-------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D. C.  20549

                           -------------------------

                                   FORM  T-1

         STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939
                 OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                  -------------------------------------------
              CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
                   A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) 

                   ----------------------------------------

                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

New York                                                             13-4994650
(State of incorporation                                        (I.R.S. employer
if not a national bank)                                     identification No.)

270 Park Avenue
New York, New York                                                        10017
(Address of principal executive offices)                             (Zip Code)

                               William H. McDavid
                                General Counsel
                                270 Park Avenue
                            New York, New York 10017
                              Tel:  (212) 270-2611
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

            -------------------------------------------------------

                     Terra Nova Insurance (UK) Holdings PLC
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

   England and Wales                                            Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                             identification No.)

Terra Nova House
41-43 Mincing Lane
London EC3R 7SP, Great Britain
(171) 283-3000
(Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)

              ---------------------------------------------------
                           7.2% Senior Notes due 2007
                      (Title of the indenture securities)

        ---------------------------------------------------------------

 
                                    GENERAL

Item 1. General Information.

        Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

        (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which
it is subject.
 
            New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York
            12110.

            Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.,
            20551
 
            Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty Street,
            New York, N.Y.

            Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C., 20429.


        (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

            Yes.


Item 2. Affiliations with the Obligor.

        If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

        None.



                                     - 2 -

 
Item 16. List of Exhibits
 
         List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of
Eligibility.

         1.  A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee as now in
effect, including the Organization Certificate and the Certificates of Amendment
dated February 17, 1969, August 31, 1977, December 31, 1980, September 9, 1982,
February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see Exhibit 1 to Form T-1
filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

         2.  A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence
Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration
Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference.  On July 14, 1996,
in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed
The Chase Manhattan Bank).

         3.  None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being
contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

         4.  A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to
Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

         5.  Not applicable.

         6.  The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act
(see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No.
33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection
with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase
Manhattan Bank).

         7.  A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published
pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

         8.  Not applicable.

         9.  Not applicable.

                                   SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the
Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in
the City of New York and State of New York, on the 8th day of October, 1997.
 
                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK

                                By  /s/  David G. Safer
                                   --------------------
                                    /s/  David G. Safer
 
                                     - 3 -

 
                             Exhibit 7 to Form T-1


                                Bank Call Notice

                             RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
                      CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

                            The Chase Manhattan Bank
                  of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
                     and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
                    a member of the Federal Reserve System,

                   at the close of business June 30, 1997, in
        accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
        District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.




                                                                    Dollar Amounts
           ASSETS                                                    in Millions
                                                                 
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
  Noninterest-bearing balances and
  currency and coin.............................................        $ 13,892
  Interest-bearing balances.....................................           4,282
Securities:...................................
Held to maturity securities.....................................           2,857
Available for sale securities...................................          34,091
Federal funds sold and securities purchased
 under agreements to resell.....................................          29,970
Loans and lease financing receivables:
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income   $124,827
  Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses     2,753
  Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve......      13
                                             --------
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income,
  allowance, and reserve........................................         122,061
Trading Assets..................................................          56,042
Premises and fixed assets (including
 capitalized leases)............................................           2,904
Other real estate owned.........................................             306
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and
  associated companies..........................................             232
Customers' liability to this bank on
 acceptances outstanding........................................           2,092
Intangible assets...............................................           1,532
Other assets....................................................          10,448
                                                                        --------
TOTAL ASSETS....................................................        $280,709
                                                                        ========


                                     - 4 -

 
                                  LIABILITIES

                                                                   
Deposits
  In domestic offices............................................       $ 91,249
  Noninterest-bearing.................................... $38,157
  Interest-bearing.......................................  53,092
                                                           ------
  In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries,
  and IBF's......................................................         70,192  
  Noninterest-bearing ................................... $ 3,712
  Interest-bearing......................................   66,480
 
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agree-
ments to repurchase..............................................         35,185
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury.........................          1,000
Trading liabilities..............................................         42,307
 
Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness
  and obligations under capitalized leases):
  With a remaining maturity of one year or less..................          4,593  
  With a remaining maturity of more than one year 
       through three years.......................................            260
  With a remaining maturity of more than three years.............            146
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding.........          2,092
Subordinated notes and debentures................................          5,715
Other liabilities................................................         11,373
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES................................................        264,112
                                                                         -------
                                 EQUITY CAPITAL

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus....................              0
Common stock.....................................................          1,211
Surplus  (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)........         10,283
Undivided profits and capital reserves...........................          5,280
Net unrealized holding gains (losses)
on available-for-sale securities.................................           (193)
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments..............             16
 
TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL.............................................         16,597
                                                                          ------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL.............................       $280,709
                                                                        ========


I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the above-named
bank, do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has
been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued
by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true
to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                    JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness
of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been
examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and
belief has been prepared in conformance with the in-
structions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory
authority and is true and correct.

                    WALTER V. SHIPLEY       )
                    THOMAS G. LABRECQUE     )   DIRECTORS
                    WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR.)

                                      -5-