Walter de Burgsted was an English judge and
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
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 Cinqu ...
during the thirteenth century.
In 1262 Walter de Burgsted was given a commission 'to keep the
Cinque Port
The Confederation of Cinque Ports () is a historic group of coastal towns in south-east England – predominantly in Kent and Sussex, with one outlier (Brightlingsea) in Essex. The name is Old French, meaning "five harbours", and alludes to th ...
s', effectively authorising him control of the South Coast, and charging him with maintaining its defences.
At this time the office of Lord Warden had not been officially established, and such men were known as Keepers of the Coast. He also received the command of Constable of
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 ...
, but the appointments were not made at the same time, having not been merged into one office until after the conclusion of 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 fut ...
.
References
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Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports
13th-century English judges
13th-century English Navy personnel
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