Shire

a geographical division common in England, corresponding roughly to the American county. Originally some of the English shires were the territory of the different tribes, petty kingdoms in short. As examples of these Kent, Essex, Surrey, Norfolk, and Suffolk may be named. Others, as Yorkshire, Durham, Cheshire, and Worcester, were the territory of ancient bishoprics. Still others are artificial divisions formed at later times. The earlier shires, after the petty kingdom period, were under the civic, military, or judicial headship of ealdormen or earls. Twice a year a shire-moot, that is to say, a court or assembly, was held which might be presided over by the earl or the bishop. Ultimately much of the authority exercised by the earls, bishops, and shire-moot was merged in the sovereign and in the Parliament of the kingdom, and the shire became merely the administrative division it is at present. The term sheriff or shire-reeve owes its origin to shire, the sheriff being the chief officer, uniting judicial with executive functions.