In 1792 Oldfield wrote about Canterbury:1 ‘This city is entirely independent in its election of Members of Parliament, and is neither under the influence or control of any patron or leading man.’ The dean and chapter, the Dissenters, town patricians, and neighbouring squires all had a certain influence in elections; but no one interest predominated, and a seat at Canterbury was held on an uncertain tenure. Most of the electors resided in the town or its neighbourhood.

Eight men sat for Canterbury 1754-90: three (Milles, Lynch and Gipps) lived within six miles of the town, and four (Creed, Morris, Best and Robinson) within the county. Only William Mayne, Lord Newhaven was a complete outsider. When he first stood for Canterbury in 1761 the cry of ‘No Scotch, no foreigner’ was raised against him, and although he was supported by both Newcastle and Bute and by the Duke of Dorset, the leading peer in the county, he was defeated.2