Wansdyke derives its name from Woden's Dyke (Woden being a god of the Saxons), the ancient defensive ditch that stretches from near Bristol to beyond Marlborough in the South West country.
The constituency is mainly a residential area from which people commute into Bristol or Bath but it includes the picturesque Chew Valley to the south of Bristol and parts of South Gloucestershire.
The northern edge of the constituency includes parts of Bristol, moving across to Bath and down to the old Somerset coalfields. One of the main towns is Keynsham which is best known for its large Cadburys chocolate factory which makes many well-known brands including Turkish Delight and Double Decker.
Dan Norris was elected Labour MP for Wansdyke in 1997 with the biggest increase in Labourís share of the vote in the South West.