| Spring Newsletter (PDF) | The Mayor and Corporation of Winchelsea |
![]() Graham Alexander - Mayor in 2009, with his wife, Tina ![]() Town Chamberlain and Sargeant-at-mace ![]() Tony Moore, Mayor in 2008/9, accompanied by our long-standing Town Clerk and town historian, Malcolm Pratt |
There has been a mayor of Winchelsea for over 700
years, with records dating back to 1295. The mayoring ceremony takes place
annually on Easter Monday, and since 1665 this has been held in the Upper
Court Hall. The ceremony recognises the continuing existence of the last
surviving unreformed Corporation of England and Wales and comprises an
Assembly of the Freemen of Winchelsea followed by the "Annual Sitting of
the Hundred" the principal business of which is the installation of the
Major for the coming year. The new Mayor is attended by twelve Jurats of the Town, selected annually at the Mayoring. The Mayor is assisted by the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Sergeant-at-Mace. The ceremony is open to the public and takes place at 11 a.m. In 2008 Jurat Tony Moore was elected Mayor, with
Jurat Graham Alexander as his deputy and in 2009 Graham became the current
mayor with Mike Melvin as his deputy. Mike de Smith was elected a Freeman
at the Mayoring ceremony and Freeman John Spencer was made a Jurat.
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