What are the Cinque Ports?

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The key to the security of the realm as Edward saw it was to control the English Channel. To this end he granted the ports of Sandwich, Dover, and New Romney, all in Kent, the right to keep all legal fees assigned in court cases. This was quite a profitable concession for the towns involved, and made them far more prosperous than most towns of similar size elsewhere in the country. In exchange, the towns agreed to provide ships and sailors for defense when required by the crown. To the original three ports were later added Hastings and Hythe in Sussex. These five coastal towns made up the Five Ports (in Norman French the "Cinque Ports"). In the 13th century Rye and Winchelsea joined nearby Hastings and in the next century gained full legal status as "Ancient Towns". http://www.britainexpress.com/History/cinque-ports.htm May 18 04, 2:51 PM