Trinity House

Trinity House was originally granted a royal charter by Henry VIII in 1514 to regulate pilotage on the River Thames, and in 1566 Elizabeth I extended the Corporation's powers to include the erection of sea-marks. Today, Trinity House is part of the General Lighthouse Authority which also comprises the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Commissioner of Irish Lights. These, respectively, provide and service the navigational lights and marks for Scotland and the Isle of Man, and for those in the waters of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Trinity House, which is responsible for England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar, provides nearly 600 aids to navigation in these areas and services them with two lighthouse tenders, Patricia and Mermaid, and three launches. It is therefore responsible for the aids to navigation provided by local port and harbour authorities, and it has powers to mark, remove, or destroy shipwrecks, except Royal Naval ships, which are a danger to navigation. It is also a marine charity responsible for the education, training and welfare of mariners, and is a Deep Sea Pilotage Authority, having lost its responsibilities for District Pilotage under the 1987 Pilotage Act. The Court of Elder Brethren under the leadership of the master governs the Corporation. Administration of the lighthouse service and charities, and deep sea pilotage is delegated to the Lighthouse and Corporate Boards respectively. See also branch.