Winchelsea is a village in the non-metropolitan region of East Sussex, within the historic region of Sussex, England, located in between the High Weald and also the Romney Marsh, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south west of Rye and 7 miles (11 km) north east of Hastings. The community bases on the site of a medieval community, established in 1288, to change an earlier town of the exact same name, often known as Old Winchelsea, which was shed to coastal disintegration. The community belongs to the civil parish of Icklesham. It is claimed by some residents that the community is in truth the smallest town in Britain, as there is a mayor as well as company in Winchelsea, however that insurance claim is challenged by places such as Fordwich. The mayor of Winchelsea is picked annually from among the participants of the firm, who are referred to as freemen, rather than being chosen by public vote. New freemen are themselves picked by existing participants of the corporation. Thus, in its existing type, the firm is effectively a relic of Winchelsea's days as a 'rotten district' (when Winchelsea chose 2 MPs however the number of voters was limited to regarding a loads, in some cases less). The corporation lost its staying civil and judicial powers in 1886 but was maintained as a charity by an Act of Parliament to keep the subscription of the Cinque Port Confederation. The mayor and firm in Winchelsea currently have a mainly ceremonial function, together with obligation for the recurring treatment as well as maintenance of the primary noted ancient monoliths in the town as well as the Winchelsea gallery. Winchelsea comprises neither a city government area, civil parish neither charter trustees area.