New High Sheriff for Northumberland installed
14 Apr 2022 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
The new High Sheriff of Northumberland, Colonel James Royds, has been installed in an ancient ceremony at Hexham Abbey.
After conducting the Installation ceremony, Senior High Court Judge Paul Sloan explained the history of the role of High Sheriff. “It is a role”, he said, “that has existed for over a 1,000 years, and is the oldest continuous Crown appointment” in the land.
When the role of Sheriff or “shire-reeve” was first conceived in Anglo Saxon England, “there were no Judges, no police officers, no Inland Revenue, no customs and Excise duties.
A Sheriff – the Kings Reeve – performed all these duties and more. He could raise an army, collect taxes and had very considerable powers”. Sheriffs even led contingents at the Battle of Hastings in 1066! Such was the power of the Sheriff that when Magna Carta was first published in 1215, during the reign of King John, twenty seven of its sixty three clauses related to the role of the Sheriff.
Today the role is very different and has adapted as the history of England has evolved. It is now a ceremonial role, entirely without remuneration but not without some influence for good in the County.
A High Sheriff spends his or her year in office encouraging and taking an active interest in public service – such as the police, probation, prison, armed, ambulance and fire services.
Most importantly a High Sheriff now plays a vital role in promoting the voluntary sector with an emphasis on helping and encouraging young people in the community. Two of the themes for James’ year in office are to raise awareness of, and help raise funds for, voluntary organisations working to combat the scourge of Drug ‘County Lines’ and those suffering mental health issues in rural Northumberland.
(Photo by Verity Johnson)
L-R: Canon David Glover, Rector of Hexham Abbey
The Bishop of Berwick
Camilla Royds
Colonel James Royds
Canon Alan Hughes
Susan Hughes
His Honour Judge Paul Sloan