The High Sheriff of Meath was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Meath, 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 writs. 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. 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.
Contents
High Sheriffs of County Meath
1299 Rythery Fitzjohn
1340: Michael Stokes
1345: Roger Dardis or Dardiz
1346: Sir Walter de la Hyde (murdered that year?)
1368: John FitzRichard
1373: William Dalton (killed by the Cenal-Fiachaidh)
1384 Walter Chaumbre
1385: Richard Drake of Drakerath
1386: John Darcy
1401: Sir William Nugent of Balrath
1403: Sir Christopher Plunket
1404: Sir John D'Arcy
1405: Sir William Nugent of Balrath, second term
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
1451: Nicholas Ford of Fordstown
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
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 Waller
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, County Westmeath
1734: Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington
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
George III, 1760–1820
1760:
1766: Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne
1767:
1770: Hamilton Gorges of Kilbrew
1772: Robert Wade of Clonebraney
1774: Gustavus Hamilton, 5th Viscount Boyne
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 Carlandstown
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, County Meath in 1800; Surname legally changed to Rowley, 26 April 1796)
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, 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, 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
Edward VII, 1901–1910
1902: Charles Henry Bulwer Caldwell of New Grange.
1904: Frederick Arthur Bligh of Brittas, Nobber.
1905: Fitzhenry Augustus Smith of Annesbrook, Duleek.
1906: Edward Rotheram of Crossdrum.
1907: John Edward Joseph Farrell of Moynalty.
1908: George Fitzgerald Murphy of the Grange, Dunsany.
George V, 1910–1936
1910: Patrick James Kennedy of Rathcore House, Enfield.
1911: William Lennox Naper of Loughcrew.
1912: Reginald Dashwood Tandy.
1913: John Francis Hevey Langan.
1922: Arthur Francis Coddington.