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
Hamo de Crevecoeur had held the market 'from time out of mind'. De Clare followed Hamo de Crevequer, some years later as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Hamo de Crevecoeur Hamo de Crevequer (died 1263) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who held the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Gerinun de Holeburn was in 1263 one of a jury of twelve assembled lawfully to conclude upon an ‘inquisition into how much land ‘Hamo de Creuker’, (Crevequer) Baron of Chatham, deceased, held of our Lord the King, at Ledes’ in Kent. Hamo de Crevequer took possession of his lands at Brenchley in