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The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the Cinque Ports, a group of five (cinque in Norman French) port towns on the southeast coast of England. Today the role is a sinecure and an honorary title, and 14 towns belong to the Cinque Ports confederation. The title is one of the higher honours bestowed by the Sovereign; it has often been held by members of the Royal Family or Prime Ministers, especially those who have been influential in defending Britain at times of war.
The Lord Warden was solely responsible for the return of all writs to the Crown, along with the collection of taxes and the arrest of criminals. His court was held in St James's church, near Dover Castle, and there he exercised jurisdiction broadly equivalent to that of Chancery. He also had a "lieutenant's powers of muster", and the Constableship of Dover Castle, later added (1267) to the Warden's office, enabled him to keep a garrison and administrative staff, including the Clerk and the Lieutenant of the Castle.
The coat of arms of the Cinque Ports first appeared in 1305, second amongst the earliest English known heraldic emblems, predating even the coat of arms of the City of London. The coat of arms of the Cinque Ports displays three ships' hulls and three lions passant guardant conjoined to these hulls, all in gold. These may originally have been Gules three lions passant gardant in pale Or (for England) dimidiating Gules three ships' hulks in pale Or. The coat of arms of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports is set out on a red and blue background and traditionally represents the 14 "Corporate" Members.
Creation and appointment of the Lord Warden
The creation and appointment of the Lord Warden, once the most powerful appointment of the realm, by the Sovereign was instituted principally after the portsmen sided with the Earl of Leicester against King Henry III, in the Second Barons' War, and was intended to provide some central authority over the Cinque Ports, which were essentially otherwise independent of the King's sheriffs. It was combined from 1267 with the office of Constable of Dover Castle. However, from 1708 Walmer Castle at Deal was to be preferred as the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Lord Warden also holds the office of Admiral of the Cinque Ports with a maritime jurisdiction extending to the middle of the English Channel, from Redcliffe near Seaford, in Sussex to the shore underneath the Naze Tower, encompassing Brightlingsea in Essex, the only Cinque Port north of the Thames. In earlier centuries the northern limit was taken as the Shoe Beacon in Essex.
The courts of Brodhull and Guestling were established to protect the privileges of the Cinque Ports by the portsmen themselves. From the 15th century these courts had been largely replaced by the Lord Warden's Court at Dover. From the 16th century the principal business of the courts was the installation of the Lord Warden and the court is now only occasionally summoned. The office continued to be a powerful one. In 1550 the Mayor and Jurats of Dover refused to accept a Royal Writ because it was not accompanied by a letter of attendance from the Lord Warden. The member ports' parliamentary representatives were appointed by the Lord Warden at first; this influence continued until the 19th century.
At the installation of a new Lord Warden, the Speaker of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports instructs the Lord Warden: "to undertake the duties of the Ancient and Honourable Office and to uphold the Franchises, Liberties, Customs and Usages of the port."
The office of Speaker has traditionally rotated between the affiliate townships every year dating from at least 1550. Inaugurations are begun on 21 May, and membership is ordained through a longstanding maritime tradition of a principle of the prevailing winds coming from west to east.
A unique uniform is specified for the Lord Warden (though the present incumbent wears his naval uniform in preference). The uniform is very similar to a pre-1956-pattern Admiral's uniform (complete with cocked hat) trimmed in red and with Cinque Ports insignia. Sir Robert Menzies's uniform (pictured), which he wore as Lord Warden from 1966 to 1978, is preserved at the National Library of Australia.
Barons of the Cinque Ports
All Freemen of the Ports, termed "Portsmen", were deemed in the age of Feudalism to be barons, and thus members of the baronage entitled to attend the king's parliament. Termed "Barons of the Cinque Ports", they reflected an early concept that military service at sea constituted land tenure per baroniam making them quasi feudal barons. The early 14th-century treatise Modus Tenendi Parliamentum stated the Barons of the Cinque Ports to hold a place of precedence below the lay magnates but above the representatives of the shires and boroughs. Writs of summons to parliament were sent to the warden following which representative barons of the Cinque Ports were selected to attend parliament. Thus the warden's duty in this respect was similar to that of the sheriff who received the writs for distribution to the barons in the shires. The warden and barons often experienced clashes of jurisdiction. In the 21st century the title "Baron of the Cinque Ports" is now reserved for Freemen elected by the Mayor, Jurats, and Common Council of the Ports to attend a Coronation, and is solely honorary in nature.
List of Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports
The first authoritative list of Cinque Ports Confederation Members was produced in 1293 when Stephen of Pencester was Warden. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is appointed for life, but in the earliest of records this was not the case. The office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports has been traced from the year 1226 from the appointment William de Averanch, although he was not the first incumbent of this office. The longest term of office was that of William Brook, Lord Cobham, who presided at the court for 40 years.
Constable of Dover Castle
Source: The Cinque Ports
Godwine, Earl of Wessex 1045-53
Harold Godwine, Earl of Wessex (King Harold II) 1053–66
Bertram Ashburnham 1066
William de Peverell 1066
Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent 1066–84
John de Fiennes 1084–85
James de Fiennes (son of John) 1085–1111
John de Fiennes (son of James) 1111–38
Walkelin de Magminot 1138
Prince Eustace of Boulogne (son of King Stephen) 1138–53
Wakelin de Magminot 1153–54
Robert Fitz-Bernard 1154–69
Hugo de Mara 1169–87
Alan de Valeines (or Valoines) 1187–90
Matthew de Clera 1190–95
William de Wrotham 1195–1201
Thomas Basset, Lord Hedenden 1201–02
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1202–03
William of Huntingfield 1203–04
William de Longespee 1204–07
Geoffrey Fitzpier, Earl of Essex 1207–13
William Briwere, Lord Torbay 1213–15
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1215-1220
Henry de Braibroc 1220
Robert de Nereford (Hereford) 1221-23
Hugh de Windsor 1223
Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury 1223–24
Geoffery de Lucy, Lord Newington 1224–25
Hubert de Hoese (Hose or Hussey) 1225
Geoffrey de Surland 1225–26
William de Averanch, Lord Folkestone 1226–27 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Bertram de Crioill, Lord Albury 1227 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1227–32 and Robert de Auberville (1228–35)
Henry de Hoese, Lord Hastings 1232
Stephen, Lord de Segrove (Segrave) 1232-1235
Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford 1235
Bertram de Crioill 1236
Henry de Hoese, Lord Hastings 1236–41
Peter de Savoy, Earl of Richmond 1241–42 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Bertram de Crioill 1242–55 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1256–58 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Sir Roger Northwode 1258 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Nicholas de Moels, Lord Caddebury 1258 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Richard de Grey, Lord Condor 1258–59 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Hugh de Bigod 1259–61 (also Keeper of the Coast)
Robert de Walerand, Lord Kilpek 1261–62
Walter de Burgsted (also Keeper of the Coast) 1262
Robert de Walerand 1263
Richard de Grey, Lord Codnor 1263
Prince Edmund (son of Henry III) jointly with Robert de Gascoyne 1263
Henry of Sandwich, Bishop of London 1263
John de Haia 1263
Richard de Grey, Lord Codnor 1263
Sir Roger de Leybourne 1263–64
Henry de Montfort 1264-1265
Matthew de Hastings 1265
Sir Roger de Leybourne 1265
Prince Edward, (King Edward I) 1265–66
Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266–67
Keeper of the Coast
Odo, Bishop of Bayeux 1066–84
Henry of Essex c.1150–54
Henry de Sandwich 1154–89
Simon de Sandwich 1154–89
Alan de Fienes 1154–89
James de Fienes 1189–99
Matthew de Clere 1189–99
William Devereux 1189–99
William Longchamp 1189–99
William de Wrotham 1189–99
Thomas Bassett 1199–1216
William de Huntingfield 1199–1216
William de Sarum 1199–1216
Geoffery Fritz-Pier 1199–1216
William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey 1204–06 and 1214
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1215–20
Geoffery de Lucy 1224 (1230)
William de Averanch 1226–27
Robert de Ayberville 1228
Peter de Rivaux 1232-34
Walerland Teutonicus 1235
Bertram de Crioill 1236 (intermittently until 1255)
Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford 1241
Lord de Segrove
Peter de Savoy 1241
Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1255
Sir Roger Northwode 1258
Nicholas de Moels 1258
Richard de Grey 1258
Hugh de Bigod 1259-60
Nicholas de Croill 1260–63
Robert de Walerand 1261
Walter de Burgsted 1263
Hamo de Crevequer 1263
Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford about 1264?
Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster???
Henry de Sandwich (Bishop of London) 1263
Sir Roger de Leybourne 1263
Henry de Montfort 1264
Matthew de Hastings 1265
Edward "Longshanks", Earl of Chester 1265
Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266
Lord Warden and Constable of Dover Castle - (1267 onwards)
Sir Stephen de Pencester 1267-71, then at intervals until 1298 (32 years)
Sir Simon de Creye 4 February 1275
Robert de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1299-1306
14th century
Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1307
Robert de Kendall 1307
Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1315
Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere 1320
Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester 1320
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent 1321
Sir John Peche 1323
Ralph Basset, 3rd Baron Basset de Drayton 1325
Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1327
William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon 1330
Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1348
Patrick Dunbar, 2nd Earl of March 1355
John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp 1359
Sir Robert de Herle 1361
Baron Spigurnell 1364
Richard de Pembrugge (Sir) 1370
Andrew de Guldeford
William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer 1374
Sir Thomas Reines
Edmund of Langley, Earl of Cambridge 1376
Sir Robert Assheton 1381
Sir Simon de Burley 1384
John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux 1387
John Beaumont, 4th Baron Beaumont 1392
Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York 1396
John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Dorset 1398
Sir Thomas Erpingham 1399
15th century
Henry "of Monmouth", Prince of Wales 1409
Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel and 10th Earl of Surrey 1412
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester 1415
James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele 1447
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham 1450
Richard, Lord Rivers 1459
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick 1460
Sir John Scott 1471
William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel 1483–1488
Philip Fitz Lewes 1488
Sir William Scott 1492
Prince Henry, later King Henry VIII of England 1493
16th century
Sir Edward Poynings 1509
George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny (appointed, but resigned)
Sir Edward Guilford (1474/9-1534)
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (1533)
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Sir Thomas Cheney 1535/1558
Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle 1539-1542
Sir Thomas Seymour, temporary joint Lord Wardenship between Cheney in 1545
William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham
Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham (son of above) 1597
17th century
Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton 1604-1614
Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset 1614-1615
Edward, Lord Zouche of Haryngworth 1615-1625
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham 1625-1628
Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk 1628-1640
James Stewart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox 1641-1642
Sir Edward Boys 1642-1646
Major John Boys 1646-1648
Sir Algernon Sydney 1648-1651
Colonel Thomas Kelsey 1651-1656
Admiral Robert Blake 1656-1657
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea 1660 (unconfirmed term may have been father/son)
James Stuart, Duke of York and Albany 1660-1673
Colonel John Beaumont 1673-1691
Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney 1691-1702
18th century
Prince George of Denmark 1702-1708
Lionel Sackville, 7th Earl of Dorset 1708-1712 (served two terms)
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde 1712-1715
John Sidney, 6th Earl of Leicester 1717-1727
Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset 1727-1765
Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness 1765-1778
Frederick North, Lord North (2nd Earl of Guilford from 1790) 1778-1792
William Pitt the Younger 1792-1806
19th century
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool 1806-1827
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 1829-1852
James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie 1853-1860
