Annual Service Of Judiciary Brings Pomp And Colour To The High Street

Published on: 9 Oct, 2018
Updated on: 12 Oct, 2018

The Service for the Judiciary was held on Friday last week (October 5) at which Canon Robert Cotton, the rector of Holy Trinity Church, welcomed all those present.

The procession makes its way up the High Street. Picture from the High Sheriff of Surrey’s post on Ben Darnton’s Facebook page Guildford Past & Present.

The processions had assembled at the Guildhall then proceeded up the High Street to Holy Trinity Church, the civic procession was led by Superintendent Clive Davies and the High Sheriff of Surrey’s procession was led by Chief Constable Nick Ephgrave.

School children line the High Street to watch the procession. Picture by Bob McShee.

Trumpeters of the London Banqueting Ensemble sounded a fanfare on the church steps as they arrived.

The service in Holy Trinity Church. Picture from the High Sheriff of Surrey’s post on Ben Darnton’s Facebook page Guildford Past & Present.

Following the service, the civic procession, consisting of the mayor, dignitaries, a few borough councillors and officers returned down the High Street to the Guildhall. There the procession stopped and formed two lines to allow the High Sheriff’s procession to enter the Guildhall, where the trumpeters greeted the High Sheriff’s procession from the Guildhall balcony.

The procession makes its way back down the High Street. Picture from the High Sheriff of Surrey’s post on Ben Darnton’s Facebook page Guildford Past & Present.

Trumpeters on the balcony of the Guildhall. Picture by Bob McShee.

The Service for the Judiciary is held annually in early October to celebrate the start of the new legal term and offer support to those responsible for keeping the law of the land. It is organised in collaboration with the High Sheriff of Surrey and Surrey County Counci.

During the service the High Sheriff reads an Affirmation of the Shrieval Promise and the Chief Constable of Surrey reads a Declaration of Commitment to Public Service.

Crown Court, district and circuit judges and magistrates join our borough councillors, freemen and aldermen and take part in a procession to Holy Trinity Church.

In the deliberate gap between the party of councillors and the judiciary fanfares are played by trumpeters, a tradition thought to go back hundreds of years, supposedly because the judiciary wished to keep their distance from the hoi poilloi!