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
Cinque Ports (1703 ship) Juan Fernández in solitude for four years and four months, before being rescued by Woodes Rogers in 1709. His experience was one of the likely sources of inspiration for the character Robinson Crusoe in the novel by Daniel Defoe. Selkirk's suspicions were soon justified, as "Cinque Ports" foundered near Malpelo Island from the coast of what is now Colombia, with Stradling and the surviving members of his crew being taken prisoner by the Spanish. An eyewitness account of the last voyage of "Cinque Ports" was published by William Funnell, an officer on board "St George", who went on to circumnavigate