Wellesley's brigade had more than just a military effect upon the neighbourhood of Rye and Hastings. It will be recalled what influence the presence of the dashing had on the Bennet girls, in Pride and Prejudice especially Lydia. Balls were organised by the Hastings garrison, sometimes only concluding at 5am "when the company retired highly delighted with the elgance of the entertainment and the extreme politeness of the officers", and special performances were requested at the local theatres. In July 1806, one of Sir Arthur's colonels, Houghton of the 8th Foot, and the officers of the regiment asked that the "celebrated tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", be presented at the Theatre, Hastings, together - to afford light releif, no doubt, "the comic opera of the Poor Soldier". This combined performance was for one night only, the theatre, adjoining the Hare and Hounds at Ore, reverting to what was, one imagines, the more popular fare of "Laugh when you can" and "Love laughs at Locksmiths".

The high point, in military terms of Wellesley's service in Suissex was reached on the 10th of August 1806, when the Duke of York came to review the young major general's command. He and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, arrived from Hythe, towed along the Military Canal in a boat drawn by three horses. They were welcomed with a royal salute from the East battery of Captain Gill's Cinque Port Artillary sited in the Gungarden. After spending two hours at the George, the royal Dukes inspected the forces, consisting of infantry, two troops of the 17th Light Dragoons and the 1st Somerset Militia. The Duke, pleased with the evolutions of his troops, thanked Sir Arthur and proceeded via Cliff End to Hastings. There, according to some unsubstantiated sources, a banquet was held in honour of Wellesley. Be that as it may there seems little doubt the York and Cambridge took refreshment at the Swan Hotel and that Sir Arthur entertained them at Hastings House. The following day the royal pair departed to meet their elder brother at his favourite resort of Brighton.

The general's time at Rye and Hastings ended in December 1806, when he was posted to Deal, but his connections with the area were top be renewed when, in 1829, as Duke of Wellington, he was installed as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Even after his death in 1852, the force of his personality was still felt by the tow towns. The Mayor of Hastings, Thomas Hickes, on the announcement of the old soldier's demise, journeyed to Rye, whose own Mayor, E.S.Banks, held the post of Speaker of the Cinque Ports that year, to suggest that a meeting should be convened to see that "every possible respect to the memoery of the illustrious deceased " be paid. Much to Mr. Hickes' surprise, Mr. Banks declined to "give himself, any trouble in the matter". "The Duke was a very good man, I dare say", he added, "he is dead now, so why make any fuss? Let them bury him". Acting independently of the unconcerned Speaker, the Mayors of Hastings, Sandwich and New Romney, waited on the Prime Minister, Lord Derby,and the eventual result was that a carriage for four persons, representing the Cinque Ports, was to be included in the funeral procession on November 18th. A meeting was held in Rye on October 28th to decide who should represent the Confederation and the shameless Mayor of Rye claimed the right to be one of the privileged four as the current Speaker. Perhaps, not surprisingly, the other Ports rejected this claim and the carriage that followed the great Duke on his final march contained the first citizens of Dover, Sandwich, New Romney and Hastings.