Sheriff of Westmorland


Westmorland in North West England was abolished in 1974 following Prime Minister Edward Heath's Local Government Act 1972. Westmorland became a part of Cumbria along with Cumberland, parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, including the Furness peninsular. In 2022 Westmorland was reconstituted as Westmorland and Furness following the abolition of Cumbria County Council. Westmorland and Furness have no High Sheriff as Cumbria has remained the ceremonial county.
The traditional county of Westmorland, like neighbouring Lancashire, was itself a new creation during the Middle Ages. It seems to have been treated as part of Yorkshire in the 11th century, and the eventual boundaries represented a merger between an earlier entity called Westmorland, and the Barony of Kendal, which was apparently originally considered part of the Honor of Lancaster, though it did not become part of Lancashire. Kendal is also now part of Cumbria.
The original Westmorland is sometimes referred to as Westmarieland and is later referred to as the Barony of Appleby or "Northern Westmorland".

List of sheriffs

The following is an incomplete list of historical sheriffs.
Except where separately referenced, names are taken from the website of the Public Record Office in Kew. The references given are also used throughout English archives.
Between the thirteenth century and 1849, the office of sheriff was hereditary, firstly granted in perpetuity by King John to Robert de Veteripont and afterwards held by the de Clifford family and then by the Earls of Thanet, until the 11th earl died with no successors. Due to the continued absence of the earlier incumbents on military service the duties would be actually be undertaken by a trusted deputy sheriff.
The office was finally abolished in 1974 when the shrievalty of Cumbria was established.