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Lord Warden Cinque Ports (Lord Boyce)
Flag of the previous Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce

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 that was formed to collectively supply ships for The Crown in the absence at the time of a formal navy. Today the role is a sinecure and an honorary title, and fourteen 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 fourteen "corporate" members.

Creation and appointment of the Lord Warden

The creation and appointment of the Lord Warden, once among the most powerful appointments 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; despite an act passed in 1689 to curb this influence, it 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 Admiral of the Fleet Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce, whose term ended with his death in 2022, wore 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 of 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 1045–1053
  • Harold Godwine, Earl of Wessex (King Harold II) 1053–1066
  • Bertram Ashburnham 1066
  • William de Peverell 1066
  • Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent 1066–1084
  • John de Fiennes 1084–1085
  • James de Fiennes (son of John) 1085–1111
  • John de Fiennes (son of James) 1111–1138
  • Walkelin de Magminot 1138
  • Prince Eustace of Boulogne (son of King Stephen) 1138–1153
  • Wakelin de Magminot 1153–1154
  • Robert Fitz-Bernard 1154–1169
  • Hugo de Mara 1169–1187
  • Alan de Valeines (or Valoines) 1187–1190
  • Matthew de Clere 1190–1195
  • William de Wrotham 1195–1201
  • Thomas Basset, Lord Hedendon 1201–1202
  • Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1202–1203
  • William of Huntingfield 1203–1204
  • William de Longespee 1204–1207
  • Geoffrey Fitzpier, Earl of Essex 1207–1213
  • William Briwere, Lord Torbay 1213–1215
  • Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1215–1220
  • Henry de Braibroc 1220
  • Robert de Neresford (Hereford) 1221–1223
  • Hugh de Windsor 1223
  • Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury 1223–1224
  • Geoffery de Lucy, Lord Newington 1224–1225
  • Hubert de Hoese (Hose or Hussey) 1225
  • Geoffrey de Surland 1225–1226
  • William d'Avranches, Lord Folkestone 1226–1227 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Bertram de Criol, 1227 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1227–1232, and Robert de Auberville 1228–1235
  • Henry de Hoese, Lord Hastings 1232
  • Stephen, Lord de Segrave 1232–1235
  • Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford 1235
  • Bertram de Criol 1236
  • Henry de Hoese (Henry Hussey), Lord Hastings 1236–1241
  • Peter de Savoy, Earl of Richmond 1241–1242 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Bertram de Criol 1242–1255 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1256–1258 (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 1258–1259 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Hugh de Bigod 1259–1261 (also Keeper of the Coast)
  • Robert de Walerand, Lord Kilpek 1261–1262
  • 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 1263–1264
  • Henry de Montfort 1264–1265
  • Matthew de Hastings 1265
  • Sir Roger de Leybourne 1265
  • Prince Edward, (King Edward I) 1265–1266
  • Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266–1267

Keeper of the Coast

Lord Warden and Constable of Dover Castle (since 1267)

  • Sir Stephen de Pencester 1267–1271 (then at intervals until 1298, for a total of 32 years)
  • Sir Simon de Creye 1275
  • Robert de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1299–1306

14th century

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

  • Admiral of the Fleet Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce 2004–2022 (installed April 2005)
  • Admiral Sir George Zambellas 2024–present
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