The Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer was the Baron ( judge) who presided over the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). The Irish Court of Exchequer was a mirror of the equivalent court in England and was one of the four courts which sat in the building which is still called The Four Courts in Dublin. The title Chief Baron was first used in 1309 by

Walter de Islip Walter de Islip, or de Istlep (died after 1342) was an English-born cleric, statesman, and judge in fourteenth-century Ireland. He was the first Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer; he also held the offices of Treasurer of Ireland, Chief Escheator ...

. In the early centuries of its existence, it was a political as well as a judicial office, and as late as 1442 the Lord Treasurer of Ireland thought it necessary to recommend that the Chief Baron should always be a properly trained lawyer (which Michael Gryffin, the Chief Baron at the time, was not). There is a cryptic reference in the

Patent Roll The patent rolls (Latin: ''Rotuli litterarum patentium'') are a series of administrative records compiled in the English, British and United Kingdom Chancery, running from 1201 to the present day. Description The patent rolls comprise a register ...

for 1390 to the Liberty of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

having its own Chief Baron. The last Chief Baron, The Rt Hon.

Christopher Palles Christopher Palles (25 December 1831 – 14 February 1920) was an Irish barrister, Solicitor-General, Attorney-General and a judge for over 40 years. His biographer, Vincent Thomas Hyginus Delany, described him as "the greatest of the Irish judg ...

, continued to hold the title after the Court was merged into a new

High Court of Justice in Ireland The High Court of Justice in Ireland was the court created by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Ireland) 1877 to replace the existing court structure in Ireland. Its creation mirrored the reform of the courts of England and Wales five years e ...

in 1878, until his retirement in 1916, when the office lapsed.Delaney, V.T.H. ''Christopher Palles'' Allen Figgis and Co Dublin 1960

Chief Barons of the Irish Exchequer

1309 Ball, F. Elrington ''The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921'' London John Murray 1926 * William de Meones 1311 * Nicholas de Balscote 1313 * Richard le Brun 1319 * Adam de Harvington (or Herwynton) 1324 * Thomas de Montpellier 1327 * Roger de Birthorpe 1327 * John de Braideston 1329 * William de Tickhill 1331 *

Robert le Poer Robert le Poer (died c.1346) was an Irish judge and Crown official who held the offices of Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. Family Francis Elrington Ball, in his definitive study of the pre-1921 Irish judi ...

, first term 1331O'Hart, John ''Irish Pedigrees'' 5th Edition Dublin 1892 *

Thomas atte Crosse Thomas atte Crosse, also called Thomas de Crosse (died after 1348) was an English cleric, Crown official and judge, who had a highly successful career in both England and Ireland. Little is recorded about his early years, but by 1336 he was referr ...

1335 * Hugh de Burgh, first term 1337 *

, second term 1339 * Hugh de Burgh, second term 1344 * Robert de Emeldon 1351 Gilbert, Sir John ''History of the Viceroys of Ireland'' Dublin J. Duffy and Co. 1865 * John de Burnham 1355Connolly, Philomena ''The Proceedings against John de Burnham, Treasurer of Ireland 1343-9'' Cambridge University Press 1993 * Robert de Holywood, first term 1363Otway-Ruthven, A.J. ''A History of Medieval Ireland'' Barnes and Noble reissue New York 1993 * John Keppock 1364 Hart, A.R. ''History of the King's Serjeant-at-law in Ireland'' Dublin Four Courts Press 2000 * Robert de Holywood, second term 1367 * Stephen Bray first term 1376 * Henry Mitchell 1376 *Stephen Bray, second term 1377 * Thomas Bache, first term 1382 * William de Karlell 1383 * Thomas Bache, second term 1384 * William Skrene 1395Foss, Edward ''The Judges of England'' London Longman Green Brown and Longmans 1851 * William Tynbegh, first term 1397Beresford David "Tynbegh, William " ''Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography'' 2009 * Richard Rede 1399Smyth, Constantine Joseph ''Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland'' London Butterworths 1839 *

Robert Sutton Robert Sutton may refer to: Politicians *Robert Sutton (died 1414), MP for Lincoln *Robert Sutton (MP for Derby), see Derby *Robert Dudley alias Sutton (died 1539), MP *Robert Sutton, 1st Baron Lexinton (1594–1668), Member of Parliament for Nott ...

1401 * Thomas Bache, third term 1403 * William Tynbegh, second term 1405 * James Fitzwilliam 1413 * William Tynbegh, third term 1415 * James Uriell 1417D'Alton, John ''History of County Dublin'' Dublin Hodges and Smith Dublin 1838 * James Cornwalsh, first term 1420Beresford, David "Cornwalsh, James" ''Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography'' *

Richard Sydgrave Richard Sydgrave or Segrave (died 1425) was an Irish judge who held office as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and served as deputy to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. His family became among the foremost landowners in County Meath, and also held ...

1423 * James Cornwalsh, second term 1426 * John Cornwalsh, first term 1441 * Michael Gryffin or Gryffen 1441Griffiths, Ralph A. ''The Reign of Henry VI- the Exercise of Royal Authority'' Ernest Benn Ltd 1981 * John Cornwalsh, second term 1446 * Thomas Bathe, 1st Baron Louth 1473 * Henry Duffe 1478 * Thomas Plunket 1480 * Oliver FitzEustace 1482 * John Burnell 1482 ''Deputy'' * John Estrete 1487 ''Deputy'' * John Wyse 1492 * Clement Fitzleones 1493 ''Deputy'' * Walter Ivers 1494 * John Topcliffe 1496Chrimes, S.B. ''Henry VII'' Yale University Press 1999 * Walter St. Lawrence 1496 *

Thomas Kent Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

1504Kenny, Colum ''King's Inns and the Kingdom of Ireland'' Irish Academic Press Dublin 1992 * Richard Golding 1511 * Bartholomew Dillon 1514 * Richard Golding, second term 1515 * Patrick Finglas 1520 * Gerald Aylmer 25 June 1534 * Patrick Finglas, second term, 1535 * Richard Delahide 1537McCormack, Anthony M. "Delahide (De la Hide), Richard ''Cambridge Dictionary of National Biography'' * James Bathe 1540 * Lucas Dillon 1570Crawford, Jon G. '' A Star Chamber Court in Ireland-the Court of Castle Chamber 1571-1641'' Dublin Four Courts Press 2005 * Robert Napier 1593Barry, Judith Hudson "Napier, Sir Robert (d.1615)" '' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' *

Edmund Pelham Sir Edmund (or Edward) Pelham (c.1533 – 1606) was a member of the distinguished Pelham family of Laughton, East Sussex. He was a judge in Ireland who held the office of Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, and was noteworthy as the first judge ...

1602 *

Humphrey Winch Sir Humphrey Winch (1555–1625) was an English-born politician and judge. He had a distinguished career in both Ireland and England, but his reputation was seriously damaged by the Leicester witch trials of 1616, which resulted in the hanging ...

8 November 1606 * John Denham 1609Wedgwood, C.V. ''The King's Peace'' William Collins and Son 1955 * William Methold, or Methwold 1612 *Sir John Blennerhassett 1621 * Richard Bolton 1625 *

Edward Bolton Sir Edward Bolton (1592–1659) was an English-born judge who served for many years as Solicitor General for Ireland before succeeding his father Sir Richard Bolton as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was the only surviving son of Richard B ...

1639 * Miles Corbet 1655 * John Bysse 1660Sir John Gilbert ''History of the City of Dublin '' J. McGlashan 1859 * Henry Hene 1680 * Stephen Rice 1687 * John Hely 5 December 1690 *

Sir Robert Doyne Sir Robert Doyne (1651–1733) was an Irish barrister and politician. Judge He was member of the Irish House of Commons for New Ross from 1692 to 1695, and later a distinguished judge who served as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer from 1695 ...

10 May 1695Haydn, Joseph ''Book of Dignities'' London Longman Green Brown and Longmans 1851 * Nehemiah Donnellan 27 December 1703 * Richard Freeman 25 June 1706 * Robert Rochfort 12 June 1707 * Joseph Deane 14 October 1714Mason, W.M. ''The History and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St Patrick's Dublin'' Dublin 1820 * Jeffrey Gilbert 16 June 1715 * Bernard Hale 9 June 1722 * Thomas Dalton 2 September 1725 * Thomas Marlay 29 September 1730 * John Bowes 21 December 1741 * Edward Willes 11 March 1757''An Irish Chief Baron of the last Century'' The Irish Monthly Vol. 19 (1891) * Anthony Foster 5 September 1766 * James Dennis (afterwards Baron Tracton) 3 July 1777 * Walter Hussey Burgh 2 July 1782 * Barry Yelverton (afterwards 1st Viscount Avonmore) 29 November 1783 * Standish O'Grady (afterwards 1st Viscount Guillamore) 5 October 1805 * Henry Joy 6 January 1831 * Stephen Woulfe 20 July 1838 * Maziere Brady, 11 February 1840 *

David Richard Pigot David Richard Pigot, PC, KC (c. 1796 – 22 December 1873) was one of the leading Irish judges of his time. His children included John Edward Pigot, a noted music collector and one of the founders of the National Gallery of Ireland. His grand ...

1 September 1846 *

10 February 1874

References

{{Irish courts pre-1922 Irish Exchequer Irish Exchequer