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 West1620: Nicholas Ward1624: Nicholas Ward1641: Peter Hill1655: James Trail1656: 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 Ward1669: William Waring of Waringstown1670: William Montgomery1675: John Hawkins of Rathfriland 1690: Bernard Ward (killed in duel, 1690)1699: John Haltridge2000: The Hon. Mrs. Daphne Montgomery of Rosemount, Greyabbey, Newtownards2001: Richard John Gordon, Whiterock Road, Killinchy,2002: Nicholas Edward Lindsay of Mill Point, Finnebrogue, Downpatrick:2003: David Graham Shillington of Skeagh Road, Dromore2004: Mary Gordon Haughey, Ballyedmond Castle, Rostrevor,2005: James Derek Shaw, Elmfield, Gilford 2006: Mrs Mary Fionnuala Cook of Banbridge2007: John Dudley Francis Fisher, Rathturret, Warrenpoint2008: Alan Raymond Gillespie2009: Lady Augusta Nicholson, Ballyalloly House, Ballyalloly Road, Comber2010: David Corbett, Tyrella House, 90 Clanmaghery Road, Downpatrick, BT30 8SU2011: Ian Webb, Killymard, Circular Road East, Holywood, Co. Down, BT18 0HA2012:2013: Ivan Cunningham 2014: Simon Brien 2015: Patrick Cross of Downpatrick2016: Philip Baxter of Lisburn 
