A former student at Monmouth School for Girls has become the first woman in 800 years to be elected as a Forest of Dean Verderer.

Sue Middleton (formerly Rawle) was appointed to the Forest’s ancient court of verderers in a ceremony at Gloucester Cathedral.

A pupil at Monmouth from 1970 to 1979, Coleford-raised Sue was elected by a show of hands from eligible Gloucestershire residents and succeeds Verderer Maurice Bent, who died last October.

The Forest’s ancient court of verderers, which meets at the Speech House, has a judicial role to administer the ancient laws of the Forest and to protect the ‘vert and venison’ - the flora and fauna.

“It’s a wonderful honour to be the new Forest of Dean Verderer because the Forest of Dean is a very special area,” said Sue, whose two brothers were educated at Monmouth School for Boys.

“I am now part of the four verderers who will meet quarterly in the Verderers’ Court at the Speech House Hotel, and I am sure we will always have lots of discuss.”

The court consists of four verderers who are appointed for life, and she joins joins Senior Verderer Bob Jenkins, Ian Standing and Rich Daniels.

Sue, who runs the Foresters Forest environmental, history and culture project, added: “I have always believed that our Forest is a very special place, but in the last seven years I have learnt so much more about our natural, built and cultural heritage because I have led the Foresters’ Forest programme.

“It has been the best sort of apprenticeship to become a Verderer.”

She also said in her hustings speech: “As more and more people want to visit the Forest and enjoy it, it comes under pressure, so we need to ensure that there is a balance between the competing demands of the economy, people and wildlife so that our Forest continues to thrive in the future.

“I would like to be involved in that process, as one of the Verderers, to help the Forest meet its challenges in the years ahead.”

The writ from Her Majesty the Queen commanding county electors to select a new Verderer was read out at the ceremony and there were introductions from the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Mrs Jane Tufnell, who ran the election, and Bob Jenkins.

Both candidates gave short speeches before Mrs Tufnell invited electors to raise their hands for either Sue or freeminer and geologist Spencer Thomas, with Forestry England staff walking along the aisle counting votes before she was declared the winner.

Sue left Monmouth after her A levels to read a degree in Psychology at Manchester University.

As Foresters’ Forest National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership Programme chief, she has overseen many projects to conserve cultural history, historical infrastructure and conservation projects in the Dean.

Sue is also vice-chair of the Forest of Dean Local History Society.