This constituency takes its name from Eddisbury Hill near Delamere Forest, and covers the south western section of Cheshire. Already the largest seat in the county, in 1997 the Boundary Commission decided to increase its physical size further and reduce its electorate by 13,000.
The seat is largely rural has tended to be loyally Conservative although in 1997 Sir Alastair Goodlad held on by just 1,185 votes. Sir Alastair resigned the seat in June 1999 as a result of his appointment to the post of High Commissioner of Australia. The subsequent by-election returned the Conservative candidate Stephen O’Brien with a slightly increased majority of 1,606 votes.
Winsford has expanded beyond recognition to accept Manchester’s overspill and it now has a population of over 27,000. It is the only large town in the seat. The region once thrived on salt-mining and sand quarrying, but today more diversification of industry is taking place, such as development of the service sector. Commuters to Chester, Crewe and Wrexham find this an attractive area in which to settle, and most of the inhabitants are white and middle-class.