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
Stephen de Pencester Stephen de Pencester Stephen de Pencester was Warden of the Cinque Ports when the first authoritative list of Cinque Ports Confederation Members was produced in 1293. Pencester was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports for 32 years, his tenure finishing in 1299 when the Baron de Burghersh was elected; it is reasonable to assume he began his administration in 1267. Pencester was married to Margerie (a great granddaughter of Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent). When she inherited the parish of Tunstall in Kent. They resided both at Allington and Penshurst. When Pencester died in 1303, Margerie then married to