A CALL for candidates to stand for election as a Forest verderer has been officially made.
The election follows the death last year of Maurice Bent of Ruardean.
The Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Jane Tufnell issued a notice that a court will be held at Gloucester Cathedral on Tuesday, March 1 to elect the new verderer.
Following the death of a verderer, the burial is notified to the Crown by the steward of the Verderers’ Court.
A writ, tested at the Royal Courts of Justice is then sent to the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire who is commanded by the Sovereign to arrange for the election of another Verderer.
Only people living in the Forest of Dean or the Herefordshire parish of Hope Mansell can serve as a verderer.
Those wishing to stand have until noon on Friday, February 18 to notify the Sheriff in writing.
If there is more than one nominee, all residents of the county of Gloucestershire – except those of Gloucester and Bristol – are entitled to vote.
The election is held at Gloucester Cathedral and is decided by a show of hands.
The Sheriff then administers the oath of office.
Mrs Tufnell said: “This is a historic occasion to elect a verderer of Her Majesty’s Forest of Dean.”
The election is due to take place at 11am on Tuesday, March 1.
Nominations, including the full name and address of the candidate and those nominating and seconding them should be sent to the Under Sheriff at the County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster House, Thomas Street, Cirencester.
There are four verderers whose role is to maintain and protect the customary practices of the Forest.
There have been verderers in the Forest of Dean for some 800 years and they still hold regular courts.
Apart from the requirement to live in the Forest or parish of Hope Mansell there are no other official conditions to be a verderer.
They meet four times a year at the Verderers’ Court at the Speech House Hotel to consider matters relevant to the “vert” – the woodlands and open lands – and the deer of the Statutory Forest.
They have a website at www.deanverderers.org.uk