Catalogue description EXEMPT JURISDICTIONS

Before the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 (5-6 Wm. IV, c.76) there does not appear to have been any area within the County wholly exempt from the jurisdiction of the County justices, though the boroughs of Abingdon, Maidenhead, Newbury, Reading, Wallingford, Windsor and Wokingham had separate courts of Quarter Sessions. Of these courts, those for Abingdon, Newbury, Reading and Windsor were retained under the 1835 Act, while Maidenhead and Wallingford lost their Sessions but retained a separate Commission of the Peace. Wokingham, which held 'Quarter Sessions' twice a year, was not affected by that Act and retained its small separate powers until 1885. Subsequently the elevation of Reading to County Borough status confirmed the entirely separate nature of its jurisdiction, while under the Act of 1948, Abingdon, Newbury and Windsor retained their separate courts, but Maidenhead and Wallingford lost their separate Commissions.

The only other peculiar liberty within the County was Hungerford, a prescriptive borough. The chief functionary of this town, the Constable, was ex officio coroner for the year of his office until the passing of the legislation of 1931.

Under the Act of 1835 copies of grants of separate Courts of Quarter Sessions were to be deposited with the clerk of the peace for the county. No such copies apparently survive.