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
1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers Ports AVCs (in most cases reverting to the numbering of May–August 1860). In 1880 the Admin Brigade was consolidated as the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers, organised as follows: 1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers The unit was later reduced to 13 batteries, and in April 1882 was assigned to the Cinque Ports Division of the Royal Artillery (RA). It was briefly (May 1887 to July 1889) designated the 4th Volunteer (Cinque Ports) Brigade, but reverted to its previous title and joined the Eastern Division, RA. In 1890 the Sussex batteries were separated to form the 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers,