The High Sheriff of Armagh is the Sovereign's judicial representative in

County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...

. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the

Provisions of Oxford The Provisions of Oxford were constitutional reforms developed during the Oxford Parliament of 1258 to resolve a dispute between King Henry III of England and his barons. The reforms were designed to ensure the king adhered to the rule of law and ...

in 1258. Besides his/her judicial importance, they have ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court Writs.

History

The first (High) Shrivalties were established before the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...

in 1066 and date back to Saxon times. In 1908, an

Order in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...

made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However the office still retained the responsibility 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 The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...

in 1922, it is still present in the counties of

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

James I, 1603–1625

*1603: Sir Marmaduke Whitchurch *1613: Charles Poyntz *1618: *1622: *1623: Sir William Brownlow

Charles I, 1625–1649

*1625: *1626: *1627: *1628: *1629: *1630: *1631: *1632: *1633: *1634: *1635: *1636:

English Interregnum, 1649–1660

*1655: Sir George Acheson, 3rd Bt *1656: Sir George Acheson, 3rd Bt *1659:

Charles II, 1660–1685

*1660: *1661: *1662: *1663: *1664: *1665: Edward Richardson of Legacorry *1666: *1667: *1668: Arthur Brownlow *1669: Arthur Brownlow *1670: *1671: *1672: *1673: *1674: *1675: *1676: *1677: *1678: Godfrey Walker *1679: *1680: *1681: *1682: *1683: *1684: George Blacker

James II, 1685–1688

*1685: *1686: Marcus Clerk *1687: *1688: Hamlett Obins

William III, 1689–1702

*1689: *1690: William Richardson of Legacorry *1691: *1692: *1693: *1694: *1695: Sir Nicholas Acheson, 4th Bt *1696: *1697: Arthur Brownlow *1698: *1699: *1700: *1701:

Anne, 1702–1714

*1702: Roger Hall *1703: *1704: *1705: *1706: *1707: *1708: *1709: *1710: *1711: *1712: *1713:

George I, 1714–1727

*1714: Edward Bond *1715: John Richardson *1716: James Maison *1717: Oliver St John *1718: John Maxwell *1719: John Bolton *1720: Henry Richardson *1721: Sir William Johnston *1722: Joshua Johnston *1723: Thomas Tipping *1724: Thomas Clarke *1725: Anthony Madden *1726: Francis Obre

George II, 1727–1760

*1727: William Jones *1728: Sir Arthur Acheson, 5th Bt *1729: Meredith Workman *1730: John Ball *1731: Thomas D. Clarke *1732: Chapel Dawson *1733: Richard Johnston *1734: William Blacker of Carrickblacker and Brookend *1735: Randal Donaldson *1736: Robert Cope *1737: William Richardson of Richhill Castle *1738: William Graham *1739: Roger Hall of Mount Hall *1740: Francis Hall *1741: Edward Obre *1742: Richard Chapel Whaley *1743: Richard Graham *1744: Sir Capel Molyneux, 3rd Bt *1745: Henry Bond *1746: Thomas Tipping *1747: Middleton Bond *1748: Jonathan Seaver *1749: Thomas Bond *1750: William Brownlow *1751: Sir Archibald Acheson, 6th Bt *1752: Alexander Stewart *1753: Meredith Workman *1754: Thomas T. Dawson *1755: Huntly Hutcheson *1756: Hon. William Moore *1757: John Bond *1758: Richard Johnston *1759: Arthur Irwin

George III, 1760–1820

*1760: Richard Jackson *1761: Daniel Kelly *1762: Richard Magenis *1763: Thomas Rowe *1764: Michael Obins of Castle Obins *1765: Thomas Clarke *1766: Arthur Cope *1767: John Moore *1768: Thomas Obre *1769: Henry Cust *1770: Thomas Dawson *1771: Richard Johnston *1772: Thomas Clarke *1773: Edward Tipping *1774: Arthur Graham *1775: Thomas Seaver of Heath Hall (son of Jonathan, HS 1748) *1776: Samuel MacGeough of Derrycaw *1777: William Richardson of Richhill Castle *1778: Arthur Noble *1779: Thomas M. Jones *1780: Maxwell Close of Elm Park *1781:

James Alexander, 1st Earl of Caledon James Alexander, 1st Earl of Caledon (1730 – 22 March 1802) was an Irish landlord, merchant, politician and member of the UK's House of Lords (upper chamber of parliament) as a representative peer for Northern Ireland. An Irish 'nabob' Alexan ...

*1782: Henry Harden *1783:

Sir Walter Synnot Sir Walter Synnot (1742–1821) was an Anglo-Irishman who served as High Sheriff of Armagh. Biography Synnot was the son of Richard Synnot. He settled in the parish of Ballymoyer, County Armagh in 1778 and leased eight townlands from the See of A ...

Ballymoyer House Ballymoyer House, now demolished, was an 18th-century country house which stood in a 7000-acre demesne in the townland of Ballintemple, some 5 km (3 miles) north east of Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Features The house wa ...

*1784: Thomas Verner *1785: John Maxwell *1786: John Reilly *1787: William Brownlow *1788: Alexander Thomas Stewart *1789: James Verner *1790: James Johnston *1791: Nicholas Archdall Cope *1792: James Harden *1793: John Pringle *1794: John Ogle *1795: Savage Hall of Narrow Water *1796: John Ogle *1797: Robert Bernard Sparrow *1798: Kenrick Cope *1799: Robert Camden Cope ‡ / succeeded by Archibald Eyre Obins *1800: Thomas Verner *1801: Du Pre Alexander, Viscount Alexander *1802: John Henry Burges *1803: John Moore *1804: John O'Donnell *1805: Sir Capel Molyneux, 4th Bt *1806: George Ensor *1807: Jonathan Seaver of Heath Hall (son of Thomas, HS 1775) *1808: John Reade *1809: Robert Harden *1810: Hon. Jerome de Salis *1811: William Blacker *1812: Nicholas George Johnston *1813: Charles Eastwood *1814: Robert Macan *1815: Roger Hall *1816: Joseph Atkinson *1817: William Irwin of Mount Irwin *1818: Maxwell Close of Drumbanagher *1819: Walter MacGeough-Bond of Drumsill, Siver Bridge

George IV, 1820–1830

*1820: Thomas J. Thornton *1821: Samuel Cope *1822: William Verner *1823: Sir James Strong *1824: James Johnston *1825: Thomas Atkinson *1826: Acheson St George *1827: William Olpherts *1828: Barry Fox *1829: Hunt Walsh Chambre of Hawthorn Hill

William IV, 1830–1837

*1830: Marcus Synnot of

*1831: Hugh Harris *1832: Hon. Henry Caulfeild *1833: James Eastwood *1834: Charles Brownlow *1835: Sir Edmund Bacon, 10th Baronet *1836: James Alexander, Viscount Alexander

Victoria, 1837–1901

*1837: Sir George King Adlercron Molyneux, 6th Bt *1838:

Leonard Dobbin Leonard Dobbin (29 September 1762 – 19 February 1844) was an Irish Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1837. He was the eldest son of Leonard Dobbin senior, of Mount Dobbin, Tirnascobe, County Armagh and Mary Oate ...

*1839: Thomas Wilson *1840: William Jones Armstrong *1841: John Whaley *1842: James Molyneux Caulfeild *1843: Sir James Matthew Stronge, 3rd Baronet *1844: John Robert Irwin *1845: Thomas Morres Hamilton Jones of Moneyglass House *1846: Robert Wright Cope *1847: Maxwell Cross of Dartan *1848: William Verner *1849: Richard Blackson Houston *1850: James Harden *1851: George Robinson *1852: Marcus Synnot of

*1853: Hon. Peter John Fane de Salis *1854:

Maxwell Charles Close Maxwell Charles Close (25 June 1827 - 25 January 1903) was an Irish Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1857 and 1885. Close was the eldest son of Colonel Maxwell Close of Drumbanagher and his wife Anna ...

of Drumbanagher House *1855: Joseph Atkinson of Crowhill *1856: Henry Alexander of Forkhill House *1857: George Dunbar *1858: Stewart Blacker *1859:

Edward James Saunderson Colonel Edward James Saunderson (1 October 183721 October 1906) was an Anglo-Irish landowner and prominent Irish unionist politician. He led the Irish Unionist Alliance between 1891 and 1906. Early life Saunderson was born at the family seat ...

*1860: William Cross of Dartan *1861: St John Thomas Blacker-Douglass of Grace Hall *1862: John James Bigger *1863: William Kirk *1864: Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Baronet of Castle Dillon *1865: Hugh Harris of Ashfort *1866: H. W. Canefeild *1867: Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Bt *1868: John Alexander Mainley Cope of Drumilly *1869: Samuel Madden Francis Hall of Narrow water *1870: John William Ellison-Macartney of Mountjoy Grange *1871: Richard James Harden of Harrybrook *1872: Joshua Walter MacGeough Bond of Drumsill *1873: *1874: *1875:

Henry Bruce Armstrong Henry Bruce Wright Armstrong (27 July 1844 – 4 December 1943) was a Northern Irish barrister and politician, Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Armagh from June 1921 until 1922. Born in Sholden, Henry Bruce Armstrong was the second ...

*1876: Mark Seton Synnot of

*1877: Thomas Simpson *1878: Patrick George Hamilton Carvill *1879: James Henry Todd-Thornton of Westbrook, Co. Donegal *1880: William James Hall of Narrow Water *1881: *1882: *1883: Granville Henry Jackson Alexander *1884: George Miller Dobbin of Drumulla House, Co. Louth *1885: Sir James Henry Stronge, 5th Bt *1886: William Arthur Irwin of Carnagh *1887:

George de la Poer Beresford George Beresford may refer to: *George Beresford, 1st Marquess of Waterford (1735–1800), Irish peer *George Beresford (bishop) (1765–1841), Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh, nephew of the above *George Beresford (provost of Tuam) (died 1842), Provo ...

of Awbawn *1888: John Mervyn Archdall Carleton Richardson *1889: *1890: Henry Barcroft of the Glen *1891: James Rolston Lonsdale *1892: William Maynard Sinton *1893: *1894: *1895: John Brownlee Lonsdale *1896: Harry Felix Verner *1897: *1898: James Barrington-White *1899: *1900: Roger Hall of Narrow Water

Edward VII, 1901–1910

*1901: Joseph Henry Gray *1902: *1903: William John Talbot *1904: *1905: Sir John Milne Barbour *1906: Joseph Mansergh Palmer *1907: *1908: Maxwell Archibald Close of Drumbanagher House *1909: William McCrum *1910:

George V, 1910–1936

*1911: *1912: *1913: *1914: Hunt Walsh Leech *1915: *1916: William Byers *1917: *1918: *1919: *1920: *1921: *1922: Thomas Bowen Johnston *1923: Thomas Trew Maclean *1924: James Edward Calvert *1925: Thomas Henry White *1926: John Charters Boyle *1927: Samuel Alexander Bell *1928: William M. Clow *1929: Charles Barclay Macpherson Chambré *1930: Thomas Grevilie Sinton *1931: Noel Stephen Smith *1932: Gilbert Evelyn Barcroft *1933: David Malcomson Barcroft *1934: Arthur Dawson Allen *1935: Hector Charles Chatterton Deane *1936: Richard Henry Stephens Richardson

George VI, 1936–1952

*1937: Arthur Delacherois Irwin *1938: William Edward Greeves *1939: George Valentine Crossley Irwin *1940: James Edwards Harden *1941: George Scott *1942: Thomas Averell Shillington *1943: Alfred William Cowdy *1944: Bunbury Archer Atkinson *1945: John Stephen Wakefield Richardson *1946: George Norman Proctor *1947: Robert McKean Cowdy *1948: Archibald Dunlap Gibson *1949: Alexander Reginald Wakefield Richardson *1950: George Fitzroy Gillespie *1951: Ynyr Alfred Burges

Elizabeth II, 1952–present

*1952: Walter Albert Nevill MacGeough-Bond *1953: Cecil Brown *1954: William Alexander Mullen *1955: Harold Brown *1956: James Nicholson Brown *1957: Edward Kennedy Walkington *1958: Alleyn Cardwell Moore *1959: Richard Graves Johnston *1960: James Robert Bargrave Armstrong *1961: Henry Alwyn White *1962: Francis Edward Nangle *1963: Acheson Harden Glendinning *1964: George Edwin McCaw *1965: Michael Henry Armstrong *1966: George Dougan *1967: James Matthew Stronge *1968: Thomas Carter Johnston *1969: Alexander Edmond Knight *1970: John Fitzroy Gillespie *1971: Geoffrey Alastair Nisbet Boyne *1972: Kenneth McCleery *1973: W. Bernard Cowdy *1974: Henry William Francis Reid *1975: Henry George Glendinning *1976: Alexander Hugh O'Brien Greer *1977: Donald Henry Stevenson *1978: Ronald McIlroy Wilson *1979: Frederick Michael Alexander Torrens-Spence *1980: John Reginald Miller *1981: Alexander Hugh Courtney *1982: Andrew Alwyn White *1983: J. H. H. Balmer *1984: W. H. Jordan *1985: E. B. Wilson *1986: *1987: *1988: *1989: *1990: *1991: John Daniel Thompson *1992: James Rochester Nelson *1993: J. N. Greenlee *1994: J. E. Lamb *1995: John C. K. Magowan *1996: Margaret Patton *1997: John Oliver Woods *1998: David Eric Dorman *1999: Anne E. Cullen *2000: Archibald Thomas Laughlan Gibson *2001: Patrick Stephen Kellett *2002: Mary Catherine Dixon *2003: Barbara Ann Gillespie *2004: Caroline Bridget Good *2005: Leslie Victor Johnston of Armagh *2006: Ralph Edward Cope Cowdy of Loughgall *2007: Colin Wallace Mathews *2008: Desmond Robert David Mitchell *2009: Gerard Patrick Millar *2010: John Niall Collen *2011: Dr Peter W.B. Colvin of Hockley *2012: Dr Edmund Peter Beckett of Armagh *2013: James Magowan of Loughgilly *2014: Paul Reaney of Armagh *2015: Mrs Anna Louise Shepherd of Tandragee *2016: James Arthur Crummie of Portadown *2017: Godfrey William McCartney of Killylea *2018: Catherine Mary Adams of Craigavon *2019: Ian James Chapman of Craigavon *2020: Michael Frederick Dickson of Armagh *2021: Dr Alan Manson Turtlem, MBE of Richhill *2022: Henry Gabriel McMullen of Armagh

Charles III, 2022–present

Notes

‡ Stood as Member of Parliament

References

{{High Shrievalties Armagh History of County Armagh Local government in Northern Ireland