The High Sheriff of Down is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Down. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judicial importance, he has ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court Writs.
The first (High) Shrivalties were established before the Norman Conquest in 1066 and date back to Saxon times. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. Despite however that the office retains his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in a county.
While the office of High Sheriff ceased to exist in those Irish counties, which had formed the Irish Free State in 1922, it is still present in the counties of Northern Ireland.
1610: Richard West
1620: Nicholas Ward
1624: Nicholas Ward
1641: Peter Hill
1655: James Trail
1656: Bernard Ward (son of Nicholas HS 1620)
1657: Roger West (son of Richard HS 1610)
1661: Robert Ward (son of Bernard HS 1656)
1662: Nicholas Ward (son of Bernard HS 1656)
1667: Robert Ward
1669: William Waring of Waringstown
1670: William Montgomery
1675: John Hawkins of Rathfriland
1690: Bernard Ward (killed in duel, 1690)
1699: John Haltridge
2000: The Hon. Mrs. Daphne Montgomery of Rosemount, Greyabbey, Newtownards
2001: Richard John Gordon, Whiterock Road, Killinchy,
2002: Nicholas Edward Lindsay of Mill Point, Finnebrogue, Downpatrick:
2003: David Graham Shillington of Skeagh Road, Dromore
2004: Mary Gordon Haughey, Ballyedmond Castle, Rostrevor,
2005: James Derek Shaw, Elmfield, Gilford
2006: Mrs Mary Fionnuala Cook of Banbridge
2007: John Dudley Francis Fisher, Rathturret, Warrenpoint
2008: Alan Raymond Gillespie
2009: Lady Augusta Nicholson, Ballyalloly House, Ballyalloly Road, Comber
2010: David Corbett, Tyrella House, 90 Clanmaghery Road, Downpatrick, BT30 8SU
2011: Ian Webb, Killymard, Circular Road East, Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0HA
2012:
2013: Ivan Cunningham
2014: Simon Brien
2015: Patrick Cross of Downpatrick
2016: Philip Baxter of Lisburn
