The High Sheriff of Antrim is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Antrim. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the high sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judicial importance, he has ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court Writs.

History

The first (High) Shrivalties were established before the Norman Conquest in 1066 and date back to Saxon times. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. Despite however that the office retains his responsibilities 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 in 1922, it is still present in the counties of Northern Ireland.

Medieval

James I, 1603–1625

Charles I, 1625–1649

English Interregnum, 1649–1660

Charles II, 1660–1685

James II, 1685–1688

William III, 1689–1702

Anne, 1702–1714

George I, 1714–1727

George II, 1727–1760

George III, 1760–1820

George IV, 1820–1830

William IV, 1830–1837

Victoria, 1837–1901

Edward VII, 1901–1910

George V, 1910–1936

George VI, 1936–1952

Elizabeth II, 1952–2022

Charles III, 2022–present

• 2023: Peter Thomas Watts Mackie, of Lissanoure Castle