BRIEF
HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF HIGH SHERIFF.
The Shrievalty is the oldest secular Office in the kingdom after the
Crown and dates from Saxon times. The earliest High Sheriff of Dorset of whom there is a
record was called Beaduherd and held office in the 9th Century. He was killed near
Weymouth by some Vikings from whom he was trying to collect taxes. It is the position of
the High Sheriff as the executive Officer of the Crown which has always been the
outstanding characteristic of the Office and, by long tradition, the Office has been
connected with the maintenance of law and order.
Sheriffs have been appointed for the Counties of England for over 1000
years. Originally, the holder of the Office was the principal agent of government in his
County. He was responsible for maintaining Law and Order, for raising certain revenues and
for the provision of military services. He was the Official who carried out the orders of
the Crown within his County.
The Sheriff held very extensive powers from Norman times until the 15th
Century, but over the years the powers which had been solely given to the Sheriff have
been passed to others, including the various levels of local government, Justices of the
Peace, and the Inland Revenue. Nevertheless, he continues to hold a unique position of
influence in the County.
When the King's Judges started coming on circuit to the Counties in the
13th Century, it was natural that the Sheriff should be commanded to look after them, to
provide Courts, and to summon juries, functions carded out by High Sheriffs until 1972.
The erosion of the Sheriffs powers probably dates from the latter part
of the 12th Century. At the time of the American Declaration of Independence the Sheriff
was still responsible for law enforcement. At independence the former American colonies
adopted English law as it then existed which is why the Sheriff is the law officer in
"Westerns". Over the last 150 years or so, the powers of the Sheriff have been
greatly reduced and taken over by new authorities. The Courts Act 1971, transferred the
responsibility for Assize Courts to the Courts' Administration.
With the abolition of the Assize Courts, the High Sheriff of Dorset
would have lost contact with the Dorchester Court. However, with the agreement of the
Judges and the Court's Administrator, the Sheriff actively maintains this contact by
arranging a ceremonial opening of the Crown Court in Dorchester.
