High Sheriff
The current High Sheriff of East Sussex is Lucinda Fraser DL.
The High Sheriff is a Royal appointment, whose principal duty is to support the Crown and the judiciary within East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, actively encouraging:
- the judiciary
- the police and emergency services
- local voluntary organisations
It is largely a ceremonial role. High Sheriffs serve for one year.
History of the role
The office of High Sheriff has its roots in Saxon times. It is the oldest continuous secular office under the Crown. It was first written about at the time of King Canute – in the 1020s.
The word ‘sheriff’ comes from ‘shire reeve’. A reeve was the chief magistrate responsible for law enforcement for the shire, or county.
Read more about the role, duties and history on the High Sheriffs Association website.