Trinity House - or, more correctly, the Corporation of Trinity House - came into being in 1514 by Royal Charter granted by Henry VIII. The Master of the Corporation is the Duke of Edinburgh
Trinity House has three main functions:
- The care of all lighthouses in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.
- Providing aids to navigation, e.g. lightvessels, lighthouses, buoys, radio navigation services etc.
- serving as a charitable organisation for mariners; looking after their safety, welfare, training etc.
Equivalent bodies in other parts of the British Isles:
- Commissioners of Irish Lights - Republic of Ireland
- Commissioners for Northern Lights - Scotland