The High Court of Admiralty was created as a separate court following the Battle of Sluys in 1340. In the following century, it was administered by the Vice-Admiral of England who was the deputy of the Lord High Admiral who acted as the courts judge. The high court of admiralty absorbed the jurisdiction duties of the separate admiralty courts of the admirals of the north, south and west by 1414. In 1483 it was decided to establish a distinct office separate from that of the Vice-Admiral of England thus relieving him from one of his responsibilities. Until the resignation of the Duke of York in 1673 the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty was appointed by the Lord High Admiral by letters patent. From 1673 appointments were granted by the monarch and confirmed by letters patent. There was one exception to this rule in 1714 when Judge Henchman was appointed by the Board of Admiralty. Between the years 1694 to 1707 he was a member of the Privy Council of England and until 1714 the Privy Council of Great Britain. In all there were 40 Judges of the High Court of Admiralty appointed some served more than once from 1483 until 1875 when the court itself was abolished thus bringing to an end nearly 400 years of history. The office holder was part of the admiralty's Judicial Department.