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Ref: 7466 |
Duke
of Wellington, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, 10th Anniversary
Banquet 1839, frosted silver medal by Benjamin Wyon,
rare. Obv: bust left,
WELLINGTON above Rev:
view of Dover Castle References:
BHM 1889; E 1328 Condition:
Good very fine, some frosting fading, obverse edge bruise at 8 o’clock;
Diameter: 55mm Notes: Arthur
Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo, had a
dinner hosted for him on 30th August 1839 to celebrate his appointment as
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The
Cinque Ports are a group of towns on the southeast coast of England. The
original five were Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover and Sandwich, to which were
added Winchelsea and Rye. In medieval times they
were obliged to supply the Crown with a quota of fighting ships and men in
times of war, in return for which they enjoyed some legal autonomy and tax
exemption. The privileges and obligations were finally ended by the Reform
Act of 1832 and a further Act of 1835. The Duke had been appointed in 1829
and to mark the 10th anniversary, a huge banquet was held in Dover
Castle attended by some 1500 guests. He held the position until his death in
1852. Price
£325 |
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