Winchelsea is a small town in the non-metropolitan area of East Sussex, within the historic area of Sussex, England, situated in between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) south west of Rye and 7 miles (11 km) north eastern of Hastings. The town stands on the site of a medieval town, established in 1288, to replace an earlier town of the very same name, sometimes called Old Winchelsea, which was lost to seaside erosion. The community belongs to the civil parish of Icklesham. It is declared by some homeowners that the town is in reality the smallest community in Britain, as there is a mayor and also corporation in Winchelsea, however that claim is challenged by areas such as Fordwich. The mayor of Winchelsea is picked each year from among the participants of the firm, that are known as freemen, as opposed to being chosen by public ballot. New freemen are themselves chosen by existing members of the company. Hence, in its current kind, the company is successfully an antique of Winchelsea's days as a 'rotten borough' (when Winchelsea chose two MPs yet the variety of voters was limited to concerning a loads, sometimes fewer). The firm shed its remaining civil and judicial powers in 1886 however was maintained as a charity by an Act of Parliament to keep the subscription of the Cinque Port Confederation. The mayor and company in Winchelsea now have a largely ceremonial function, along with obligation for the continuous treatment and also upkeep of the primary detailed ancient monuments in the town and also the Winchelsea gallery. Winchelsea constitutes neither a local government district, civil parish neither charter trustees location.