The county personified

One of the glories of British public life is the way in which ancient institutions, if left unmolested by officious politicians, can evolve over centuries to become something quite different from their original function, but just as valid. This is certainly the case with the office of Lord Lieutenant. Originally created in Tudor times to take on the military duties of the over-powerful High Sheriffs, the County Lieutenancy was first and foremost responsible for the defence of the realm at a time when the country had no standing army. Over the centuries, from the threat of the Armada to the Battle of Britain, the Lieutenants struggled with a succession of militias and volunteers which were often reluctant, ill-equipped and untrained. When the Northamptonshire militia was called out to help repel the Armada, the Deputy Lieutenants mustered 2,000 men, but with only 88 muskets and 201 pikes between them. Miles Jebb in this excellent book points out that Captain Mainwaring’s Home Guard would have found themselves on familiar ground among the Elizabethan militia.