Hampshire High Sheriff

The office of the High Sheriff is over a thousand years old, dating back to Saxon times. The original name given to the office holder was "Shire Reeve" from the Anglo Saxon word scirgerefa meaning a guardian. The Shire Reeve was a royal official above local faction and therefore able to guard and enforce the King's interests in a county. He administered agriculture and justice and collected rents on the King's land. The office of the Shire Reeve was known as "The Shrievalty". It is the oldest, continuous, secular office under the Crown. Over time, the King's Reeve in a shire became known as the High Reeve, and later still, the High Sheriff. After the Norman Conquest, all land was considered to be the King's land. Instead of collecting the customary Anglo-Saxon rents in kind, the Sheriff was now empowered to raise and collect taxes throughout the Shire. Though it was reduced to some extent after the 16th century, the collection of tax for the Exchequer remained a major burden for High Sheriffs through the centuries. The Magna Carta, published in 1215, makes clear that Sheriffs at that time in history were still of crucial importance in running the shires. They are frequently mentioned in its pages. One of the main functions of the High Sheriff was to bring criminals to justice by raising the "hue and cry". An unpalatable duty was witnessing the death penalty to ensure it was carried out properly, a duty which continued until 1965 when the death penalty was abolished. Another of the High Sheriff's important duties was to keep the King's peace by raising the "posse comitatus", the full military force of the county. This was last done in Oxfordshire in 1830 when the High Sheriff needed to subdue a local rising caused by the enclosure of land. In theory, the "posse comitatus" can still be raised. During both World Wars, the High Sheriff's power to mobilise it was re-invoked in case of an emergency. However, with the growth of professional and centrally organised armed forces, there is no longer a need for High Sheriffs to defend the realm against the King's enemies. In theory, the High Sheriff is the Queen's legal representative in the County upholding all matters relating to the Judiciary and maintaining law and order. In practice it is now largely a ceremonial role. Most former shrieval duties are carried out in the present time by Lord Lieutenants, High Court Judges, Coroners, Magistrates, the Police, the Inland Revenue and Local Authorities. In this century, High Sheriffs aim to support voluntary and statutory bodies engaged in all aspects of law and order. They take a special interest in the activities of such statutory bodies as the Police, the Prison Service and the Probation Service. Under the Criminal Law Act of 1826, they are required to give monetary awards to people who, in the opinion of judges at criminal trial, have been active in apprehending offenders. It has been said that the story of the High Sheriff is the story of England itself. The post has developed over a thousand years or more of continuous existence and devotion to the Crown. The duties of the High Sheriff have been adapted and moulded to the particular needs of each century. In a period of huge social change, the High Sheriff of the 21st century still fulfils the ancient role of supporting the shire, upholding its peace, encouraging loyalty to the Crown and stimulating its communities and voluntary societies to work for the common good.