The Sheriff of Sutherland was historically a royal appointment, held at pleasure, which carried the responsibility for enforcing justice in the
sheriffdom
A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland, led by a sheriff principal. Since 1 January 1975, there have been six sheriffdoms. Each sheriffdom is divided into a series of sheriff court districts, and each sheriff court is presided over by a r ...
of
Sutherland
Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
, Scotland. It became a heritable post in the hands of the Earls of Sutherland until 1747, when it reverted, in combination with
Caithness
Caithness (; ; ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Scotland.
There are two towns, being Wick, Caithness, Wick, which was the county town, and Thurso. The count ...
, to being a Royal appointment, usually for life.
From 1806 to 1857 the sheriffdom again existed in its own right, after which it was once again merged with Caithness.
Sheriffs of Sutherland
*Family of the
Earl of Sutherland
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland, William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is al ...
, –1747
*''1747–1806 See
Sheriff of Caithness and Sutherland
The Sheriff of Caithness was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in Caithness, Scotland.
The sheriffdom of Caithness appears to have been created in the mid 12th century and to have been dissolved and incorpor ...
''
*
George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse
George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse (28 November 1770 – 26 June 1850) was a Scottish advocate, judge and satirist.
Life
Cranstoun was likely born at his father's estate, Longwarton. He was baptised in Ancrum, Roxburghshire, Scotland, the second ...
, 1806–1819
*Charles Ross of Invercarron, 1819–1827
[
*Hugh Lumsden of Pitcaple, 1827–1857 ][
*'' For sheriffs after 1857 see ]Sheriff of Caithness and Sutherland
The Sheriff of Caithness was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in Caithness, Scotland.
The sheriffdom of Caithness appears to have been created in the mid 12th century and to have been dissolved and incorpor ...
''
See also
* Historical development of Scottish sheriffdoms
A sheriffdom is a judicial district of Scotland. Originally identical to the Shires of Scotland, from the eighteenth century many counties were grouped to form "sheriffdoms".
By 1975 there were 12 sheriffdoms, with only Lanarkshire not grouped ...
References
{{Scottish Sheriffs
sheriffs
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is commonly ...