*WINCHELSEA, (Sussex) one of the cinque-ports, 2 m. S.W. from Rye, 7 N.E. from Hastings, 60 cm. 71 mm. from London, stands
at the angles of this Co. and Kent. It was built in the R. of Edward I. when an older T. of the same name 2 or 3 m. off,
which had 18 ps. was swallowed up by the sea in a terrible tempest, except a small part of it, which is now marsh and
meadowland. It was then encompassed with a rampart, and afterwards with a wall, and began to flourish, but being sack'd by
the French and Spaniards, and abandoned by the sea, it decayed on a sudden. Nor was the new T. quite finished before it
was also abandoned by the sea; and having also lost all trade, the grass grows in the streets, though they are paved, to
such a degree, that the herbage is lett some years for 4 l. and there remains now little more than a skeleton of what was
once a very fair T. The stone-work of its 3 gates is still standing, though they are near 3 m. asunder over the fields;
and in many places of the T. are fine stone-arched vaults for merchandise, and many ruinous materials of ancient
structures, which are so buried, that the streets have been turned into corn-fields, and the plough goes over the
foundations, nay over the first floors of the houses, where nothing of a T. seems to remain. Upon the level left by the
sea, are the ruins of a castle built by Henry VIII. or, as others say, of a mon. (for here were formerly two) and of the
Chs. there is only the chancel of one, that is used for divine worship. This T. which first sent members to Pt. when Rye
did, gives title of Earl to the noble family of the Finches, and is incorporated by the name of the mayor and 3 jurats,
and has a Mt. on S. and Fair May 3. The members are chosen by the freemen, in number about 40, and returned by the mayor.
There are large marshes near the T. which the inh. are at a vast charge in defending from the incroachments pf the sea, by
walls and great banks of earth. Vincent Herbert, alias Finch, who lived in the R. of Edward II. gave certain lands and
houses here in marriage with his daughter to John de Pelham, ancestor to the D. of Newcastle,