The Cinque Ports
Long before the towns were formally recognised as the Cinque
Ports, around the time of the Norman conquest in 1066, the five
original ‘head ports’ of Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover and
Sandwich were busy fishing and trading centres.
For more than 500 years the five towns
provided the ships and men who guarded king and country from
frequent and vicious attacks in return for special privileges. This
unique confederation of South East England Channel ports was the
original force behind England’s maritime power.
Under the system of ‘ship service’,
the ports were required to supply 57 ships, each with a crew of 21
men and a boy, for 15 days every year. In return the ports were
granted special rights which included, amongst many other things,
exemption from the jurisdiction of certain courts and the right to
levy their own local taxes. These ships were used not only in
warfare, but also to transport the King, his family and armies
between England and Europe. Neighbouring towns and villages
eventually joined the original five towns and were known as ‘limbs’
and helped fulfil the quotas of ships and crew. The ‘two Ancient
towns’ of Rye and Winchelsea later became head ports in their own
right.
The early 14th century saw a sharp
decline in the power and influence of some members of the
Confederation. The South East coast had been devastated by
extremely violent storms in the previous century, permanently
changing the coastline and making some harbours unusable. When a
permanent navy was founded in the 16th century by Henry VIII the
days of the Cinque Ports as a collective force were numbered.
Today, the Confederation (now
consisting of the original five towns and two Antient towns,
together with the surviving limbs of Deal, Faversham, Folkestone,
Lydd, Margate, Ramsgate and Tenterden) still plays an active part
in the ceremonial affairs of state. Places of honour are reserved
for the Cinque Ports Barons at Westminster Abbey, during
coronations. The Lord Warden is still in office with great
ceremony, at Dover.
To find out more
visit The Cinque
Ports website.
The banner of the Cinque Ports
bailiffs
