The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire was an ancient Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the foundation of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, the title of Sheriff of Hertfordshire was retitled High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. The High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown in England and Wales, their purpose being to represent the monarch at a local level, historically in the shires.

The office was a powerful position in earlier times, as sheriffs were responsible for the maintenance of law and order and various other roles. It was only in 1908 under Edward VII that the Lord Lieutenant became more senior than the High Sheriff. Since then the position of High Sheriff has become more ceremonial, with many of its previous responsibilities transferred to High Court judges, magistrates, coroners, local authorities and the police.

Below is a list of Sheriffs and High Sheriffs of Hertfordshire.

List of Sheriffs of Hertfordshire

Prior to 1567 the Sheriff of Essex was also the sheriff of Hertfordshire. Elizabeth I Anno 9 Elizabeth (ie 1566 or 1567): This County was severed from that of Essex, and found Sheriffs by themselves. Before 1567: see Sheriff of Essex.

James I

Charles I

Commonwealth 1648 Francis Flyer 1648 Rowland Hale 1650 John Rowley of Berkway 1651 Thomas Keightley of Hertingfordbury Park 1652 John Fotherley 1654 Humfrey Shatcrosse of Hatfield 1654 Sir John Barrington 1655 Sir John Reade 1658 Sir John Wittewrong, 1st Baronet

Charles II

William and Mary 1689 Thomas Shatterden – Hatfield 1689 John Plumer – Blakesware 1690 Sir John Garrard, 3rd Baronet of Lamer 1691 George Hadley – East Barnet 1692 Sir John Bucknall of Oxhey Place, Watford 1693 Sir James Read – Hatfield 1694 William Dyer – Newenham

William III 1695 Sir Thomas Rolt – Sacomb 1696 John Gape of Harpsfield Hall, St Albans 1697 John Billers – Thorley 1698 Thomas Auncel – Ickleford 1699 Henry Gore – Gilston 1700 George Nodes – Shephall 1701 Thomas Blackmore

Anne 1702 Robert Hadsley – Munden 1703 Edmond Field – Stansted 1704 Philip Boteler – Watton 1705 Joseph Huntsman 1706 Barnard Halpenny 1707 Abraham Houblon replaced by Sir Richard Houblon – London 1708 Richard Sheppard 1709 Henry Houblon – London 1710 William Robinson Lytton of Knebworth House then William Berners of Moore Place, Much Hadham 1711 Henry Ewer 1712 William Smith 1713 Charles Felton

George I 1714 Henry Long – Bayford 1715 John Duncomb 1716 William Bucknall 1717 Pulter Forester – Bradfield 1718 James Fleet – Tewin 1719 John Nichols 1720 Sir Charles Buck, 3rd Bt. – Watford 1721 Edward Radcliffe – Hitchin 1722 Thomas Kentish – St Albans 1723 John Seer – Yardley 1724 Henry Sibley – Yardley Thomas Sibley 1725 Samuel Poynter – Kelshall 1726 Richard Warren – Tewin

George II

George III

George IV 1820 John Earley Cook – Nunsbury 1821 Joseph Timperon – New Barnet 1822 Thomas Daniell – Little Berkhampstead 1823 Robert Sutton – Rossway, Northchurch 1824 Patrick Haydon – Colney Chapel 1825 Thomas Nash Kemble – Gubbins Park 1826 Sir George Duckett – Roydon 1827 Joseph Andrew Latour – Hexton Manor 1828 Sir Culling Smith – Bedwell Park 1829 Charles Phelips – Briggins Park

William IV 1830 William Hale – King's Walden 1831 Augustus Smith – Ashlyns Hall first appointed, replaced by Thomas Robert Dimsdale, Baron Dimsdalea Baron of the Russian Empire – Camfield Place 1832 Robert Plumer Ward – Gilston Park 1833 George Jacob Bosanquet – Broxbourne Bury 1834 Wiliam Robert Phillimore – Newberries 1835 William Robert Baker – Bayfordbury 1836 William Blake – Danesbury

Victoria

Edward VII 1901 Major-General Apsley Cherry-Garrard, of Lamer Park – Wheathampstead 1902 Evelyn Simpson – Baldock 1903 Henry Tylston Hodgson – Harpenden 1904 Sir Edgar Reginald Sebright – Beechwood 1905 Thomas Fenwick Harrison – King's Walden Bury 1906 Hellier Gosselin-Grimshawe – Bengeo Hall 1907 Benjamin Samuel Faudel-Phillips – Hertford 1908 Arthur Salvin Bowlby – Gilston Park 1909 Edward Ernest Pearson – Brickendonbury 1910 Sir Alfred Reynolds – Ayot Bury

George V

George V and Edward VIII 1935 Lt Colonel Wilfred Hubert Wild – St Albans

Edward VIII and George VI 1936 Col Sir Geoffrey Selby Church – Hatfield

George VI 1937 Arthur Edwin Cutforth – Sawbridgeworth 1938 Henry Fowell Buxton – Ware 1939 Capt Sir Cecil Gustavus Newman – Royston 1940 Capt Reginald Henry Abel-Smith – Hatfield 1941 Major Albert Pam – Broxbourne 1942 Sir Felix Cassel – Luton 1943 Col William Hilton Briggs – Watford 1944 Michael Bruce Urquhart Dewar – Hitchin 1945 Capt Sir Humphrey Edmund de Trafford – Royston 1946 Sir Patrick Ashley Cooper – Hexton Manor 1947 Capt Francis Pawle – Ware 1948 Brig Edward Henry Beddington – Much Hadham 1949 Brig Walter Hugh Crosland – Little Berkhamsted 1950 David Bowes-Lyon – St Paul's Walden Bury 1951 Col Sir William Henry Dyke Acland – Welwyn

Elizabeth II

Arms

List of High Sheriffs of Hertfordshire Elizabeth II

Charles III 2023: Margaret Elizabeth Green 2024: Anne Patricia Brewster, Gustard Wood 2025: Nicholas Fowell Buxton, Ware 2026: Anna Louise Rankin, Rickmansworth

Website High Sheriff of Hertfordshire

References Where no other source is indicated, the name has been taken from the Shrievalty's own list, List of High Sheriffs