Midhurst is a market town in West Sussex, England, located 20 miles inland from the English Channel and 12 miles north of Chichester. Known to the Anglo-Saxons as Middeherst, meaning "middle wooded hill", it became a market town in a largely rural region, with its wholesale and retail businesses being its largest industries. The Normans built churches and a castle in Midhurst following the Norman conquest of England, and Midhurst was first represented in Parliament in 1301 and from 1382 onwards. By 1831, Midhurst had only 41 eligible voters, making it a "rotten borough". In 1832, Midhurst was reduced to having one seat in Parliament, and the constituency was expanded to include the surrounding countryside. Midhurst was represented by the Whigs from 1830 to 1841 and then by the Conservative Party from 1841 until the seat's abolition in 1885. In 2011, Midhurst had a population of 4,914 people.
