The chief justice of the common pleas was the head of the Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench, which was the second-highest common law court in the English legal system until 1875, when it, along with the other two common law courts and the equity and probate courts, became part of the High Court of Justice. As such, the chief justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the lord high chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of England, who headed the King's Bench (Queen's when the monarch was female).
History Initially, the position of chief justice of the common pleas was not an appointment; of the justices serving in the court, one would become more respected than his peers, and was therefore considered the "chief" justice.
The position was formalised in 1272, with the raising of Sir Gilbert of Preston to Chief Justice, and from then on, it was a formally-appointed role, similar to the positions of Lord Chief Justice and Chief Baron of the Exchequer.Kiralfy, p. 121 When the High Court was created in 1875, each of the three common law courts became separate divisions of it, each headed by the person who had led the respective court before the merger.
When the Lord Chief Justice and Chief Baron died in 1880, the three common law divisions (Queen's Bench, Exchequer, and Common Pleas) were merged, and John Coleridge, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, became Lord Chief Justice, and the offices of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Chief Baron were abolished.Lord Mackay of Clashfern (ed.) (2002) Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th ed. Vol.10 (Reissue), "Courts", 603 'Divisions of the High Court'
Chief justices of the common pleas
PortraitNameTerm as Chief JusticeReason for termination Simon of Pattishall1190–1214 Died Martin of Pattishall1217–1229 Retired Sir Thomas Moulton1229–1233 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit William de Raley1233–1234 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Thomas Moulton1234–1236 Retired Robert of Lexinton1236–1244 Retired Henry of Bath1245–1249 Stripped of his position after accusations of perverting the course of justice Roger of Thirkleby1249–1256 Replaced Henry of Bath1256–1258 Retired Roger of Thirkleby1258–1260 Died Sir Gilbert of Preston1260–1267 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Sir Martin of Littlebury1267–1272 Replaced Sir Gilbert of Preston1272–1274 Died Roger of Seaton1274–1278 Retired Sir Thomas Weyland1278–1289 Removed from his position and exiled Sir Ralph Sandwich1289–1290 Resigned John of Mettingham1290–1301 Died Sir Ralph de Hengham1301–1309 Retired Sir William Bereford1309–1326 Died Hervey de Stanton1326 Not reappointed by Edward III Sir William Herle1327–1329 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Sir John Stonor1329–1331 Not reappointed by Edward III Sir William Herle1331–1333 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Sir Henry le Scrope1333 Replaced Sir William Herle1333–1335 Retired Sir John Stonor1335–1341 Removed Sir Roger Hillary1341–1342 Replaced Sir John Stonor1342–1354 Retired Sir Roger Hillary1354–1356 Died Sir Robert Thorpe1356–1371 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir William Fyncheden1371–1374 Died Sir Robert Bealknap1374–1388 Exiled Sir Robert Charleton1388–1395 Died William Thirning1396–1413 Died Richard Norton1413–1420 Died Sir William Babington1423–1436 Retired Sir John Juyn 9 February 1436 20 January 1439 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench John Cottesmore 20 January 1439 29 August 1439† Died Sir Richard Newton 17 September 1439 13 December 1448† Died Sir John Prysot 16 January 1449 1461† Died Sir Robert Danby 11 May 1461 1471 Not reappointed by Edward IV Sir Thomas Bryan 1471 14 August 1500† Died Sir Thomas Wode 28 October 1500 31 August 1502† Died Sir Thomas Frowyk 30 September 1502 7 October 1506† Died Sir Robert Rede 1506 7 January 1519† Died Sir John Ernley 27 January 1519 22 April 1520† Died Sir Robert Brudenell 23 April 1520 22 November 1530 Retired Sir Robert Norwich 22 November 1530 April 1535† Died Sir John Baldwin 19 April 1535 24 October 1545† Died Sir Edward Montagu 6 November 1545 1553 Retired Sir Richard Morgan September 1553 1554 Removed after going insane Sir Robert Broke 1554 6 September 1558† Died Sir Anthony Browne 5 October 1558 January 1559 Appointed a justice of the Queen's Bench Sir James Dyer January 1559 24 March 1582† Died Sir Edmund Anderson 2 May 1582 1 August 1605† Died Sir Francis Gawdy August 1605 15 December 1605† Died Sir Edward Coke 30 June 1606 25 October 1613 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Henry Hobart, Bt 26 November 1613 29 December 1625† Died Sir Richard Hutton December 1625 November 1626Acting Chief Justice Sir Thomas Richardson 22 November 1626 October 1631 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Robert Heath October 1631 13 September 1634 Dismissed Sir John Finch 16 October 1634 1640 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir Edward Littleton 27 January 1640 18 January 1641 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir John Bankes 29 January 1641 28 December 1644† Died Sir Oliver St John 1 October 1648 1660 Excluded from public office following the Restoration Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Bt 22 October 1660 May 1668 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir John Vaughan 23 May 1668 10 December 1674† Died Sir Francis North 23 January 1675 20 December 1682 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir Francis Pemberton January 1683 September 1683 Dismissed Sir Thomas Jones 29 September 1683 21 April 1686 Dismissed Sir Henry Bedingfield 21 April 1686 6 February 1687† Died Sir Robert Wright 13 April 1687 18 April 1687 Exchanged with Edward Herbert for the position of Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Edward Herbert 18 April 1687 1689 Dismissed after fleeing to Ireland with James II Sir Henry Pollexfen 6 May 1689 15 June 1691† Died Sir George Treby 30 April 1692 13 December 1700† Died Sir Thomas Trevor(Lord Trevor from 1712) 5 July 1701 14 October 1714 Not reappointed by George I Sir Peter King 27 October 1714 1 June 1725 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Eyre 1725 28 December 1735† Died Sir Thomas Reeve 26 January 1736 19 January 1737† Died Sir John Willes 28 January 1737 15 December 1761† Died Sir Charles Pratt(Lord Camden from 1765) January 1762 30 July 1766 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir John Eardley Wilmot 20 August 1766 26 January 1771 Resigned Sir William de Grey January 1771 June 1780 Resigned The Lord Loughborough June 1780 28 January 1793 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir James Eyre 11 February 1793 1 July 1799† Died The Lord Eldon 17 July 1799 1801 Appointed Lord Chancellor The Lord Alvanley 22 May 1801 19 March 1804† Died Sir James Mansfield 24 April 1804 21 February 1814 Resigned Sir Vicary Gibbs February 1814 November 1818 Resigned Sir Robert Dallas November 1818 1824 Retired The Lord Gifford 9 January 1824 5 April 1824 Appointed Master of the Rolls Sir William Best 15 April 1824 June 1829 Retired Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal 9 June 1829 6 July 1846† Died Sir Thomas Wilde 6 July 1846 15 July 1850 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir John Jervis 16 July 1850 1 November 1856† Died Sir Alexander Cockburn, Bt November 1856 24 June 1859 Appointed Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench Sir William Erle June 1859 November 1866 Retired Sir William Bovill November 1866 1 November 1873† Died Sir John Coleridge(Lord Coleridge from 1874) November 1873 20 November 1880 Court merged with the Court of Queen's Bench and the Exchequer of Pleas; became the first Lord Chief Justice of a unified Queen's Bench Division.
Peerages created for the lord chief justice of the common pleas + Since the Act of Union 1707 Lord Chief Justice Title Created Current status Other judicial roles Sir Thomas Trevor Baron Trevor Extinct 9 September 1824 None Sir Peter King Baron King Extinct 31 January 2018 Lord High Chancellor of Great BritainSir Charles Pratt Earl Camden ExtantLord High Chancellor of Great Britain Baron Camden Sir William de Grey Baron Walsingham Extant NoneSir Alexander Wedderburn Earl of Rosslyn ExtantLord High Chancellor of Great Britain Baron Loughborough Extant Baron Loughborough Extinct 2 January 1805Sir John Scott Earl of Eldon ExtantLord High Chancellor of Great Britain Baron Eldon Sir Richard Arden Baron Alvanley Extinct 24 June 1857 Master of the Rolls Sir Robert Gifford Baron Gifford Extant Master of the Rolls Sir William Best Baron Wynford Extant None Sir Thomas Wilde Baron Truro Extinct 8 March 1899 Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Sir John Coleridge Baron Coleridge Extant Lord Chief Justice of England
Legacy A Wetherspoon pub in Keswick, Cumbria is named "The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas", this is due to the current building constructed in 1901 been built on land which was formally the site of a ‘workhouse’ - founded in the will (dated 1642) of Sir John Bankes. The current building which housed the towns magistrates’ court and police station until the year 2000, was built next to the towns main post office itself constructed ten years earlier around 1890.
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