The Sheriff of Roxburgh was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in that area of Scotland.
Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis.
From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the hereditary sheriffs were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.
The position of Sheriff of Roxburgh and Selkirk was created in 1868 following a merger of the position with that of Sheriff of Selkirk.
[1] That resulting sheriffdom was dissolved in turn in 1975 with the creation of the current sheriffdom of Lothian and Borders.