It was created in 1929, when the House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland) 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland.

The constituency survived unchanged, returning one member of Parliament until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

[1] The constituency included the towns of Coleraine, Limavady and Portstewart.

[2] The seat was always held by Ulster Unionist Party candidates, and was rarely contested.

At the 1960 North Londonderry by-election, and the 1962 and 1965 Northern Ireland general elections, Joseph Burns was elected unopposed.