Miscreants and speeding motorists in Ongar and North Weald have had more than the local police to deal with: the local sheriff has also been on their case.

For the past year Ronnie Capel Cure, latest holder of the ancient office of High Sheriff of Essex, has been going on patrol with police as part of his duties.

But this week Mr Capel Cure, whose family has lived at Blake Hall, on the outskirts of Ongar for more than 200 years, is handing in his badge as his year of office ends.

He relaxes in the study of his magnificent Queen Anne mansion and says: "It's been a marvellous experience which I wouldn't have missed for anything. To be the Queen's representative in a county so marvellous as Essex has been a real privilege."

Mr Capel Cure, who retired from his City job in January, has taken his role as custodian of law and order very seriously. "I've had specific responsibility for judges, magistrates and police plus services such as prisons, victim support and probation," he says.

"It's been an extremely busy year speaking all over the county, visiting courts and virtually every hub police station as well as the fire brigade, the ambulance service and Customs.

"This has involved going out on the beat and zooming up and down the M11 in a squad car. Sitting in the ambulance control room or at a fire station or with young constables as they do their duty has been fascinating."

Mr Capel Cure follows in an illustrious line of more than 800 Essex High Sheriffs, including four who bore the family name.

His father, Nigel, announced the accession of the Queen to the throne in 1952 and another forebear proclaimed William IV as king. By coincidence, another Capel Cure was High Sheriff at the turn of the century 200 years ago just like the present holder of the post.

Mr Capel Cure says: "The office dates back to Saxon times, although it had its heyday under the Normans with people like the Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Then he was in charge of raising taxes for the monarch, providing troops to fight for the crown and was the man in charge of law and order. He was very powerful."

Today the High Sheriff has more peaceful duties, among which are welcoming royal visitors to the county or entertaining visiting judges. And now his year of office is coming to an end Mr Capel Cure will be able to concentrate on one of his other passions: promoting tourism throughout Essex.

He operates at the sharp end because the magnificent Blake Hall is a major visitor attraction bringing in about 70,000 people a year.

Up to 16,000 a time attend regular craft fairs, the biggest in East Anglia, and about 10,000 are expected for the annual display of more than 800 American classic cars on the May Day weekend. "Of course," he says, "one of our major attractions is our large exhibition which marks the wartime use of the house as the Fighter Command headquarters."

The Capel Cures were given 36 hours' notice of the War Office's requisition of Blake Hall in 1940 after the North Weald HQ was bombed. One wing of the house was entirely gutted to create an enormous operations room.

Mr Capel Cure says: "There were up to 1,000 people stationed here and the damage to the house and the neglect of the grounds was substantial. Now it forms a museum, housing a large collection, which is visited by people from all over the world. Our big plan for this year is to build a 52ft high scale model of a V2 rocket which will be erected in the grounds."

He recently called on businessmen to join the drive to attract tourists by increased use of the internet and linking websites.

Mr Capel Cure says: "It's increasingly crucial to Essex. With farmers struggling and other jobs threatened, it's clear that the leisure industry is going to be a vital employer.

"Although we do have an image problem, people who do come here find a beautiful, historic county with lovely villages, a fine coastline and some of the friendliest people in the land."

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