The High Sheriff of Meath was the British Crown's judicial representative in

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

, Ireland, from the conquest until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Meath County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed high court

writ In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...

s. 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 sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in County Meath unless stated otherwise.

High Sheriffs of County Meath

*1299 Rythery Fitzjohn *1340: Michael Stokes *1345: Roger Dardis *1368: John FitzRichard *1373: William Dalton (killed by the Cenal-Fiachaidh) *1384 Walter ChaumbrePatent Roll 8 Richard II *1385: Richard Drake of Drakerath *1401: Sir William Nugent of Balrath *1403: Sir Christopher Plunket *1404: Sir John D'Arcy *1405: Sir William Nugent of Balrath, second term ''Patent Roll 6 Henry IV'' *1406: Matthew Hussey of Moyle-Hussey *1408: Matthew Hussey of Moyle-Hussey, second term *1409: Sir Christopher Plunket, second term *1415: Sir John D'Arcy *1422 John Drake *1424: Richard Nugent, 2nd Baron Delvin *1425: Sir Christopher Plunket, third term *1435: John Barnewall *1470: Robert Bold, Baron Ratoath *1472: James Fleming, 7th Baron Slane *1482 Alexander Plunket

Henry VIII 1509–1547

*1510: Christopher Cusack of Gerardstown *1520–1521: Nicholas Hussey, 10th Baron Galtrim *1542: James Everard *1543: Sir Thomas Cusack, Lord Chancellor of Ireland

Elizabeth I, 1558–1603

*1598: Richard Brett

James I, 1603–1625

*1610: Patrick Barnewall of Trim *1613: Patrick Barnewall of Trim *1622: Patrick Barnewall of Trim

Charles I, 1625–1649

*1627 Patrick Segrave

Commonwealth, 1649–1660

*1658: William Cadogan

Charles II, 1660–1685

*1661: Hercules Langford *1667: Richard Janns of Blackcastle *1669: Henry Wade of Clonabreany *1670: George Pepper of Ballygarth *1671: James Naper *1677:

Sir Hercules Langford, 1st Baronet Sir Hercules Langford, 1st Baronet (1626 – 1683) was an Anglo-Irish baronet, merchant and landowner. Langford was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim in 1661 and was High Sheriff of Meath in 1677. A devout Presbyterian, Langford was removed fro ...

*1678: Charles Meredyth *1679: Arthur Meredyth *1682: Arthur Meredyth

James II, 1685–1688

*1686: Launcelot Dowdall of Mounttown *1686: Donogh Mac Gillicuddy. *1688: John Browne.

William III, 1689–1702

*1690: Sir Henry Langford, 3rd Baronet *1698: Joseph Pratt *1700: Henry Cadogan *1702: James Naper of Loughcrew

George I, 1714–1727

*1720: Robert WallerA genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland, 1912, Bernard Burke *1724: George Pepper of Ballygarth *1725: John Coddington

George II, 1727–1760

*1727: *1728: *1729: *1730: James Garstin of Leragh Castle *1731: *1732: *1733: Benjamin Chapman of St Lucy's, Co. Westmeath *1734:

Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington Richard Colley Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington ( – 31 January 1758) was an Irish peer, best remembered as the grandfather of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Biography Richard Colley (as he was christened) was born around 1690, the son ...

*1735: Christopher Nicholson of Balrath Burry *1736: *1737: Clotworthy Sheilds Wade of Clonebrayney *1738: Hercules Langford Rowley of Summerhill House *1739: *1740: James Lenox Naper of Loughcrew *1741: *1742: James Fleming *1743: Sir Quaile Somerville, 2nd Baronet *1744: *1745: *1746: *1747: *1748: John Wade *1749: *1750: William Waller of Allenstown House *1751: *1752: *1753: John Graham *1754: Dixie Coddington of

Oldbridge Oldbridge () is a townland near Drogheda in County Meath, Ireland. The area is home to the Boyne Navigation, the Battle of the Boyne Interpretive Centre and the southern half of the Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge (which carries the M1 motorwa ...

*1755: *1756: *1757: *1758: *1759:

George III, 1760–1820

*1760: *1766: Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne *1767: *1770: Hamilton Gorges of Kilbrew *1772: Robert Wade of ClonebraneyVisitation of Ireland *1774:

Gustavus Hamilton, 5th Viscount Boyne Gustavus may refer to: *Gustavus, Alaska, a small community located on the edge of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve *Gustavus Adolphus College, a private liberal arts college in southern Minnesota *Gustavus (name), a given name **Gustavus, the ...

*1775: *1778: Samuel Winter of Agher *1779: *1781: Michael Tisdall (1755–1794) of Charles Fort near Kells *1782: Thomas Ash of Ashfield *1783: Sir John Meredyth, 1st Baronet, Kt of CarlandstownComplete Baronetage,p.436 *1784: Richard Chaloner of King's Fort *1785: Henry Coddington *1786: Thomas Taylour, Marquess of Headfort *1787: *1788: Michael Tisdall of Charlesfort *1789: *1791: Christopher Armytage Nicholson of Balrath Burry *1792: *1794: Thomas Rothwell of Rockfield *1795: Thomas Everard *1796: Hon. Clotworthy Taylour, later Rowley (cr. Baron Langford of Summerhill, Co. Meath in 1800; Surname legally changed to Rowley, 26 April 1796) *1798: Nicholas Coddington *1800: Charles Drake Dillon *1802: Thomas Pepper of Ballygarth Castle *1803: James O'Reilly of Baltrasna *1804: William BattersbyPapers by Command-Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons-Volume 6 *1805: Thomas Taylor Rowley *1806: John Pratt Winter of Agher *1807: Thomas Barnes *1808: Henry Woodward *1809: Arthur Hill Cornwallis Pollock of Mountainstown *1810: Claudius Cole Hamilton *1811: Charles Arthur Tisdall of Charlesfort *1812: William Blaney Wade *1813: George Pepper of Ballygarth Castle *1814: Caleb Barnes *1815: Thomas Lowther Allen *1816: James Somerville *1817: Ferdinand Meath M'Veagh *1818: John Gerrard *1819: Henry Jeremiah Smith *1820: William Henry Waller

George IV, 1820–1830

*1821: John Payne Garnett of Arch Hall, Navan *1822: James Lenox William Naper of Loughcrew *1823: Francis Singleton *1824: John Charles Preston, of Swainstown *1825: John Thompson, of Rathnally, Trim *1827: John Armytage Nicholson of Balrath Burry, Kells *1828: Robert George Bomford and Richard Bolton *1829: Anthony Blackburne of Parsonstown

William IV, 1830–1837

*1831: The Honourable Edward Anthony John Preston of

Gormanston Castle Franciscan College Gormanston is a school operated and managed by the Irish province of the Order of the Friars Minor. The college operates under the trusteeship of the Minister Provincial and Definitory of the Franciscan Province of Ireland. ...

, Balbriggan *1832: Robert George Bomford *1834: Hon. Randle E. Plunket of Dunsany Castle, Dunshaughlin *1836: Henry Meredyth, later Sir Henry Meredyth, 4th Baronet of North Dublin *1837: Samuel Winter of Agher

Victoria, 1837–1901

*1838: *1839: Richard Rothwell, of Rockfield *1840: Robert Craven Wade of Clonebraney *1841: John Tisdall of Charlesfort *1842: Henry Corbet Singleton of Aclare *1843: Henry Barry Coddington of Oldbridge *1843: John Farrell of Moynalty *1844: Thomas Taylour, 3rd Marquess of Headfort of

Headfort House Headfort House is a large country house on the southern outskirts of Kells in County Meath, Ireland. History The house was constructed in the 1760s for The 1st Earl of Bective to a design by the Irish architect George Semple. The interiors ...

, Kells *1845: Lord Killeen, of Killeen Castle *1846: George Annesley Pollock of Oatlands *1847: *1848: Henry Barry Coddington of Old Bridge, Drogheda *1849: William Martley Blackburne, of Tankardstown-Hall, Slane *1850: Michael Thunder of Lagore, Dunshaughlin *1851: Hans Hamilton Woods of Whitestown House *1852: Edward Rotheram of Crossdrum *1853: James Lenox Naper of Loughcrew *1854: John Osborne George Pollock of Mountainstown *1855: Richard Chaloner of King's Fort *1856: Christopher A. Nicholson of Belrath, Kells *1857: John Arthur Farrell of Moynalty *1858: Samuel Garnett of Arch Hall, Navan *1859: Hercules Langford Boyle Rowley of Marlay Grange, Co. Dublin *1860: George Bomford of Oakley Park *1861: *1862: Thomas Boylan, Hilltown, Drogheda. *1863: Thomas Gerrard of Gibbstown and Boyne Hill. *1864: William Stawell Garnett of Williamston. *1865: *1867: Thomas Rockwell of Rockfield. *1868: *1870: The Hon Jenico W. J. Preston of Gormanstown Castle, Balbriggan. *1871: Robert Fowler *1872: James Sanderson Winter of

Agher Agher () is a crossroads and townland in County Meath, Ireland. It is located southwest of Summerhill. Agher Demesne Turn left at the crossroads; continue a kilometre down the road and on the left is the entrance to Agher Demesne or also calle ...

. *1873: Robert Caddell of Harbourstown. *1874: *1875: Mervyn Pratt. *1876: *1877: Henry Corbet Singleton of Aclare. *1878: George Augustus Rotheram of Kilbride Castle, Trim. *1879: *1880: William Newcombe Waller of Allenstown. *1881: John Kearney *1882: Robert Grimshaw Dunville *1883: Nugent Talbot Everard, Bt *1884: John Naper George Pollock of Mountainstown. *1885: Edward Rotheram of Crossdrum. *1886: *1887: Charles Pepper of Ballygarth Castle. *1888: Edward Hamilton Woods of Milverton Hall, Co. Dublin. *1889: Nathaniel Hone Dyas of Athboy House & Staholmack, Co Meath. *1890: *1891: George Joseph Brooke McVeagh of Drewstown, Kells. *1892: Robert Bernard George Ashurst Gradwell *1893: Uvedale Corbet Singleton of Aclare. *1894: Thomas Boylan *1895: John Hampden Nicholson of Balrath Burry. *1896: William Thompson of Rathnally. *1897: Gustavus Villiers Briscoe of Bellinter House. *1898: Francis William Blackburne of Tankardstown. *1899: Robert Henry Fowler of Rahinston and Rathmolyon. *1900: *1901: Gustavus Francis William Lambart, 1st Baronet of Beau Parc.

Edward VII, 1901–1910

*1902: Charles Henry Bulwer Caldwell of New Grange. *1904: Frederick Arthur Bligh of Brittas,

Nobber Nobber ( – referring to the description by the local native Irish population, to the development of moat around a Norman castle) is a village in north County Meath, Ireland. The village is located near a river called the Dee () and near White ...

. *1905: Fitzhenry Augustus Smith of Annesbrook,

Duleek Duleek (; ) is a small town in County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Duleek takes its name from the Irish language, Irish word ''daimh liag'', meaning house of stones and referring to an early stone-built church, St Cianán's Church, the r ...

. *1906: Edward Rotheram of Crossdrum. *1907: John Edward Joseph Farrell of

Moynalty Moynalty () is a village in the north-west of County Meath in Ireland. It is located at the junction of the R194 and R164 regional roads north of Kells, near the border with County Cavan. It was part of the Kells Poor Law Union. The Boro ...

. *1908: George Fitzgerald Murphy of the Grange, Dunsany.

George V, 1910–1936

*1910: Patrick James Kennedy of Rathcore House,

Enfield Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...

. *1911: William Lennox Naper of

Loughcrew Loughcrew or Lough Crew () is an area of historical importance near Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland. It is home to a group of ancient tombs from the 4th millennium BC, some decorated with rare megalithic art, which sit on top of a range of hil ...

. *1912: Reginald Dashwood Tandy. *1913: John Francis Hevey Langan. *1922: Arthur Francis Coddington.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:High Sheriff Of Meath Meath History of County Meath