Cinque Ports Castle, and whilst this office exists today, it is now a purely honorary title, with an official residence at Walmer Castle. The town of Hastings was the head port of the Cinque Ports in mediaeval times. The towns also had their own system of courts. 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 - a privilege granted in 1322 in recognition of their earlier support of the Despensers, father and son. Termed "Barons of the Cinque Ports", they reflected
2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. A large number of coastal artillery units were formed in the seaports along the Kent and Sussex coast (the ancient Cinque Ports), and in September 1862 these artillery volunteer corps (AVCs) were brought together to form the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers at Dover: In May 1890 the Sussex batteries were separated from the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery to form the 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers with the following organisation: In 1901 the unit was converted to 'position artillery' as part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA)