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Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office
Government agency overview

Formed	1414
Preceding Government agency	Offices of the Kings Marine
Dissolved	1707
Jurisdiction	Parliament of England
Headquarters	Admiralty Building, Whitehall, London
Government agency executive	Lord High Admiral
Parent Government agency	Privy Council of England

The Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office (1546–1707) was an important government department in the Kingdom of England. It was in charge of the Royal Navy, which is England's navy. Before 1546, it was known as the Admiralty Office (1414–1546).

This office was first created in 1414. It brought together the jobs of different admirals under one main leader. This leader was called the Lord High Admiral of England. The department continued until 1707. That's when England and Scotland joined to form Great Britain. After that, it became known as the British Admiralty.

Under King Henry VIII, the Admiralty helped create a strong "Navy Royal." This navy had its own staff, shipyards, and special warships. Later, in 1588, it helped fight off the Spanish Armada during a war with Spain. However, attacks by England on Spain were not as successful. By the end of the 1500s, some problems within the Admiralty made the Royal Navy weaker. This led to a government review and calls for changes.

How the English Navy Grew

Tudor Ensign, 1485–1603

Even though England had a small navy in the 800s, it didn't last. Before the 1500s, kings mostly used merchant ships (regular trading ships) when they needed a navy. The king directly managed sea matters until 1385. That's when the first Lord High Admiral was appointed.

At first, naval tasks were split into three regions: the North Sea, English Channel, and Irish Sea. Each region had its own admiral. In 1414, these regional commands were combined into one central Admiralty Office. However, a separate command, the Admiral of the Narrow Seas, still existed. This admiral worked under the Lord High Admiral.

Building a Stronger Navy

As the Royal Navy grew under Henry VIII of England, it became more expensive and complex. This meant new specialized departments were needed. These included offices for finance, shipbuilding, and supplies. In 1546, these different jobs were brought together. They formed the Council of the Marine. This group was led by the Lieutenant of the Admiralty until 1557.

This council later became known as the Navy Board. It was the first real attempt to create a permanent system for managing the navy. It was responsible for building and maintaining ships. It also managed the Royal Navy Dockyards (shipyards). However, the Lord High Admiral still handled how the navy operated in battles.

In 1550, a new officer was added. This was the Surveyor of Marine Victuals, who was in charge of food and drink for the navy. There was also a Board of Ordnance. This independent group managed weapons and gunpowder at naval bases. This system stayed mostly the same for about 60 years.

Who Ran the Admiralty?

During the 1500s, the Admiralty was led by the Lord Admiral of England. He was helped by the Vice-Admiral of England and the Lieutenant of the Admiralty. These leaders were in charge of naval operations (like battles), managing daily affairs, getting supplies, and handling legal matters in admiralty courts.

The Lord High Admiral

The role of "High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine" started in 1385. It was later called "Lord Admiral of England" in 1512. From 1638, it became "Lord High Admiral." This person was the main leader of the Royal Navy. They were often a very important noble or even a member of the Royal family.

The Lord High Admiral's duties included managing the High Court of Admiralty. This court dealt with legal issues related to the sea. They also oversaw naval operations. However, after 1545, many of the operational duties were taken over by the Council of the Marine. This allowed the Lord Admiral to focus more on legal matters.

Naval Operations and Squadrons

By 1560, the English Navy had three main areas of operation. These were the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the North Sea. Each area had its own group of ships, called a squadron. These squadrons were led by an admiral or vice admiral. The number of ships changed based on what was needed.

Narrow Seas Squadron: This squadron protected English ships in the Channel, especially near the Straits of Dover. It also covered the southern North Sea.
Irish Squadron: This was a temporary group of ships. It was active from 1539 to 1545 and again from 1569 to 1583. It was based in Milford Haven.
North Sea Squadron: This squadron was based in Great Yarmouth and later Newcastle upon Tyne. It was responsible for the northern North Sea. It existed from 1543 to 1563.
Channel Squadron: This squadron guarded the western entrance to the Channel. It was formed in 1512 and based in Plymouth. In 1650, it was renamed the "Western Squadron."

Shore Commands and Vice-Admirals

The Vice-Admiralties of the Coast were shore commands. They were set up in coastal areas of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales in 1536. The people in these jobs were called "Vice-Admirals of the Coast."

They were responsible for naval administration, defense, and recruiting sailors in their areas. They were like deputies for the Lord High Admiral. By the 1800s, these positions were slowly phased out.

Managing the Navy's Support (1500–1599)

Before 1545, officials who managed the king's ships were called 'Clerks of the Kings Marine'. In 1545, King Henry VIII created a new group called the 'Council of the Marine'. This group was officially formed in 1546. Its members were called the 'Chief Officers of the Admiralty'. In 1578, the Council of the Marine was renamed the Navy Office. It was managed by the Navy Board.

Early Navy Administrators (1320–1545)

Clerk of the Kings Ships: For over 200 years, this person was the main administrator of the English Navy.
Clerk Comptroller: This specialist helped the Clerk of the Ships with some duties.
Keeper of the Kings Storehouses: This person managed the navy's storage.
Office of the Treasurer of Marine Causes: This office handled the navy's money.

The Council of the Marine (1545–1578)

The Council of the Marine was set up by Henry VIII. It created a clear way to manage the Royal Navy. It later became known as the Navy Office or Navy Board.

Key Officers of the Council

Lieutenant of the Admiralty: The head of the Council of the Marine.
Treasurer of Marine Causes: The head of naval finance. In 1564, this person became the head of the council.
Clerk Comptroller of the Navy: Managed naval spending.
Clerk of the Kings Ships: In charge of managing the Crown's ships.
Keeper of the Kings Storehouses: The head of naval supplies.
Master of Naval Ordnance: A special officer from the Office of Ordnance.
Surveyor of Marine Victuals: The head of providing food and drink for the navy.
Surveyor and Rigger of the Navy: In charge of shipbuilding, design, and dockyards. This role was renamed Surveyor of the Navy in 1611.

The Navy Office (1578–1832)

The Navy Office was managed by the Navy Board.

Main Officers of the Navy Board

These officers were similar to those in the Council of the Marine, continuing their important roles in managing the navy's finances, administration, and supplies.

Below this main organization were all the HM Naval bases and dockyards. Each shipyard was managed by a Master Shipwright. This person was in charge of shipbuilding and repairs. Later, as the navy grew, more qualified naval administrators called Resident Commissioners of the Navy were introduced to manage the dockyards.

Important Naval Dockyards

Portsmouth Dockyard (from 1496)
Woolwich Dockyard (from 1496): This yard was established in 1512. An important ship, the “Henry Grace a Dieu” or “Great Harry,” was built here in 1514.
Deptford Dockyard (from 1513): This dockyard was known for new ship designs. The HMS Dreadnought, launched in 1573, was an example of a new type of warship built here.
Erith Dockyard (1514–1521): This yard failed because of constant flooding.
Chatham Dockyard (from 1567)

Office of Ordnance (1415–1599)

The Office of Ordnance was first created in 1415. It was responsible for weapons and gunpowder. Later, in 1683, the Board of Ordnance was formed.

Officers of the Ordnance

Master of the Ordnance: The main leader, later called Master-General.
Clerk of the Ordnance: Reported to the Master of the Ordnance.
Yeoman of the Ordnance: Also reported to the Master of the Ordnance.

Later, more officers were added, including the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, Treasurer of the Ordinance, and Surveyor-General of the Ordnance.

Ordnance Yards and Stores

These were places where weapons and gunpowder were stored.

The Gun Wharf, Chatham Dockyard
Tower of London, London (for gunpowder)
Square Tower, Portsmouth (for gunpowder)

Naval Justice System

In later centuries, this was called the Justice Department of the Royal Navy.

The High Court of Admiralty

England's Admiralty courts started around the 1340s. At first, there were three such courts. They were appointed by admirals responsible for different sea areas. By 1483, these regional courts combined into one main High Court of Admiralty. The Lord High Admiral of England managed this court.

The Lord High Admiral directly chose the judges for the court. The court's first job in the 1300s was to deal with piracy and other crimes at sea. Over time, these courts also started to handle other shipping matters, like trade disputes. This led to arguments between the Admiralty courts and regular courts about who had the right to decide certain issues.

Lord Admiral of England: Appointed the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty.
Vice-Admiral of England and Deputy High Admiral: Helped the Lord Admiral and managed the Vice-Admiralty courts.
High Court of the Admiralty: The main court for sea-related legal issues.

Vice-Admiralty Courts

A Vice-Admiral was the main naval administrator for their area. Their jobs included deciding what happened to ships captured from pirates (called Prize court), handling claims for shipwrecks, and acting as a judge for sea-related problems.

The Vice Admiralty Court was a special court set up in the early 1500s. The word "vice" meant that the court represented the Lord Admiral of the United Kingdom. In English law, the Lord Admiral was seen as the only person with authority over sea matters. The Vice-Admiral of the Coast was responsible for defending one of England's coastal counties. The Lord Admiral would appoint others to act as his deputies or judges in these courts.

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