The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Established at some point after the foundation of the Shire in III 1601; survived into the Fourth Age
Race
Culture
Settlements
During the War of the Ring, Shirriff-houses were established across the Shire, including one at Frogmorton in the Eastfarthing; these were later demolished
Pronunciation
shi'rriffs
Meaning
From Old English scirgerefa ('Shire-reeve' or 'Shire-steward')1

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 November 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

Shirriffs

The Shire's 'police'

The title given to those who kept order in the Shire, somewhat akin to a 'police force'. Normally few in number, the Shirriffs were greatly increased during the time of the War of the Ring.


Notes

1

In Anglo-Saxon England, a gerefa was a royal representative or official, and so a scirgerefa was the representative of the King within a shire. This word survives into modern English, though more usually spelt 'sheriff', and with a considerably modified meaning. Perhaps the best known historical example is the Sheriff of Nottingham in the stories of Robin Hood: his title made him the administrator of the shire of Nottingham under the King of England.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 November 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1999, 2000, 2015. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.
Find the best personality matches for any role in seconds with Discus' Candidate Match feature.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry