Coat of Arms thumbnail 1
Coat of Arms thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Coat of Arms

ca. 1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The arms are those of the corporation of Trinity House, a sixteenth century mariners' guild, founded in 1529 by Sir Thomas Spert, Comptroller of the Navy to Henry VIII. Spert was also commander of the vessel 'Harry Grace de Dieu', and it is possible that the ships depicted on the coat of arms were originally modelled on his ship. Trinity House developed into the chief pilotage authority of the United Kingdom, controlling the lighting and marking of British coastal waters.

This carving is said to have come from some former almshouses of the corporation in Deptford. The original polychrome decoration was even brighter, with naturalistic colouring for the four seascapes. The current paint dates from the 19th century.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Carved wood, partly painted and gilded
Brief description
Coat of Arms of the corporation of Trinity House, carved wood, partly painted and gilded, England, about 1680
Physical description
Coat of Arms, carved wood, partly painted and gilded. The arms are those of the corporation of Trinity House, and are made up of a shield bearing a St George's Cross with ships in each quarter, surmounted by a crowned lion rampant regardant, bearing a sword and standing upon a helmet with mantling with acanthus decoration. Beneath the shield, on a scroll, is the motto 'TRINITAS . IN . UNITATE'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.5ft
  • Width: 3.125ft
Marks and inscriptions
'TRINITAS . IN . UNITATE' (Decoration (motto))
Object history
The arms are those of the corporation of Trinity House, a sixteenth century mariners' guild which developed into the chief pilotage authority of the United Kingdom, controlling the lighting and marking of British coastal waters. This carving is said to have come from some former almshouses of the corporation. The original colouring was even brighter, with naturalistic colouring for the four seascapes. The current polychrome decoration dates from the 19th century.
Subjects depicted
Summary
The arms are those of the corporation of Trinity House, a sixteenth century mariners' guild, founded in 1529 by Sir Thomas Spert, Comptroller of the Navy to Henry VIII. Spert was also commander of the vessel 'Harry Grace de Dieu', and it is possible that the ships depicted on the coat of arms were originally modelled on his ship. Trinity House developed into the chief pilotage authority of the United Kingdom, controlling the lighting and marking of British coastal waters.

This carving is said to have come from some former almshouses of the corporation in Deptford. The original polychrome decoration was even brighter, with naturalistic colouring for the four seascapes. The current paint dates from the 19th century.
Collection
Accession number
262-1879

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 28, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest