The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient office, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales. The High Sheriff of Lancashire is the representative of the monarch in the county, and is the "Keeper of The King's Peace" in the county, executing judgements of the High Court through an Under Sheriff.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the High Sheriff was a powerful political position; the sheriffs were responsible for the maintenance of law and order and various other roles. Some of its powers were relinquished in 1547 as the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire was instated to deal with military duties. It was in 1908 under King Edward VII of the United Kingdom that the Lord Lieutenant position became more senior than the High Sheriff. Since that time the High Sheriff has broadly become an honorific title, with many of its previous roles having been taken up by High Court judges, magistrates, coroners, local authorities, and the police.
The sheriff conventionally serves for a term of a year, with the term of office starting in March. Unlike other counties, apart from Merseyside and Greater Manchester, the honour in Lancashire is bestowed by the monarch in their role as Duke of Lancaster, by pricking the Lites. This page lists persons to have held the position, and is divided by sovereign state and Royal house. Another list of sheriffs of Lancashire from 1087 to 1886 is compiled in Edward Baines's "History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster". This names many other individuals for the earliest years of the office.
In April 2015 Amanda Parker of Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe, became High Sheriff and launched a website to promote the office: .
Part of the Kingdom of England
House of Plantagenet
1150–1160 Bertram de Bulmer of Brancepeth and Sheriff Hutton 1160–1162 Geoffrey de Valoignes of Farleton and Cantsfield 1162–1166 Sir Bertram de Bulmer of Brancepeth and Sheriff Hutton 1166–1170 William de Vesci, Lord of Alnwick 1170–1173 Roger de Herleberga 1173–1174 Ranulf de Glanvill 1174–1185 Ralph FitzBernard 1185–1185 Hugo Pipard 1185–1188 Gilbert Pipard 1188–1189 Peter Pipard 1189–1194 Richard de Vernon (1st term) 1194–1194 Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler 1194–1196 Benedict Garnet, of Caton 1196–1197 Robert de Vavasour of Hazelwood, Tadcaster 1197–1198 Nicholas le Boteler 1198–1199 Stephen of Thornham 1199–1200 Robert de Tatteshall, near Pontefract 1200–1204 Richard de Vernon (2nd term) 1204–1205 Sir William Vernon 1205–1215 Gilbert FitzReinfrid, Baron of Kendal 1205–1215 Adam FitzRoger of Yealand (1st term) 1215–1216 Reginald de Cornhill of Kent 1216–1217 Ranulph de Blundevill 1217–1222 Jordan FitzRoger 1223–1223 Stephen de Segrave 1223–1226 Robert de Montjoy 1226–1227 William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby 1227–1228 Gerard Etwell of Etwall, Derbyshire 1228–1232 Sir Adam de Yealand (2nd term) 1232–1232 Peter de Rivaux 1232–1233 William de Lancaster, Baron of Kendal 1233–1234 Gilbert de Wyteby 1234–1240 Simon de Thornton "Clericus" 1240–1241 John de Lancaster 1241–1245 Robert de Waterfal 1245–1246 Richard le Boteler 1246–1247 Sir Matthew de Redmayne, Lord of Levens 1247–1255 Sir Robert de Lathum 1255–1259 Sir Patrick de Ulvesby 1259–1259 Sir William le Boteler, Lord of Warrington 1259–1261 Sir Geoffrey de Chetham 1261–1264 Sir Adam de Montalt 1264–1267 Roger de Lancaster, Lord of Rydal 1267–1269 Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster 1269–1270 Sir Richard le Boteler of Rawcliffe, Fylde 1270–1272 John de Cansfield of Aldingham 1272–1274 Sir Ranulph de Dacre of Dacre, Cumberland 1274–1284 Sir Henry de Lea of Preston 1284–1290 Gilbert de Clifton 1291–1298 Sir Ralph de Montjoy 1298–1298 Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster 1298–1301 Richard de Hoghton 1301–1307 Sir Thomas Travers 1307–1309 William Gentyl the elder of Poulton-le-Sands 1309–1315 Sir Ralph de Bickerstath of Bickerstaffe (died of wounds after Battle of Preston, 1315) 1315–1317 Sir Edmund de Neville from Hornby 1317–1320 Sir Henry de Malton of Malton, Yorkshire 1320–1322 William Gentyl the younger 1322–1323 Robert de Leyburn (1st term) 1323–1323 John Darcy 1323–1326 Sir Gilbert de Southworth of Southworth, Warrington 1326–1326 Robert de Leyburn (2nd term, died in office) 1326–1327 Sir Geoffrey de Warburton 1327–1327 Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster 1327–1328 John de Burghton 1328–1329 John de Hamburg 1329–1332 Sir John de Denum 1332–1335 Robert Foucher 1335–1336 William de Clapham of Clapham, Yorkshire 1336–1337 Sir William le Blount (killed in office) 1337–1342 Robert de Radcliffe of Ordsall, Salford 1342–1344 Sir John le Blount (brother of Sir William, HS 1336) 1344–1345 Stephen de Ireton 1345–1345 Henry, 1st Duke of Lancaster 1345–1350 John Cockayne 1350–1358 Sir William Scargill 1358–1359 William de Radcliffe 1359–1361 Nicholas de Coleshill 1361–1361 Sir John de Ipres 1361–1362 Adam de Hoghton 1362–1371 John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster 1371–1371 Richard de Radcliffe 1371–1374 Sir John le Boteler of Warrington and Beausay 1374–1377 Richard de Towneley 1377–1384 Sir Nicholas Haryngton of Farleton in Lonsdale 1384–1387 Sir Ralph de Radcliffe of Blackburn and Smithills Hall 1387–1392 Robert de Standish 1392–1397 Sir John le Boteler 1397–1399 Richard Molyneux
House of Lancaster
1399–1399 Sir Richard de Hoghton of Hoghton Tower 1399–1401 Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn Hall, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancs. 1401–1404 Sir John de Boteler 1404–1405 Sir Ralph Radcliffe 1405–1406 John Boteler 1406–1411 Sir John Bold 1411–1415 Sir Ralph Staveley 1415–1416 Sir Robert de Urswyk 1416–1418 Nicholas de Longford 1418–1422 Sir Robert Lawrence 1423–1426 Richard Radcliffe 1426–1437 Robert Laurence of Ashton 1439–1449 Sir John Byron of Clayton Hall 1449–1461 Nicholas Byron
House of York
1461–1462 John Broughton of Broughton 1462–1464 Sir John Assheton of Ashton-under-Lyne 1464–1465 John Pilkington of Pilkington 1465–1466 Thomas Pilkington of Pilkington 1466–1473 Sir Robert Urswick of Urswick 1473–1480 Thomas Molyneux of Sefton 1480–1485 Sir Thomas Pilkington of Pilkington
House of Tudor
1485–1497 Sir Edward Stanley of Hornby Castle 1497–1524 Lawrence Starkie of Huntroyde 1523 Sir Alexander Radcliffe of Ordsall 1524 Sir William Molyneux of Sefton Hall 1526 Henry Farington of Farington, Leyland and Old Worden Hall 1527 Sir William Leylond of Morley in Astley 1528 Sir Alexander Osbaldestone of Osbaldestone 1529 Sir Alexander Radcliffe 1530 Sir Richard Assheton of Middleton Hall 1531 Henry Farington of Farington, Leyland and Old Worden Hall 1532 Sir John Towneley of Towneley 1533 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford Park 1534 Sir Thomas Langton of Newton-in-Makerfield 1535 Sir Thomas Boteler of Bewsey 1536 Thomas Shireburne of Aighton and Mitton 1536 Hugh Adlington of Adlington and Duxbury 1537 Sir Thomas Halsall of Halsall 1538 John Holcroft of Melling 1539 Sir Alexander Radcliffe 1540 Sir William Laylond of Morley-in-Astley 1541 Sir Richard Hoghton of Lea and Hoghton 1542 Sir Thomas Southworth of Southworth and Samlesbury Halls. 1543 John Holcroft of Melling 1544 Sir Marmaduke Tunstall of Thurland Castle 1545 Sir William Norris of Speke Hall 1546 Sir Thomas Holcroft of Vale Royal 1547 Sir Alexander Radcliffe of Ordsall 1548 Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn 1549 Sir Robert Worsley of Boothes 1550 Sir Peter Legh of Hayock 1551 Sir John Atherton of Atherton Hall, Leigh 1552 Sir Thomas Talbot of Lower Darwen 1553 Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn 1554 Sir Marmaduke Tunstall of Thurland Castle 1555 Sir John Atherton of Atherton Hall, Leigh 1556 Sir Thomas Langton of Newton-in-Makerfield 1557 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford Park 1558 Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn Hall 1559 John Talbot of Salesbury 1560 Sir Robert Worsley of Booths 1561 Sir John Atherton of Atherton Hall, Leigh 1562 Sir John Southworth of Samlesbury Hall 1563 Sir Thomas Hesketh of Rufford Old Hall 1564 Thomas Hoghton of Hoghton 1565 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1566 Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton 1567 Sir Thomas Langton of Newton-in-Makefield 1568 Edward Holland of Denton Hall 1569 John Preston of Preston Hall, Westmorland Google Books 1570 Thomas Boteler of Bewsey and Warrington 1571 Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1572 John Byron of Clayton Hall. 1573 Richard Holland of Denton Hall and Heaton Hall 1574 William Booth of Barton 1575 Francis Holt of Gristlehurst, Bury 1576 Richard Bold of Bold, Warrington 1577 Robert Dalton of Thurnham Hall 1578 John Fleetwood of Penwortham 1579 Ralph Assheton of Middleton 1580 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1581 Sir John Byron of Clayton Hall 1582 Richard Holland of Denton 1583 John Atherton of Atherton Hall 1584 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1585 Thomas Preston of Preston Hall 1586 Richard Assheton of Middleton 1587 John Fleetwood of Penwortham 1588 Thomas Talbot of Bashall 1589 Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton 1590 Richard Bold of Bold, Warrington 1591 James Assheton of Chadderton 1592 Edward Fitton (the younger) of Gawsworth Old Hall 1593 Richard Assheton of Middleton 1594 Ralph Assheton of Great Lever 1595 Thomas Talbot of Bashall 1596 Richard Holland of Denton 1597 Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton 1598 Richard Assheton of Middleton 1599 Sir Richard Hoghton of Hoghton 1600 Robert Hesketh of Rufford and Martholme 1601 Cuthbert Halsall of Halsall 1602 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1603 John Ireland of Hale
House of Stuart
1604 Sir Nicholas Mosley of Manchester 1605 Ralph Barton of Bolton-le-Moors 1606 Edmund Fleetwood of Rossall 1607 Sir Richard Assheton of Middleton 1608 Robert Hesketh of Rufford Old Hall 1609 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1610 Roger Nowell of Read Hall 1611 John Fleming of Coniston Hall 1612 Sir Cuthbert Halsall of Halsall 1613 Robert Bindlosse of Borwick Hall 1614 Richard Shireburne of Stonyhurst 1615 Edward Stanley of Bickerstaffe 1616 Rowland Mosley of Hough End, Manchester 1617 Sir Edmund Trafford of Trafford 1618 Richard Shuttleworth of Gawthorpe Hall 1619 John Holt of Stubley 1620 Leonard Ashawe of Ashawe 1621 Edward Moore of Bank Hall, Liverpool 1622 Sir Gilbert Ireland of Hale Hall, Childwall 1623 Sir George Booth of Ashton-under-Lyne 1624 Sir Ralph Assheton of Whalley 1625 Edward Holland of Denton 1626 Roger Kirkbye of Kirkby Ireleth 1627 Sir Edward Stanley of Bickerstaffe 1628 Edmund Assheton of Chadderton 1629 Edward Rawsthorne of Edenfield 1630 Thomas Hesketh of Rufford Old Hall 1631 Richard Bold of Bold Hall, St Helens 1632 Nicholas Towneley of Royle, Burnley 1633 Ralph Assheton of Middleton 1634 Ralph Standish of Standish 1635 Sir Humphrey Chetham.Lancashire Illustrated page 79. of Clayton Hall 1636 William Farrington of Leyland 1637 Richard Shuttleworth of Gawthorpe Hall 1638 Roger Kirkby of Kirkby Ireleth 1639 Sir Edward Stanley of Bickerstaffe 1640 Robert Holt of Castleton 1641 Peter Egerton of Shaw Hill, Flixton 1642 Sir John Girlington of Thurland Castle 1643 Sir Gilbert Hoghton of Hoghton Tower 1644–1647 John Bradshaw of Bradshaw Hall, Bolton 1648 Gilbert Ireland of Hale Hall, Childwall
Commonwealth
1649 Humphrey Cheeton 1649 John Hartley of Strangeways, Manchester 1650 Edmund Hopwood of Hopwood Hall, Middleton 1651 Henry Wrigley of Chamber Hall, Oldham 1652 Alexander Barlow of Barlow, Salford 1653 John Parker of Extwistle, Briercliffe 1654 Peter Bold of Bold Hall, Warrington 1655–1656 John Atherton of Atherton 1656 John Starkie of Huntroyde Hall 1657 Hugh Cooper of Chorley and Carnforth 1658 Sir Robert Bindlosse, 1st Baronet of Borwick Hall, Carnforth 1659 Sir Richard Hoghton, 3rd Baronet of Hoghton Tower
House of Stuart, restoration
1660 George Chetham of Clayton Hall 1661 Sir George Middleton of Leighton Hall, Carnforth 1663 John Girlington of Thurland Castle 1664 Thomas Preston of Holker, Furness Google Books 12 November 1665: William Spencer, of Ashton Hall 7 November 1666: Sir John Ardene, of Harden 6 November 1667: Thomas Greenhalgh, of Brandlesholme 6 November 1668: Thomas Greenhalgh, of Brandlesholme