The Charters of the Cinque Ports – Are They Still Needed?

Graham Mcbain

doi:10.5539/res.v5n2p90

Abstract

The Cinque Ports were a collection of ports on the east coast of England which - from early times - were granted, by charter, a number of Crown prerogatives in return for providing a ship service to the Crown. The earliest charter still extant dates from 1278. However, there may have existed charters granted by sovereigns to some - or all - of the Cinque Ports going back to the time of Edward the Confessor (1042-66). The original Cinque Ports were the ports of Hastings, Dover, Sandwich, New Romney and Hythe. To these five ports were added - probably prior to 1210 - the towns of Winchelsea and Rye. And to these were later added corporate and non-corporate members (or limbs), being other smaller ports. The heyday of the Cinque Ports was in medieval times when they provided a vital navy for the protection of the realm. Today, the Cinque Ports, and their charters, still exist. However, the purpose of this article is to review the terms and meaning of these charters, in order to determine whether they are now obsolete and should be cancelled. That is the conclusion.

Highlights

A previous article in this journal has considered in detail the multitude of charters granted by the Crown to the City of London from very early times.1 In these charters, grants were progressively made of Crown prerogatives to the City and they provide a fascinating insight in the manner in which the City - and its citizens - freed themselves, over the centuries, from Crown interference in many matters and obtained a considerable measure of self-governance
The Cinque Ports were a collection of ports on the east coast of England which - from early times - were granted, by charter, a number of Crown prerogatives in return for providing a ship service to the Crown
Grants were progressively made of Crown prerogatives to the City and they provide a fascinating insight in the manner in which the City - and its citizens - freed themselves, over the centuries, from Crown interference in many matters and obtained a considerable measure of self-governance

Summary

Introduction

A previous article in this journal has considered in detail the multitude of charters granted by the Crown to the City of London (the ‘City’) from very early times. In these charters, grants were progressively made of Crown prerogatives (privileges) to the City and they provide a fascinating insight in the manner in which the City - and its citizens - freed themselves, over the centuries, from Crown interference in many matters and obtained a considerable measure of self-governance. Ship service was probably re-instituted by Edward the Confessor (1042-66) 5 and it seems there existed five ports given Crown prerogatives prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066 – though it may have only been three.. Ship service was probably re-instituted by Edward the Confessor (1042-66) 5 and it seems there existed five ports given Crown prerogatives prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066 – though it may have only been three.6 To these five ports were added - probably prior to 1210 - the towns of Winchelsea and Rye (the so-called ‘Two Ancient Towns’). The purpose of this article is review the charters relating to the Cinque Ports (the ‘Cinque Ports’) 12 in order to analyse the various Crown prerogatives which their citizens (the ‘Portsmen’) received in return for providing ship service. It refers to even early charters - lost - but of which some details may be gleaned; The primary text on the charters of the Cinque Ports remains Samuel Jeake’s Charters of the Cinque Ports, Two Ancient Towns and their Members, published in 1728. 13 There are a number of general texts on the Cinque Ports which are useful.

Charters of the Cinque Ports

Summary of Prerogatives Granted to the Cinque Ports

Exemption from National Taxes

Tax on Imported Wine – Prise

16. Conclusion