Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is the name of a ceremonial post in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but it may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the

Cinque Ports The confederation of Cinque Ports ( ) is a historic group of coastal towns in south-east England – predominantly in Kent and Sussex, with one outlier (Brightlingsea) in Essex. The name is Old French, meaning "five harbours", and alludes to ...

, a group of five ( in

Norman French Norman or Norman French (, , Guernésiais: , Jèrriais: ) is a '' langue d'oïl'' spoken in the historical and cultural region of Normandy. The name "Norman French" is sometimes also used to describe the administrative languages of '' Angl ...

) port towns on the southeast coast of England formed to collectively supply ships for

The Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

in the absence of a formal

navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

at that time. Today, the post is a

sinecure A sinecure ( or ; from the Latin , 'without', and , 'care') is a position with a salary or otherwise generating income that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service. The term originated in the medieval church, ...

and an

honorary title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

, and 14 towns belong to the Cinque Ports confederation. The title is one of the higher honours bestowed by the

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

; it has often been held by members of the

Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papal family describes the family of a pope, while th ...

or by

prime ministers A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rat ...

, especially those who were influential in defending Britain in times of war. The Lord Warden was solely responsible for the return of all writs to the Crown, along with the collection of taxes and the arrest of criminals. His court was held in St James's church, near

Dover Castle Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some writers say it is the ...

, and there he exercised jurisdiction broadly equivalent to that of Chancery. He also had a "lieutenant's powers of muster". The Constableship of Dover Castle, later added (1267) to the warden's office, enabled him to keep a garrison and administrative staff, including the clerk and the lieutenant of the castle. The coat of arms of the Cinque Ports is first recorded in 1305 (and is probably a few years older), predating even the arms of the City of London. The arms comprise a shield divided per pale (vertically), depicting on the dexter side (viewer's left) three gold half lions passant gardant on a red field; and on the sinister side (viewer's right) three gold half ships' hulls on a blue field. These arms are also flown as an heraldic

banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also, ...

(flag), and form the basis of the banner of the Lord Warden.

Creation and appointment of the Lord Warden

The creation and appointment of the Lord Warden, once among the most powerful appointments of the realm, by the Sovereign was instituted principally after the portsmen sided with the

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. History Earl ...

against King Henry III, in the

Second Barons' War The Second Barons' War (1264–1267) was a civil war in Kingdom of England, England between the forces of barons led by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort against the royalist forces of Henry III of England, King Hen ...

, and was intended to provide some central authority over the Cinque Ports, which were essentially otherwise independent of the King's sheriffs. It was combined from 1267 with the office of Constable of Dover Castle. However, from 1708 Walmer Castle at Deal was to be preferred as the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Lord Warden also holds the office of Admiral of the Cinque Ports with a maritime jurisdiction extending to the middle of the English Channel, from Redcliffe near Seaford, in

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

to the shore underneath the Naze Tower, encompassing Brightlingsea in

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

, the only Cinque Port north of the Thames. In earlier centuries the northern limit was taken as the Shoe Beacon in Essex. The courts of Brodhull and Guestling were established to protect the privileges of the Cinque Ports by the portsmen themselves. From the 15th century these courts had been largely replaced by the Lord Warden's Court at Dover. From the 16th century the principal business of the courts was the installation of the Lord Warden and the court is now only occasionally summoned. The office continued to be a powerful one. In 1550 the Mayor and Jurats of Dover refused to accept a Royal Writ because it was not accompanied by a letter of attendance from the Lord Warden. The member ports' parliamentary representatives were appointed by the Lord Warden at first; despite an act passed in 1689 to curb this influence, it continued until the 19th century. At the installation of a new Lord Warden, the Speaker of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports instructs the Lord Warden: "to undertake the duties of the Ancient and Honourable Office and to uphold the Franchises, Liberties, Customs and Usages of the port." The office of Speaker has traditionally rotated between the affiliate townships every year dating from at least 1550. Inaugurations are begun on 21 May, and membership is ordained through a longstanding maritime tradition of a principle of the prevailing winds coming from west to east. A unique uniform is specified for the Lord Warden (though Admiral of the Fleet Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce, whose term ended with his death in 2022, wore his naval uniform in preference). The uniform is very similar to a pre-1956-pattern Admiral's uniform (complete with

cocked hat The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is a historical form of hat widely adopted in the 1790s as an item of uniform by European and American army and naval officers. Most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, whic ...

) trimmed in red and with Cinque Ports insignia. Sir Robert Menzies's uniform
pictured
, which he wore as Lord Warden from 1966 to 1978, is preserved at the

National Library of Australia The National Library of Australia (NLA), formerly the Commonwealth National Library and Commonwealth Parliament Library, is the largest reference library in Australia, responsible under the terms of the ''National Library Act 1960'' for "mainta ...

Barons of the Cinque Ports

All freemen of the ports, termed "portsmen", were deemed in the age of

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

to be

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

s, and thus members of the

baronage {{English Feudalism In England, the ''baronage'' was the collectively inclusive term denoting all members of the feudal nobility, as observed by the constitutional authority Edward Coke. It was replaced eventually by the term ''peerage''. Origi ...

entitled to attend the king's

parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. Termed "Barons of the Cinque Ports", they reflected an early concept that military service at sea constituted land tenure ''per baroniam'' making them ''quasi''

feudal baron A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely be ...

s. The early 14th-century treatise '' Modus Tenendi Parliamentum'' stated the Barons of the Cinque Ports to hold a place of precedence below the lay magnates but above the representatives of the

shire Shire () is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain and some other English-speaking countries. It is generally synonymous with county (such as Cheshire and Worcestershire). British counties are among the oldes ...

s and

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Writ In common law, a writ is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrant (legal), Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, and ''certiorari'' are commo ...

s of summons to Parliament were sent to the warden following which representative barons of the Cinque Ports were selected to attend parliament. Thus the warden's duty in this respect was similar to that of the

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

who received the writs for distribution to the barons in the

s. The warden and barons often experienced clashes of jurisdiction. In the 21st century the title "Baron of the Cinque Ports" is now reserved for Freemen elected by the Mayor, Jurats, and Common Council of the Ports to attend a Coronation, and is solely honorary in nature. '' The History of the Castle, Town, and Port of Dover''

List of Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports

The first authoritative list of Cinque Ports Confederation Members was produced in 1293 when Stephen of Pencester was Warden. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is appointed for life, but in the earliest of records this was not the case. The office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports has been traced from the year 1226 from the appointment of William de Averanch, although he was not the first incumbent of this office. The longest term of office was that of William Brook, Lord Cobham, who presided at the court for 40 years.

Constable of Dover Castle

Source
The Cinque Ports
*Leopoldus de Bertie? (1014-1016?) Under

Æthelred the Unready Æthelred II (,Different spellings of this king's name most commonly found in modern texts are "Ethelred" and "Æthelred" (or "Aethelred"), the latter being closer to the original Old English form . Compare the modern dialect word . ; ; 966 � ...

? * Godwine, Earl of Wessex 1045–1053 * Harold Godwine, Earl of Wessex (King Harold II) 1053–1066 * Bertram Ashburnham 1066 * William de Peverell 1066 (Unconfirmed?) *

Odo, Bishop of Bayeux Odo of Bayeux (died 1097) was a Norman nobleman who was a bishop of Bayeux in Normandy and was made Earl of Kent in England following the Norman Conquest. He was the maternal half-brother of duke, and later king, William the Conqueror, and w ...

and Earl of Kent 1066–1082 Technically ''Vacant'' from 1082-1084 as Odo became imprisoned. *John de Fiennes 1084–1085 *James de Fiennes (son of John) 1085–1111 *John de Fiennes (son of James) 1111–1138 *Walkelin de Magminot 1138 * Prince Eustace of Boulogne (son of King Stephen) 1138–1153 *Wakelin de Magminot 1153–1154 *Robert Fitz-Bernard 1154–1169 *Hugo de Mara 1169–1187 *Alan de Valeines (or Valoines) 1187–1190 * Matthew de Clere 1190–1195 * William de Wrotham 1195–1201 * Thomas Basset, Lord Hedendon 1201–1202 *

Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent ( , ; – before 5 May 1243) was an English nobleman who served as Justiciar, Chief Justiciar of England (1215–1232) and Chief governor of Ireland, Justiciar of Ireland (1232) during the reigns of King John, K ...

1202–1203 * William of Huntingfield 1203–1204 * William de Longespee 1204–1207 * Geoffrey Fitzpier, Earl of Essex 1207–1213 * William Briwere, Lord Torbay 1213–1215 *

1215–1220 * Henry de Braibroc 1220 *Robert de Neresford (Hereford) 1221–1223 *Hugh de Windsor 1223 *

Stephen Langton Stephen Langton (c. 1150 – 9 July 1228) was an English Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal of the Catholic Church and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207 until his death in 1228. The dispute between list of English kings, King John of E ...

, Archbishop of Canterbury 1223–1224 *Geoffery de Lucy, Lord Newington 1224–1225 *Hubert de Hoese (Hose or Hussey) 1225 *Geoffrey de Surland 1225–1226 * William d'Avranches, Lord Folkestone 1226–1227 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Bertram de Criol, 1227 (also Keeper of the Coast) *Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent 1227–1232, and Robert de Auberville 1228–1235 *Henry de Hoese, Lord Hastings 1232 * Stephen, Lord de Segrave 1232–1235 *

Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford Humphrey (VI) de Bohun (c. 1249 – 31 December 1298), 3rd Earl of Hereford and 2nd Earl of Essex, was an English nobleman known primarily for his opposition to King Edward I over the ''Confirmatio Cartarum.''Fritze and Robison, (2002). He ...

1235 * Bertram de Criol 1236 *Henry de Hoese (Henry Hussey), Lord Hastings 1236–1241 * Peter de Savoy, Earl of Richmond 1241–1242 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Bertram de Criol 1242–1255 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1256–1258 (also Keeper of the Coast) *Sir Roger Northwode 1258 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Nicholas de Moels, Lord Caddebury 1258 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Richard de Grey, Lord Condor 1258–1259 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Hugh de Bigod 1259–1261 (also Keeper of the Coast) * Robert de Walerand, Lord Kilpek 1261–1262 * Walter de Burgsted (also Keeper of the Coast) 1262 * Robert de Walerand 1263 * Richard de Grey, Lord Codnor 1263 * Prince Edmund (son of Henry III), jointly with Robert de Gascoyne 1263 * Henry of Sandwich, Bishop of London 1263 * John de Haia 1263 * Richard de Grey, Lord Codnor 1263 *Sir Roger de Leybourne 1263–1264 *

Henry de Montfort Sir Henry de Montfort (November 1238 – 4 August 1265) was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and with his father played an important role in the struggle of the barons against Henry III of England, King Henry III. Henry's ...

1264–1265 * Matthew de Hastings 1265 *Sir Roger de Leybourne 1265 * Prince Edward, (King Edward I) 1265–1266 *Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266–1267

Keeper of the Coast

, 1066–1084 *

Henry of Essex Henry of Essex or Henry de Essex (died c. 1170) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who was feudal baron of Rayleigh in Essex (by inheritance) and of Haughley in Suffolk (by right of his second wife). He served as one of the royal constables during the ...

c.1150–1154 * Henry de Sandwich 1154–1189 * Simon de Sandwich 1154–1189 * Alan de Fienes 1154–1189 *

James de Fienes James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince J ...

1189–1199 * Matthew de Clere 1189–1199 *William Devereux 1189–1199 * William Longchamp 1189–1199 * William de Wrotham 1189–1199 * Thomas Bassett 1199–1216 * William de Huntingfield 1199–1216 * William de Sarum 1199–1216 * Geoffrey FitzPiers 1199–1216Batcheller, William. *

William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey (born 1160s–1170s, died 27 May 1240) was the son of Isabel de Warenne, Countess of Surrey, Isabel de Warenne, 4th Countess of Surrey (suo jure) and Hamelin de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, Hamelin de Waren ...

1204–1206 and 1214 *

1215–1220 * Geoffery de Lucy 1224 (and 1230) * William d'Avranches 1226–1227 * Robert de Auberville 1228 * Peter de Rivaux 1232–1234 * Lord de Segrove * Walerand Teutonicus 1235 * Hamo de Crevecoeur 1235 * Bertram de Criol 1236 (and intermittently until 1255) *

1241 * Peter de Savoy 1241 * Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1255 * Sir Roger Northwode 1258 * Nicholas de Moels 1258 * Richard de Grey 1258 * Hugh de Bigod 1259–1260 * Nicholas de Crioll 1260–1263 * Robert de Walerand 1261 * Walter de Burgsted 1263 *

c.1264 * Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster (uncertain) * Henry de Sandwich, Bishop of London, 1263 * Sir Roger de Leybourne 1263 *

1264 * Matthew de Hastings 1265 * Edward "Longshanks", Earl of Chester 1265 *Sir Matthew de Bezille 1266

Lord Warden and Constable of Dover Castle (since 1267)

*Sir Stephen de Pencester 1267–1271 (then at intervals until 1298, for a total of 32 years) * Sir Simon de Creye 1275 * Robert de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1299–1306

14th century

* Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1307 * Robert de Kendall 1307 * Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham 1315 * Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere 1320 * Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester 1320 *

Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (5 August 130119 March 1330), whose seat was Arundel Castle in Sussex, was the sixth and youngest son of King Edward I of England, and the second son of his second wife Margaret of France, Queen of England ...

1321 * Sir John Peche 1323 * Ralph Basset, 2nd Baron Basset of Drayton 1325 * Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1327 * William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon 1330 * Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh 1348 * Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March 1355 * John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp 1359 * Sir Robert de Herle 1361 *Baron Spigurnell 1364 *Sir Richard de Pembrugge 1370 * Andrew de Guldeford * William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer 1374 * Sir Thomas Reines * Edmund of Langley, Earl of Cambridge 1376 * Sir Robert Assheton 1381 * Sir Simon de Burley 1384 * John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux 1387 * John Beaumont, 4th Baron Beaumont 1392 * Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York 1396 * John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Dorset 1398 *Sir Thomas Erpingham 1399

15th century

* Henry "of Monmouth", Prince of Wales 1409 * Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel and 10th Earl of Surrey 1412 * Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester 1415 * James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele 1447 * Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham 1450 * Richard, Lord Rivers 1459 * Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick 1460 *Sir John Scott 1471 *

William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel William Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel, 6th Baron Maltravers (23 November 1417 – 1487) was an English nobleman. Born on 23 November 1417, William was the second son of John Fitzalan, 6th Earl of Arundel (1385–1421), and Eleanor Berkeley (d ...

1483–1488 * Philip Fitz Lewes 1488-1492 *Sir William Scott 1492 *Prince Henry, later King

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

1493

16th century

*Sir

Edward Poynings Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter, KG (1459 – 22 October 1521) was an English soldier, administrator and diplomat, and Lord Deputy of Ireland under King Henry VII of England. Early life Edward Poynings was the only son of Robert Poyni ...

1509 * George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny (appointed, but resigned) *Sir Edward Guilford 1474/1479–1534 * George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford 1534–1536 * Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset *Sir Thomas Cheney 1536/1558 *

Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG (died 3 March 1542) was an illegitimate son of the English king Edward IV, half-brother-in-law of Henry VII, and an uncle of Henry VIII, at whose court he was a prominent figure and by whom he was appo ...

1539–1542 *Sir Thomas Seymour (temporary joint Lord Wardenship with Sir Thomas Cheney in 1545) * William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham * Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham (son of above) 1597

17th century

Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton (25 February 154015 June 1614) was an English aristocrat and courtier. He was suspected throughout his life of being Roman Catholic, and went through periods of royal disfavour, in which his reputation ...

1604–1614 *

Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset (c. 158717 July 1645), was a politician, and favourite of King James VI and I. Background Robert Kerr was born in Wrington, Somerset, England, the younger son of Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst, Sir Thomas Kerr ( ...

1614–1615 * Edward, Lord Zouche of Haryngworth 21 August 1615–6 December 1624 *

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham ( ; 20 August 1592 – 23 August 1628), was an English courtier, statesman, and patron of the arts. He was a favourite and self-described "lover" of King James VI and I. Buckingham remained at the heigh ...

6 December 1624–23 August 1628 *

Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, (13 August 15843 June 1640) was an England, English nobleman and politician. Career Born at the family estate of Saffron Walden, he was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife, ...

2 September 1628–3 June 1640 * James Stewart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox 18 July 1640–1642 * Sir Edward Boys 1642–1646 *Major John Boys 1646–1648 * Sir Algernon Sydney 1648–1651 *Colonel Thomas Kelsey 1651–1656 * Admiral Robert Blake 1656–1657 * Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea 1660 (unconfirmed term; may have been father/son) * James Stuart, Duke of York and Albany 1660–1673 *Colonel John Beaumont 1673–1691 *

Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney (March 1641 – 8 April 1704) was an English Army officer, Whigs (British political party), Whig politician and peer who served as Master-General of the Ordnance from 1693 to 1702. He is best known as one of the ...

1691–1702

18th century

Prince George of Denmark Prince George of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Cumberland (; 2 April 165328 October 1708), was the husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain. He was the consort of the British monarch from Anne's accession on 8 March 1702 until his death in 1708. ...

1702–1708 * Lionel Sackville, 7th Earl of Dorset 1708–1712 (served two terms) *

James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, (1665–1745) was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the Earl of Ormond (Ireland), earldom of Ormond. Like his grandfather, the 1st Duke, ...

1712–1715 * John Sidney, 6th Earl of Leicester 1717–1727 *

Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (18 January 168810 October 1765) was a British politician who served as Lord President of the Council from 1745 to 1751. He also twice served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1730 to 1737 and aga ...

1727–1765 * Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness 1765–1778 *

Frederick North, Lord North Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford (13 April 17325 August 1792), better known by his Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title Lord North, which he used from 1752 to 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He ...

(2nd Earl of Guilford from 1790) 1778–1792 *

William Pitt the Younger William Pitt (28 May 1759 – 23 January 1806) was a British statesman who served as the last prime minister of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1783 until the Acts of Union 1800, and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, p ...

1792–1806

19th century

Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (7 June 1770 – 4 December 1828) was a British Tories (British political party), Tory statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1827. Before becoming Prime Minister ...

1806–1827 *

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (; 1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was a British Army officer and statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures in Britain during t ...

1829–1852 *

James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie (22 April 1812 – 19 December 1860), known as the Earl of Dalhousie between 1838 and 1849, was a Scottish statesman and colonial administrator in British India. He served as Governor-Gen ...

1853–1860 *

Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman and politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1855 to 1858 and from 1859 to 1865. A m ...

1860–1865 * Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville 1865–1891 (not installed?) * William Henry Smith 1891 (not installed?) * Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava 1892–1895 *

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903), known as Lord Salisbury, was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for ...

1895–1903

20th century

* George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston 1904–1905 * George, Prince of Wales 1905–1907 * Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey 1908–1913 * William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp 1913–1934 * Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading 1934–1935 * Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon 1936–1941 *Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

1941–1965 (installed August 1946) *Sir

Robert Menzies The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

1965–1978 (installed July 1966) *

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

1978–2002 (installed August 1979)

21st century

*Admiral of the Fleet

Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce Admiral of the Fleet Michael Cecil Boyce, Baron Boyce (2 April 1943 – 6 November 2022) was a British Royal Navy officer who also sat as a crossbench member of the House of Lords until his death in November 2022. Boyce commanded three submar ...

2004–2022 (installed April 2005) * Admiral Sir George Zambellas 2024–present

References

External links

Official Confederation of the Cinque PortsPortrait of Sir Winston Churchill in uniform as Lord Warden, 1956.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lord Warden Of The Cinque Ports * Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom