Shire Court
Encyclopedia
Shire Court or Shire Moot was an Anglo-Saxon
institution dating back to the earliest days of English society. The Shire Court referred to the magnates, both lay and spiritual, who were entitled to sit in council for the shire
and was a very early form of representative democracy. The practice of holding shire courts began in Wessex
and was later used throughout the rest of England
. Similar models were introduced to Wales
, particularly after the Statute of Rhuddlan
in 1284.
Initially the Court would travel and use different locations for its meetings, but after a while the name began to refer to the building or location where the court would usually meet. Amongst the lay and spiritual members of the Shire Court was the Shire Reeve
the king's representative and chief administrative officer.
The shires themselves were divided into Hundreds which each had their own Hundred Court and Hundred Reeve.
This whole system of government was replaced in 1889 with the introduction of county council
s.
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
institution dating back to the earliest days of English society. The Shire Court referred to the magnates, both lay and spiritual, who were entitled to sit in council for the shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
and was a very early form of representative democracy. The practice of holding shire courts began in Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
and was later used throughout the rest of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Similar models were introduced to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, particularly after the Statute of Rhuddlan
Statute of Rhuddlan
The Statute of Rhuddlan , also known as the Statutes of Wales or as the Statute of Wales provided the constitutional basis for the government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1536...
in 1284.
Initially the Court would travel and use different locations for its meetings, but after a while the name began to refer to the building or location where the court would usually meet. Amongst the lay and spiritual members of the Shire Court was the Shire Reeve
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
the king's representative and chief administrative officer.
The shires themselves were divided into Hundreds which each had their own Hundred Court and Hundred Reeve.
This whole system of government was replaced in 1889 with the introduction of county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
s.