Lord High Admiral of the Wash
Encyclopedia
The position of Lord High Admiral of the Wash is an ancient hereditary naval office of England
. In mediaeval times, the Lord High Admiral of the Wash was a nobleman with responsibility for the defence and protection of The Wash
coast in north East Anglia
. The post was granted to the le Strange family after the Norman Conquest.
In the 16th century the post became obsolete and the Royal Navy
took over the defence of the area. However, the post was never formally abolished, and remains a hereditary dignity that now has no responsibilities or privileges of any kind. The present Lord High Admiral of the Wash lives in Hunstanton
, Norfolk
, and inherited the Admiralty through his mother's line.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In mediaeval times, the Lord High Admiral of the Wash was a nobleman with responsibility for the defence and protection of The Wash
The Wash
The Wash is the square-mouthed bay and estuary on the northwest margin of East Anglia on the east coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire. It is among the largest estuaries in the United Kingdom...
coast in north East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
. The post was granted to the le Strange family after the Norman Conquest.
In the 16th century the post became obsolete and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
took over the defence of the area. However, the post was never formally abolished, and remains a hereditary dignity that now has no responsibilities or privileges of any kind. The present Lord High Admiral of the Wash lives in Hunstanton
Hunstanton
Hunstanton, often pronounced by locals as and known colloquially as 'Sunny Hunny', is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, facing The Wash....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and inherited the Admiralty through his mother's line.