Cinque Ports - History of the Ports

Originally, the five S English coast ports of Dover, Hastings, Hythe, Romney, and Sandwich, associated by royal authority (under Edward the Confessor) to provide ships for naval defence; Rye and Winchelsea were added later. They received royal privileges, including (from 1265) the right to send barons to Parliament, and charters, the first dating from 1278; they were governed by a Lord Warden who was also Constable of Dover castle. Their role declined with the growth of the navy under the Tudors and Stuarts, and the status was abolished in 1835.

The Confederation of Cinque Ports (pronounced sink ports) is a historic group of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex, at the furthest eastern end of the English Channel where the crossing to the continent is narrowest, originally formed for military and trade purposes, but now entirely ceremonial.

Apart from the five ports and the two ancient towns, there are seven other members of the Confederation, which are considered to be 'Limbs' of the other towns.

History of the Ports

Formation and privileges

A Royal Charter of 1155 established the ports to maintain ships ready for the Crown in case of need. self-government; permission to levy tolls, punish those who shed blood or flee justice, punish minor offences, detain and execute criminals both inside and outside the port's jurisdiction, and punish breaches of the peace; and possession of lost goods that remain unclaimed after a year, goods thrown overboard, and floating wreckage.)

In other words, the authorities would turn a blind eye to ships and sailors from these ports.

A significant factor in the need to maintain the authority of the Cinque Ports by the King was the development of the Royal Navy. A further reason for the decline of many older ports may be ascribed to the development of the railway network across Britain, and the increased quantity of overseas trade it could distribute from the new major ports developing from the 18th Century.

King Edward I of England granted the citizens of the Cinque Ports special privileges, including the right to bring goods into the country without paying import duties; A Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was appointed, and also held the title of Constable of Dover Castle, and whilst this office exists today, it is now a purely honorary title, with an official residence at Walmer Castle. The town of Hastings was the head port of the Cinque Ports in mediæval times.

As time went by and some ports declined or silted up, others were added. Other places associated with the Cinque Ports and sometimes described as "non corporate limbs" included Bekesbourne, Birchington, Brightlingsea, Fordwich, Pevensey, Reculver, Seaford, Stonor and Walmer.

Decline

The continuing decline of the confederation of the Cinque Ports may be ascribed to a variety of different circumstances, but they were not so hampered by the raids from the Danes and the French to be removed by the numerous destructive impact of plagues, and survived the politics of the 13th Century Plantagenets, and the subsequent War of the Roses.

During the 15th Century, New Romney, once a port of great importance at the mouth of the river Rother (until it became completely blocked by the shifting of sands during the great storm of 1287), was considered the central port in the confederation, and the place of assembly for the Cinque Port Courts, the oldest such authority being vested in the 'Kynges high courte of Shepway', which was being held from at least 1150.

Ongoing changes in the coastline along the south east coast, from the Thames estuary to Hastings and the Isle of Wight did undoubtedly influence the significance of a number of the Cinque port towns, as port authorities, but ship building and repair, fishing, piloting, off shore rescue and sometimes even 'wrecking' continued to play a large part in the activities of the local community.

By the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Cinque Ports had effectively ceased to be of any real significance, and were absorbed into the general administration of the Realm. Local Government reforms and Acts of Parliament passed during the 19th and 20th Centuries (notably the Great Reform Act of 1832,) have eroded the administrative and judicial powers of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports, when New Romney and Winchelsea were disenfrachised from Parliament, with representation provided through their Counties alone, while Hythe and Rye's representation was halved.

In 1985 HMS Illustrious established an affiliation with the Cinque Ports.