Trinity House

Trinity House Depot (The Quay)

Founded by Henry VIII in 1514, Trinity House is responsible for lights and buoys. There has been a Trinity House Depot in Harwich since 1812 and it is now the Headquarters for England and Wales. Previously the Headquarters were in Trinity Square, London next to Tower Hill and the depot was at Blackwall, London. The depot moved to Harwich in 1940.

The present offices (between King's Head St and Church St) were built in 1952, previously the site was part of Groom's timber yard. The Buoy Yard (between West St and George St) presents a fascinating combination of shape and colour. There are frequently lightships moored in the harbour being serviced by the Depot.

A series of mural panels to mark the Millennium is at present being erected on the side of the Buoy Yard sheds facing Gas House Creek. The theme of these panels is the barge building, which was carried out in the creek opposite.

Trinity Pier

Rebuilt in the 1950's on the site of the wooden Continental Pier, also known as the Railway Pier, which was both longer and wider.

The Continental Pier was built in 1866 and was the terminus for the GER ships until Parkeston Quay opened in 1883. Trinity House lighthouse tender ships berth here. Best known of these is the Trinity House flagship 'Patricia', the only vessel which may precede the Royal Yacht when the Sovereign is on board (home waters).

Although the Trinity House vessel 'Mermaid' is based in Swansea, it can be seen moored on a regular basis at this pier.

Train Ferry Terminal

Train ferries formerly operated a daily service carrying rail trucks to Zeebrugge in Belgium.

It was originally built by the Army at Richborough in Kent in the First World War for the conveying of stores and hospital trains to and from France. It was bought as a job lot (shore equipment and ships) by the LNER and brought to Harwich in 1923. The pontoon carrying the lifting gantry sank in the entrance to Harwich Harbour and had to be refloated using barrels.

The service was opened in April 1924 by Prince George (later the Duke of Kent) and operated by three ships (Train Ferry No 1, No 2 and No 3), only one of which (No 1) survived the Second World War.

New ships were built after the Second World War and the service continued until 1987 when it was transferred to Dover.

The creek beyond the Train Ferry Terminal is known as Gas House Creek; previously access to the Gas Works (now demolished). It was formerly much used by fishermen, and was the site of Cann's Yard where the finest Thames barges were built around 1900

The Quay

The quay has undergone many changes through the years......