Potterspury, and Towcester, and part of the Rural District of Northampton.
1974–1983: The Boroughs of Brackley and Daventry, and the Rural Districts of Brackley, Brixworth, Daventry, Northampton, and Towcester.
1983–1997: The District of Daventry wards of Abbey North, Abbey South, Badby, Barby, Brampton, Braunston, Byfield, Crick and West Haddon, Drayton, Everdon, Flore, Guilsborough, Hill, Kilsby, Long Buckby, Ravensthorpe, Spratton, Weedon, Welford, Woodford, and Yelvertoft, and the District of South Northamptonshire wards of Astwell, Blakesley, Brackley East, Brackley West, Cosgrove, Danvers, Deanshanger, Forest, Grafton, Greatworth, King's Sutton, Kingthorn, Middleton Cheney, Potterspury, Rainsborough, Slapton, Tove, Towcester, and Wardoun.
1997–2010: The District of Daventry wards of Abbey North, Abbey South, Badby, Barby, Brampton, Braunston, Byfield, Crick and West Haddon, Drayton, Everdon, Flore, Hill, Kilsby, Long Buckby, Ravensthorpe, Weedon, Woodford, and Yelvertoft, and the District of South Northamptonshire wards of Astwell, Blakesley, Blisworth, Brackley East, Brackley West, Bugbrooke, Cosgrove, Danvers, Deanshanger, Forest, Gayton, Grafton, Greatworth, Heyford, King's Sutton, Kingthorn, Middleton Cheney, Potterspury, Rainsborough, Slapton, Tove, Towcester, and Wardoun.
2010–2021: The District of Daventry, the District of South Northamptonshire wards of Cote, Downs, Grange, Harpole, and Heyford, and the Borough of Wellingborough wards of Earls Barton and West.
2021–2024: With effect from 1 April 2021, the second tier authorities in Northamptonshire were abolished and absorbed into the two new unitary authorities of North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. From that date, the constituency comprised the District of North Northamptonshire ward of Earls Barton (part); and the District of West Northamptonshire wards of Braunston and Crick, Brixworth, Bugbrooke (part), Daventry East, Daventry West, Long Buckby, Moulton, and Woodford and Weedon.
The District of North Northamptonshire ward of Earls Barton
The District of West Northamptonshire wards of Braunston and Crick; Brixworth; Daventry East; Daventry West; Long Buckby; Moulton; Silverstone (polling districts SAG, SAP, SAQ, SBJ and SCL); Woodford and Weedon.
The part of the Bugbrooke ward was transferred to South Northamptonshire, offset by the addition of the remainder of the Earls Barton ward from Wellingborough and the part of Silverstone ward from South Northamptonshire.
After the 2005 general election, Daventry incurred massive boundary changes following the creation of the new South Northamptonshire seat. The results of the 2010 general election are based on the notional results for the new boundaries.
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;