Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small town in the non-metropolitan area of East Sussex, within the historical county of Sussex, England, situated between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south west of Rye and also 7 miles (11 km) north eastern of Hastings. The town depends on the site of a medieval community, established in 1288, to replace an earlier town of the same name, in some cases called Old Winchelsea, which was shed to coastal disintegration. The community becomes part of the civil parish of Icklesham. It is asserted by some residents that the community remains in reality the smallest town in Britain, as there is a mayor and also company in Winchelsea, however that claim is contested by places such as Fordwich. The mayor of Winchelsea is selected yearly from among the participants of the company, who are known as freemen, instead of being elected by public vote. New freemen are themselves selected by existing participants of the firm. Thus, in its current type, the company is effectively a relic of Winchelsea's days as a 'rotten district' (when Winchelsea elected 2 MPs yet the variety of citizens was restricted to about a lots, in some cases less). The company shed its remaining civil and also judicial powers in 1886 however was maintained as a charity by an Act of Parliament to preserve the subscription of the Cinque Port Confederation. The mayor and also corporation in Winchelsea now have a largely ceremonial duty, along with obligation for the ongoing treatment and upkeep of the main listed ancient monuments in the town and the Winchelsea museum. Winchelsea comprises neither a city government area, civil parish nor charter trustees area.
