The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Nor ...

. 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 Norman or Norman French (, french: Normand, Guernésiais: , Jèrriais: ) is a Romance language which can be classified as one of the Oïl languages along with French, Picard and Walloon. The name "Norman French" is sometimes used to descri ...

) port towns on the southeast coast of England that was formed to collectively supply ships for

The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

in the absence at the time of a formal

navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It i ...

. Today the role is a

sinecure A sinecure ( or ; from the Latin , 'without', and , 'care') is an office, carrying a salary or otherwise generating income, that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service. The term originated in the medieval ch ...

and an

honorary title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

, and fourteen towns belong to the Cinque Ports confederation. The title is one of the higher honours bestowed by the

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...

; it has often been held by members of the

Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term pap ...

prime ministers A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

, 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 Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the ...

, 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 Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...

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 In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple). In engraving, it is sometimes depic ...

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 Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. Early creations ...

against King Henry III, in the

Second Barons' War The Second Barons' War (1264–1267) was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort against the royalist forces of King Henry III, led initially by the king himself and later by his son, the f ...

, 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 Walmer Castle is an artillery fort originally constructed by Henry VIII in Walmer, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It formed part of the King's Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and defended the s ...

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 Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English C ...

to the shore underneath the Naze Tower, encompassing Brightlingsea in

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...

, 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 the most recent incumbent wears his naval uniform in preference). The uniform is very similar to a pre-1956-pattern Admiral's uniform (complete with

cocked hat The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is a historical form of hat widely adopted in the 1790s as an item of uniform by European and American army and naval officers. Most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, w ...

) trimmed in red and with Cinque Ports insignia.

Sir Robert Menzies ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

's uniform
pictured
, which he wore as Lord Warden from 1966 to 1978, is preserved at the

National Library of Australia The National Library of Australia (NLA), formerly the Commonwealth National Library and Commonwealth Parliament Library, is the largest reference library in Australia, responsible under the terms of the ''National Library Act 1960'' for "mainta ...

Barons of the Cinque Ports

All freemen of the ports, termed "portsmen", were deemed in the age of

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structu ...

to be

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

s, and thus members of the baronage entitled to attend the king's

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

. 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 baron A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely b ...

s. The early 14th-century treatise ''

Modus Tenendi Parliamentum The ''Modus Tenendi Parliamentum'' (''Method of Holding Parliaments'') is a 14th-century document that outlined an idealised version of English parliamentary procedure. Part of its significance lies in its very title: parliament was now "seen as ...

'' stated the Barons of the Cinque Ports to hold a place of precedence below the lay magnates but above the representatives of the

shire Shire is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain and some other English-speaking countries such as Australia and New Zealand. It is generally synonymous with county. It was first used in Wessex from the begin ...

s and boroughs.

Writ In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, ...

s 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 A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transl ...

who received the writs for distribution to the barons in the

s. 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 Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent (; ; ; c.1170 – before 5 May 1243) was an English nobleman who served as Chief Justiciar of England and Ireland during the reigns of King John and of his son and successor King Henry III and, as a consequenc ...

1202–1203 *

William of Huntingfield William of Huntingfield (d. 1225) was a medieval English baron, Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk and one of the ''Magna Carta'' sureties. He held Dover Castle for King John from September 1203 (as a Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports) and in exchan ...

1203–1204 * William de Longespee 1204–1207 * Geoffrey Fitzpier, Earl of Essex 1207–1213 * William Briwere, Lord Torbay 1213–1215 *

1215–1220 * Henry de Braibroc 1220 *Robert de Neresford (Hereford) 1221–1223 *Hugh de Windsor 1223 *

Stephen Langton Stephen Langton (c. 1150 – 9 July 1228) was an English Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228. The dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III over his ...

, 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 Humphrey (VI) de Bohun (c. 1249 – 31 December 1298), 3rd Earl of Hereford and 2nd Earl of Essex, was an English nobleman known primarily for his opposition to King Edward I over the '' Confirmatio Cartarum.''Fritze and Robison, (2002) ...

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 Reynold Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham of Sterborough, KG (c.1295–1361) was a medieval English knight and diplomat. Life He was the son of Sir Reynold Cobham by Joan, the daughter and heir of William de Evere. This Reynold was the second son of J ...

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 Sir Roger de Leybourne (1215–1271) was an English soldier, landowner and royal servant during the Second Barons' War. Origins Roger was the younger son of another Sir Roger de Leybourne, by his first wife, Eleanor, the daughter and heiress ...

1263–1264 *

Henry de Montfort Sir Henry de Montfort (November 1238 – 4 August 1265) was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and with his father played an important role in the struggle of the barons against King Henry III. Henry's mother was Princess ...

1264–1265 * Matthew de Hastings 1265 *Sir

1265 * Prince Edward, (King Edward I) 1265–1266 *Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266–1267

Keeper of the Coast

* Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, 1066–1084 * Henry of Essex c.1150–1154 * Henry de Sandwich 1154–1189 * Simon de Sandwich 1154–1189 * Alan de Fienes 1154–1189 * James de Fienes 1189–1199 * Matthew de Clere 1189–1199 *William Devereux 1189–1199 *

William Longchamp William de Longchamp (died 1197) was a medieval Lord Chancellor, Chief Justiciar, and Bishop of Ely in England. Born to a humble family in Normandy, he owed his advancement to royal favour. Although contemporary writers accused Longchamp's fat ...

1189–1199 * William de Wrotham 1189–1199 * Thomas Bassett 1199–1216 * William de Huntingfield 1199–1216 * William de Sarum 1199–1216 * Geoffrey FitzPiers 1199–1216Batcheller, William. *

William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey (born 1160s-1170s, died 27 May 1240) was the son of Hamelin de Warenne and Isabel, daughter of William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey. His father Hamelin granted him the manor of Appleby, North Lincoln ...

1204–1206 and 1214 *

1215–1220 * Geoffery de Lucy 1224 (and 1230) * William d'Avranches 1226–1227 * Robert de Auberville 1228 * Peter de Rivaux 1232–1234 * Lord de Segrove * Walerand Teutonicus 1235 * Hamo de Crevecoeur 1235 * Bertram de Criol 1236 (and intermittently until 1255) *

1241 * Peter de Savoy 1241 *

1255 * Sir Roger Northwode 1258 * Nicholas de Moels 1258 * Richard de Grey 1258 * Hugh de Bigod 1259–1260 *

Nicholas de Crioll Nicholas de Crioll (Cryoyll, Kerrial or Kyriel) (died c. February 1272), of a family seated in Kent, was Constable of Dover Castle and Keeper of the Coast during the early 1260s. His kinsman Bertram de Criol (died 1256) had distinguished himself ...

1260–1263 * Robert de Walerand 1261 * Walter de Burgsted 1263 *

c.1264 *

Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster Edmund, Earl of Lancaster and Earl of Leicester (16 January 12455 June 1296) nicknamed Edmund Crouchback was a member of the House of Plantagenet. He was the second surviving son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. In his chi ...

(uncertain) * Henry de Sandwich, Bishop of London, 1263 * Sir Roger de Leybourne 1263 *

1264 * Matthew de Hastings 1265 * Edward "Longshanks", Earl of Chester 1265 *Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266

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

* 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 Hugh le Despenser (1 March 126127 October 1326), sometimes referred to as "the Elder Despenser", was for a time the chief adviser to King Edward II of England. He was created a baron in 1295 and Earl of Winchester in 1322. One day after being c ...

1320 *

Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (5 August 130119 March 1330), whose seat was Arundel Castle in Sussex, was the sixth son of King Edward I of England, and the second by his second wife Margaret of France, and was a younger half-brother o ...

1321 * Sir John Peche 1323 * Ralph Basset, 2nd Baron Basset of Drayton 1325 *

Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh Bartholomew Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh (died 3 August 1355, Dover), called "the elder", was an English nobleman and soldier, a younger son of Robert Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh and Maud Badlesmere, sister of Bartholomew Badlesmere, 1st Ba ...

1327 *

William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon (c.1304 – 31 October 1354) and Lord High Admiral, was the younger son of John de Clinton, 1st Baron Clinton (d.1312/13) of Maxstoke Castle, Warwickshire, and Ida de Odingsells, the granddaughter of ...

1330 *

1348 *

Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March Sir Roger de Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March, 4th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, KG (11 November 132826 February 1360) was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was the son of Sir Edmund Mortimer (d. 1331) and ...

1355 * John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp 1359 * Sir Robert de Herle 1361 *Baron Spigurnell 1364 *Sir Richard de Pembrugge 1370 * Andrew de Guldeford *

William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer, KG (24 March 1330 – 28 May 1381) was an English noble, soldier and diplomat. After serving in France and for the household of Edward III, he was impeached during the Good Parliament of 1376, the earliest ...

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 Edmund of Langley, Duke of York (5 June 1341 – 1 August 1402) was the fourth surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. Like many medieval English princes, Edmund gained his nickname from his birthplace: Kings Langl ...

1396 * John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Dorset 1398 *Sir

Thomas Erpingham Sir Thomas Erpingham (27 June 1428) was an English soldier and administrator who loyally served three generations of the House of Lancaster, including Henry IV and Henry V, and whose military career spanned four decades. After the Lancastrian ...

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 Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester (3 October 139023 February 1447) was an English prince, soldier, and literary patron. He was (as he styled himself) "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of Henry IV of ...

1415 *

James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele (22 September 1395 – 4 July 1450) was an English soldier and politician. He was born at Herstmonceux, Sussex, the second son of Sir William Fiennes (1 August 1357 – 18 January 1402) and his wife Elizabe ...

1447 *

Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 6th Earl of Stafford, 7th Baron Stafford, (December 1402 – 10 July 1460) of Stafford Castle in Staffordshire, was an English nobleman and a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and t ...

1450 * Richard, Lord Rivers 1459 *

Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

1460 *Sir John Scott 1471 *

William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel William Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel, 6th Baron Maltravers (23 November 1417 – 1487) was an English nobleman. Born on 23 November 1417, William was the second son of John Fitzalan, 6th Earl of Arundel (1385–1421), and Eleanor Berkeley ( ...

1483–1488 * Philip Fitz Lewes 1488 *Sir William Scott 1492 *Prince Henry, later King

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagr ...

1493

16th century

*Sir

Edward Poynings Sir Edward Poynings KG (1459 – 22 October 1521) was an English soldier, administrator and diplomat, and Lord Deputy of Ireland under King Henry VII of England. Early life Edward Poynings was the only son of Sir Robert Poynings (c.1419–14 ...

1509 *

George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny KG, PC (c.1469 – 1535), the family name often written Neville, was an English nobleman and courtier who held the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Origins He was the son of George Nevill, 4th Ba ...

(appointed, but resigned) *Sir Edward Guilford 1474/1479–1534 *

George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford (c. 1504 – 17 May 1536) was an English courtier and nobleman who played a prominent role in the politics of the early 1530s. He was the brother of Anne Boleyn, from 1533 the second wife of King Hen ...

1534–1536 * Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset *Sir

Thomas Cheney Sir Thomas Cheney (or Cheyne) KG (c. 1485 – 16 December 1558) of the Blackfriars, City of London and Shurland, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, was an English administrator and diplomat, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in south-east England from 1 ...

1536/1558 * Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle 1539–1542 *Sir Thomas Seymour (temporary joint Lord Wardenship with Sir Thomas Cheney in 1545) *

William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham Sir William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, KG (1 November 1527 – 6 March 1597), lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and a member of parliament for Hythe. Although he was viewed by some as a religious radical ...

Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham KG (22 November 1564 – 24 January 1618 ( Old Style)/3 February 1618 (New Style), lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was an English peer who was implicated in the Main Plot against the rule of James I of Engla ...

(son of above) 1597

17th century

Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, KG (25 February 154015 June 1614), was an important English aristocrat and courtier. He was suspect as a crypto-Catholic throughout his life, and went through periods of royal disfavour, in which his reputati ...

1604–1614 *

Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset (c. 158717 July 1645), was a politician, and favourite of King James VI and I. Background Robert Kerr was born in Wrington, Somerset, England, the younger son of Sir Thomas Kerr (Carr) of Ferniehurst, Scot ...

1614–1615 * Edward, Lord Zouche of Haryngworth 1615–1625 *

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 28 August 1592 – 23 August 1628), was an English courtier, statesman, and patron of the arts. He was a favourite and possibly also a lover of King James I of England. Buckingham remained at th ...

1625–1628 *

Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, (13 August 15843 June 1640) was an English nobleman and politician. Born at the family estate of Saffron Walden, he was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife, Catherine Knyve ...

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 Sir Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea (1628 – 28 September 1689) of Eastwell, Kent, was the 3rd Earl of Winchilsea. Early life Finch was the only surviving son of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea and the former Cecille Wentworth of ...

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 Henry Sidney, 1st Earl of Romney (also spelt Sydney; March 1641 – 8 April 1704) was an English Whig politician, soldier and administrator. He is now best remembered as one of the Immortal Seven who drafted the Invitation to William of Ora ...

1691–1702

18th century

Prince George of Denmark Prince George of Denmark ( da, Jørgen; 2 April 165328 October 1708) was the husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain. He was the consort of the British monarch from Anne's accession on 8 March 1702 until his death in 1708. The marriage of Geor ...

1702–1708 * Lionel Sackville, 7th Earl of Dorset 1708–1712 (served two terms) *

James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, (1665–1745) was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormond. Like his grandfather, the 1st Duke, he was raised as a Protes ...

1712–1715 *

John Sidney, 6th Earl of Leicester John Sidney, 6th Earl of Leicester KB (14 February 168027 September 1737) was an English soldier, peer, landowner, and courtier, and from 1705 to 1737 was Earl of Leicester, with a seat in the House of Lords. Life Leicester was born at his fami ...

1717–1727 *

Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (18 January 168810 October 1765) was an English political leader and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Life He was the son of the 6th Earl of Dorset and 1st Earl of Middlesex, and the former Lady Mary ...

1727–1765 *

Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness, (17 May 1718 – 16 May 1778), known before 1721 as Lord Darcy and Conyers, was a British diplomat and politician. Career In 1741 he collaborated with G.F. Handel in the production of Deidamia. From ...

1765–1778 *

Frederick North, Lord North Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford (13 April 17325 August 1792), better known by his courtesy title Lord North, which he used from 1752 to 1790, was 12th Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most o ...

(2nd Earl of Guilford from 1790) 1778–1792 *

William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Ir ...

1792–1806

19th century

Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, (7 June 1770 – 4 December 1828) was a British Tory statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1827. He held many important cabinet offices such as Foreign Secret ...

1806–1827 * Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 1829–1852 *

James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie (22 April 1812 – 19 December 1860), also known as Lord Dalhousie, styled Lord Ramsay until 1838 and known as The Earl of Dalhousie between 1838 and 1849, was a Scottish statesman and co ...

1853–1860 *

Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865) was a British statesman who was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. Palmerston dominated British foreign policy during the period ...

1860–1865 *

Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, (11 May 181531 March 1891), styled Lord Leveson until 1846, was a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal statesman and diplomat from the Leveson- ...

1865–1891 (not installed?) * William Henry Smith 1891 (not installed?) *

Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (21 June 182612 February 1902) was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society. In his youth he was a popular figure in the court of Queen Vict ...

1892–1895 * Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury 1895–1903

20th century

* George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston 1905 * The Prince George, Prince of Wales 1905–1907 *

Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey (11 February 1836 – 23 February 1918), was a British Liberal Party politician, Governor of Victoria and founder of '' The Naval Annual''. Background and education Brassey was the eldest son of the railway ...

1908–1913 *

William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp, (20 February 1872 – 14 November 1938), styled Viscount Elmley until 1891, was a British Liberal politician. He was Governor of New South Wales between 1899 and 1901, a member of the Liberal administrations o ...

1913–1934 *

Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading Rufus Daniel Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, (10 October 1860 – 30 December 1935) was a British Liberal politician and judge, who served as Lord Chief Justice of England, Viceroy of India, and Foreign Secretary, the last Liberal to hold that ...

1934–1935 *

Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (12 September 1866 – 12 August 1941), was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and G ...

1936–1941 *

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

1941–1965 (installed August 1946) *

1965–1978 (installed July 1966) *

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...

1978–2002 (installed August 1979)

21st century

* Admiral of the Fleet Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce 2004–2022 (installed April 2005) *''(vacant)'' 2022-present

References

External links

Official Confederation of the Cinque PortsPortrait of Sir Winston Churchill in uniform as Lord Warden, 1956.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord Warden Of The Cinque Ports Honorary titles * Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom Cinque Ports