Coordinates: 51°23′50″N 00°31′40″E / 51.39722, 0.52778

The Commissioner's House (1704), was built for Captain George St Lo who found the previous house unsuitable. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. It remains the oldest surviving naval building in England.

Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway of which 2/3 in Gillingham and 1/3 in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, and thus requiring added defences. The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters Gillingham ( is a town in the Unitary authority of Medway in South East England. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". For 414 years Chatham Dockyard provided over 500 ships for the Royal Navy, and was forefront of shipbuilding, industrial and architectural technology. See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation At its height, it employed over 10,000 skilled artisans, it covered 400 acres (1. An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing 6 km²). Chatham dockyard closed in 1984, and 84 acres of the Georgian dockyard is now managed as a visitor attraction by the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. Chatham Historic Dockyard is a Maritime museum on part of the site of the former royal/naval Dockyard at Chatham in Kent, England.

Outline history

Engraving of "Chatham Dockyard from Fort Pitt" from Ireland's History of Kent, Vol. 4, 1831. Facing p 349. Drawn by G. Sheppard, engraved by R. Roffe.

Dutch Attack on the Medway, June 1667 by Pieter Cornelisz van Soest, painted c. 1667. The captured ship Royal Charles is right of centre

• The Treasurer of the Navy's accounts of the King's Exchequer for the year 1544 identifies Deptford as the Dockyard that carried out all the major repairs to the King's Ships that year. The Treasurer of the Navy was an office in the British government between the mid-16th and early 19th century The Exchequer was (and in some cases still is a part of the governments of England (latterly to include Wales) Scotland, and Northern Ireland Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in south-east London. That was soon to change, although Deptford remained a dockyard for over three centuries.

• In 1547 Jillingham (Gillingham) water, as Chatham Dockyard was then known, is mentioned as second only in importance to Deptford; followed by Woolwich, Portsmouth and Harwich. Gillingham ( is a town in the Unitary authority of Medway in South East England. Woolwich (ˈwʊlɪtʃ or /ˈwʊlɪdʒ/ is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Harwich (ˈhærɪdʒ is a town in Essex England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea In 1550 ships that were then lying off Portsmouth were ordered to be harboured in Jillingham Water, “by reason of its superior strategic location” .

• Chatham was established as a royal dockyard by Elizabeth I in 1567. She herself visited the yard in 1573. By the late 17th century it was the largest refitting dockyard, important during the Dutch wars.

• It was, however superseded first by Portsmouth, then Plymouth, when the main naval enemy became France, and the Western approaches the chief theatre of operations. In addition, the Medway had begun to silt up, making navigation more difficult.

• Chatham became a building yard rather than refitting base. In 1622, the dockyard moved from its original location (now the gun wharf to the south) to its present site. Among many other vessels built in this Dockyard and which still exist are HMS Victory, launched in 1765 - now preserved at Portsmouth Naval Base (i. Construction In December 1758 the commissioner of Chatham Dockyard was instructed to prepare a Dry dock for the construction of a new First-rate e former the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard), and HMS Unicorn, (a Leda class frigate) launched 1824 - now preserved afloat at Dundee (in Scotland) . See also HMS ''Trincomalee'' HMS ''Leda''

• Between 1862 and 1885, the yard had a large building programme and St Mary's basins were constructed along St Mary's creek. The three basins were 28, 20 and 21 acres. There were four new dry docks. Much of the work was done by convict labour. The construction materials required regenerated the North Kent brick and cement industries. It is estimated that 110 million bricks were used. These basins formed the Victorian Dockyard. Chatham built on average, two new ships each year. ^[1]

• When the yards at Deptford and Woolwich closed in 1869, Chatham again became relatively important and remained so until 1983 when it closed.

• With the twentieth century came the submarine. The C17 was launched at Chatham in 1908, and during the World War I, twelve submarines were built here, but when hostilities ceased uncompleted boats were scrapped and it was five years before a further ship was launched. In the prewar years, 8 'S'class submarines were built. This was a period of decline. During the Second World War there were 1360 refits and sixteen launchings. ^[1]

• The final boats constructed in Chatham were Oberon class submarines- Ocelot was the last vessel built for the Royal Navy, and the final vessel was Okanagan built for the Royal Canadian Navy; she was launched 17th September 1966.

• In 1968, a nuclear submarine refitting complex was built complete with refuelling cranes and health physics building. In spite of this in June 1981, it was announced to Parliament that the dockyard would be rundown and close in 1984. ^[1]

• The Georgian site is now a visitor attraction, under the care of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. The Trust is preparing an application for the Dockyard and its Defences to become a World Heritage Site ^[2]. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Basins have new uses, St Mary's Island is now housing and part of the Victorian Dockyard forms the portal to the Medway Tunnel. The Medway Tunnel is a Tunnel under the River Medway linking Strood with Chatham in Kent, England. Other military buildings have now been refitted and are used by the Universities at Medway. The Universities at Medway is a tri-partite collaboration of the University of Greenwich, the University of Kent and Canterbury Christchurch University

Personalities

• Peter Pett, of the family of shipwrights whose history is so closely connected to the Chatham dockyard, was appointed first "Master Shipwright" for Chatham in about 1545. Peter Pett, ( August 6, 1610 &ndash ? 1672) Master Shipwright and 2nd Resident Commissioner Pett of Chatham Dockyard the son of the King's Master Shipwright The so-called Pett Dynasty was a family of shipwrights who prospered in England between the 15th and 17th centuries
• King James I used Chatham dockyard for a meeting in 1606 with Christian IV of Denmark. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Christian IV ( 12 April, 1577 &ndash 28 February, 1648) was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death
• The Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard held a seat and a vote on the Navy Board in London. The Navy Board is today the body responsible for the day-to-day running of the British Royal Navy. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Among the Commissioners were:
  • Sir Edward Gregory, who was the last civilian to hold the office, and retired in 1703
  • Captain Charles Cunningham, retired 1829. Year 1703 ( MDCCIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year His retirement led to the dockyard being placed temporarily under the inspection of Captain J M Lewes, Resident Commissioner at Sheerness. Sheerness (ˈʃɪərnɪs is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England
  • Captain, (later Admiral), Sir Charles Bullen was the first Superintendent, being appointed in December 1831, and invested with the same power and authority as the former Commissioners, "except in matters requiring an Act of Parliament to be submitted by the Commissioner of the Navy".
• Billy Childish, artist, was an apprentice stonemason at the yard in 1976/77

Descriptions

• William Camden (1551-1623) described Chatham dockyard as
  • stored for the finest fleet the sun ever beheld, and ready at a minute’s warning, built lately by our most gracious sovereign Elizabeth at great expense for the security of her subjects and the terror of her enemies, with a fort on the shore for its defence. Billy Childish (real name Steven John Hamper) or William Charlie Hamper (born December 1, 1959) is an English artist author Poet William Camden ( 2 May 1551 &ndash 9 November 1623) was an English Antiquarian and historian
• From the will of Richard Holborne (1654), Shipwright, comes a description of the Dockyard area of Chatham :
  • It talks about his ould house. Richard Hoborn was a Shipbuilder of Kent, England during the 17th century . . as it is now fenced with the brewing house and garden joyning it with the belle now standing. . . and the wharfe in the millponde. . . unto the fence of James Marsh. . . to have ingresse, egresse, and regresse through that way unto the waterside or water gate. . . and. . . the greate Gate Westward. . . and the. . . pumpe.
    • The Chatham Churchwardens’ accounts show that Richard, a cousin of Phineas Pett, was Churchwarden from 1634 to 1643. Phineas Pett ( November 1, 1570 - August 1647) was a Shipwright and a member of the Pett dynasty. A churchwarden is a lay official in a Parish church of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer Further details under Peter Pett. Peter Pett, ( August 6, 1610 &ndash ? 1672) Master Shipwright and 2nd Resident Commissioner Pett of Chatham Dockyard the son of the King's Master Shipwright
• Daniel Defoe visiting the yard in 1705, also spoke of its achievements with an almost incredulous enthusiasm:
  • So great is the order and application there, that a first-rate vessel of war of 106 guns, ordered to be commissioned by Sir Cloudesley Shovell, was ready in three days. Daniel Defoe (1659/1661 — April 24, 1731 was an English Writer, Journalist, and Pamphleteer, who gained enduring fame for Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c November 1650 &ndash 22 October or 23 October 1707) English Admiral, was baptised at Cockthorpe At the time the order was given the vessel was entirely unrigged; yet the masts were raised, sails bent, anchors and cables on board, in that time.

Francis Drake also lived in the old hulks there and spent his youth in Medway.

Significant buildings within the Georgian Dockyard

^[3]

Wood and Canvas

• The Mast Ponds. 1697,1702. Fir logs were seasoned by immersing them in salt water while the sap died back. Firs ( Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of Evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. Alternate meanings Seasoning (cast iron; Seasoning (wood; Seasoning (slave Seasoning is the process of imparting or improving
  • South Mast Pond 1697. Now a car park.
  • North Mast Pond,1702. The ponds were connected by canal.
• Clocktower building 1723. The oldest surviving naval storehouse in any Royal Dockyard. The ground floor was a 'present use store' and the upper floor was a mould loft. It was rebuilt in 1802- the timber cladding was replaced by brick. Weatherboarding is the Cladding or ‘ Siding ’ of a house consisting of long thin timber boards that overlap one another either vertically or horizontally on the In the 20th century it was used for offices, and was adapted in 1996-7 to become the University of Kent's Bridge Warden's College. The University of Kent is a plate glass campus University in Kent, England.
• Sail and Colour Loft 1723. Constructed from timber recycled from warships probably from the Dutch Wars. The Anglo-Dutch Wars ( Dutch: Engels-Nederlandse Oorlogen or Engelse Zeeoorlogen) were fought in the 17th and 18th centuries between England Lower floors were for storage, and the upperfloor is a large open space for sail construction. In 1758 there were 45 sailmakers. A sailmaker is a person who makes and repairs Sails for Sailboats, typically working on shore in a Sail loft. They sewed 2 ft strips of canvas i nto the sails using 108 to 116 stitches per yard. . Flags denoting nationality and for signals were made here. Nationality is a relationship between a Person and their State of Origin, Culture, association Affiliation and/or Loyalty
  • The first Union Flag is reputed to have been designed here
  • The Flags used by Nelson in his 'England expects..' message would have been made here. The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British "England expects that every man will do his duty" was a signal sent by Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson from his Flagship
• Timber Seasoning Sheds 1774. These were built to a standard design with bays 45ft (13. 7m) by 20ft (6. 1m). These are the first standardised industrial buildings. There were 75 bays erected at Chatham Dockyard, to hold three years worth of timber.
• Wheelwrights' shop c1780. A wheelwright (or Wainwright) is a person who builds or repairs Wheels Making and balancing a wheel is skilled work. This three bay building was built as a mast house using 'reclaimed' timber. The top bay was used by the wheel wrights who constructed and repaired the wheels on the dockyard carts, and may have made ships wheels. The middle bay was used by the pumpmakers and the coak and treenail makers. A treenail, trenail, or trunnel is a wood peg or Dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together especially in Timber frame construction and wooden Pumps were simple affairs, made of wood with iron and leather fittings. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Leather is a material created through the Tanning of hides and Skins of Animals primarily Cattlehide The Tanning process Coaks were the bearings in pulley blocks, and treenails were the long oak pins, made on a lathe, or moot that were used to pin the planking to the frames. A lathe (ˈleɪð is a Machine tool which spins a block of material to perform various operations such as Cutting, Sanding, Knurling The west bay was used by the capstan makers, capstans were used to raise the anchor.
• Masthouses and mould loft 1753-8. Masthouses were used to make and store masts. Here there are 7 interlinking masthouses. Above them is the mould loft where the lines of HMS Victory were laid down. Construction In December 1758 the commissioner of Chatham Dockyard was instructed to prepare a Dry dock for the construction of a new First-rate The lines of each frame of a ship would be taken from the plan and scribed full size, into the floor by shipwrights. From this patterns or moulds would be built using softwoods, and from these the actual frames would be built and shaped. This building houses the 'Wooden Walls Exhibition'.
• Joiners Shop c. A Joiner differs from a Carpenter in that he cuts and fits joints in wood that do not use nails usually as a furniture maker 1790 originally to make treenails, but later used by the yards joiners.
• Lower boat House c1820 built as a storehouse for squared timber, and later to store ship's boats.

The Clocktower Building	Sail and Colour Loft	Timber Seasoning sheds	Wheelwrights'shop
Masthouses and Mould Loft	Joiners' Shop

Dry Docks and Covered Slips

• The covered slips 1838-55. It was on slipways that ships were built. A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which Ships or Boats can be moved to and from the water The slipways were covered to prevent ships rotting before they had been launched. The earliest covered slips no longer exist. By 1838 the use of cast and wrought iron in buildings had become feasible. Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. QtubIronPillarJPG|thumb|right| Iron pillar at Delhi India containing 98% wrought iron]] Wrought iron is commercially pure Iron. The oldest slip had a wooden roof, three had cast iron roofing and the last used wrought iron. They are of unique importance in the development of wide span structures such as were later used by the railways. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation.
  • No 3 Slip 1838. This had a linked truss structure and was originally covered in Tarred Paper, which was quickly replaced with a zinc roof. The slip was backfilled around 1900 and a steel mezzanine floor was added. It became a store house for ships boats.
  • No 4, 5 and 6 Slips 1848. These were designed by Capt. Thomas Mould RE and erected by Bakers and Sons of Lambeth. Similar structures were erected at Portsmouth but these are no longer extant. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which They predate the London Train sheds of Paddington and King's Cross which were often cited as the countries first wide span metal structures. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. For other uses see engine shed and Goods shed A train shed is an adjacent building to a Railway station where the tracks Paddington is an area of the City of Westminster, in Central London, England.
  • No 7 Slip, is one of the earliest examples of a modern metal trussed roof. . It was designed in 1852 by Col G. T. Green RE. It was used for shipbuilding until 1966, HMS Ocelot was launched from there 5th May 1962. Gallery
• Dry Dock. A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform The docks are filled by sluice gates set into the caissons, and emptied by a series of underground culverts connected to the pumping station. A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate In Geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining watertight structure used for example to work on the foundations of a Bridge pier, A culvert is a conduit used to enclose a flowing body of Water. Pumping stations are facilities including Pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another
  • No 2 Drydock 1856 was built on the site of 'The Old Single Dock' where HMS Victory was constructed. Construction In December 1758 the commissioner of Chatham Dockyard was instructed to prepare a Dry dock for the construction of a new First-rate In 1863, this dock constructed HMS Achilles, the first iron battleship to be built in a Royal Dockyard. Service history She was commissioned at Chatham in 1864 and served in the Channel Fleet until 1868 A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were It now houses HMS Cavalier it was renamed Victory dock after HMS Victory in 2005 to celebrate the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar, it was attended by the 2nd sea lord at the time Admiral Sir James Michael Burnell-Nugent,
  • No 3 Drydock 1820 the first to be constructed of stone, was designed by John Rennie. Service duty She served in World War II, joining the 6th Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet taking part in operations off Norway It now houses HMS Ocelot. Gallery
  • No 4 Drydock 1840 now houses HMS Gannet. HMS Gannet was a Royal Navy ''Osprey''-class screw Sloop launched on 31 August 1878
• South Dock Pumping Station 1822, designed by John Rennie. It originally housed a beam engine, this was replaced by an electric pump in 1920. A beam engine is a design of Engine based on the principles of a first-class Lever. For information on Wikipedia project-related discussions see WikipediaVillage pump. The building is still in use.

No 4 Dry Dock	No 3 Dry Dock	No 3 Dry Dock	South dock pumping station
No 3 Covered Slip	No 7 Covered Slip	No 7 Covered Slip

Offices and Residential

• Commissioner's House 1704. This is the oldest surviving naval building in England. It was built for he Resident Commissioner, his family and servants. The previous building was built in 1640 for Phineas Pett. Phineas Pett ( November 1, 1570 - August 1647) was a Shipwright and a member of the Pett dynasty. In 1703, Captain George St Lo took up the post and petitioned the Admiralty for a more suitable residence. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Internally the principal feature is the main staircase with its painted wooden ceiling attributed to Thomas Highmore, to sketches by Sir James Thornhill. See also English school of painting Sir James Thornhill ( 25 July 1675 or 1676 – May 4, 1734) was an English
• Commissioner's Garden dating from 1640. The lower terraces are one of the first Italianate Water Gardens in England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland There is a 400 year old Mulberry Tree, from where Oliver Cromwell reputedly watched the Roundhead Army take Rochester from the Royalists. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known " Roundheads " was the Nickname given to the Puritan supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. Rochester is a town in Kent, England. It is located within the Unitary authority area of Medway and is at the lowest bridging point of the There is a eighteenth century Icehouse and a Edwardian Conservatory with its Great Vine. Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid A conservatory is a Glass and Metal structure traditionally found in the Garden of a large house A vine is any plant of Genus Vitis (the Grape plants or by extension any similar climbing or trailing plant
• Officers' Terrace 1722-3. Twelve houses built for senior officers in the Dockyard. The ground floor were built as offices, the first floor contained reception rooms with bedrooms above. Each has a 18C walled garden, which again are now very rare. A walled garden is a Garden enclosed by high Walls These walls may serve a Decorative or Security purpose but their original function They are now privately owned.
• House Carpenters' Shop c 1740. A carpenter (builder is a skilled craftsman who performs carpentry - a wide range of Woodworking that includes constructing buildings, Built to harmonise with the officers terrace. House Carpenters worked solely on maintaining the dockyard buildings.
• Main gatehouse 1722, designed by the master shipwright in the style of Vanbrugh. Sir John Vanbrugh (pronounced "Van'-bru" (24 January 1664? – 26 March 1726 was an English Architect and Dramatist, perhaps best known It bears the arms of George III. George III (George William Frederick 4 June 1738 George III's long reign was marked by a series of military conflicts involving his kingdom much of the rest of Europe and places Inside was the muster bell.
• Guard House 1764. Built when Marines were introduced into the Dockyard to improve security. Marines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective It continued in use till 1984.
• Stables. For Officers' horses.
• Cashiers' Office 18C. John Dickens, father of Charles Dickens worked here from 1817-1822. It is still used as offices.
• Admiral's Offices 1808. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Designed by Edward Holl as offices for the master shipwright. See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a The roofline was low so it would not obstruct the view from the Officers' Terrace. Later it became Port Admiral's office and was extended. Port Admiral was a positional rank now apparently defunct in the British Royal Navy. The northern extension became the dockyard's communication centre.
• Assistant Queens Harbourmaster's Office c 1770. The main entry to the dockyard in the age of sail was the Queen's Stairs, this office was built alongside. In 1865, the whole of the tidal Medway from Allington Lock to Sheerness was designated as a dockyard port and the Assistant Queen's Habourmaster was responsible for all moorings and movements. The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters Allington is the name of several settlements in the United Kingdom Allington Dorset Allington Kent Allington Lincolnshire Sheerness (ˈʃɪərnɪs is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England
• Thunderbolt Pier, a pier named after HMS Thunderbolt, built 1856, which was used as a floating pierhead from 1873 until 1948, when she was rammed and sunk.
• Captain of the Dockyard's House 19C.

Commissioner's House	Commissioner's House and banqueting marquee	The Commissioner's garden with conservatory	The entrance to the Ice House
Officer's Terrace	The Main Gate from outside	The Main Gate and Guardhouse	The Guardhouse
The Admiral's Office	The Captain of the Dockyard's House and Cashier's Office	The Officers'Stables

Anchor Wharf and the Ropery

• Anchor Wharf Store Houses 1778-1805 are the largest storehouses ever built for the navy.
  • The southern building, Store House No 3, completed in 1785, is subdivided with timber lattice partitions as a 'lay apart store' a store for equipment from vessels under repair.
  • The northern building was used as a fitted rigging house, and a general store for equipment to fit out newly built ships.
• The Fitted Rigging House is now used as the Library and Museum of the Royal Dockyards. A library is a collection of information sources resources and services and the structure in which it is housed it is organized for use and maintained by a public body an institution It contains many collections and the original Chatham Chest. The Chatham Chest was a fund set up around 1590 to pay Pensions to Disabled Seamen.
• The Ropery consists of Hemp Houses (1728 extended 1812), Yarn Houses and a double Rope House with attached Hatchelling House. This article is about the cultivation and uses of industrial hemp not its psychoactive cousin Cannabis (drug. The Ropery is still in use being operated by Master Ropemakers Ltd.
  • The Double Rope House has spinning on the upper floors and ropemaking ( a ropewalk) on the ground floor. Spinning is an ancient textile art in which plant, animal or synthetic Fibers are twisted together to form Yarn (or thread A ropewalk is a long straight narrow Lane, or a covered pathway where long strands of material were laid before being twisted into Rope. It is 346m (1135 ft) long, and when constructed was the longest brickbuilt building in Europe capable of laying a 1000ft rope. A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. Over 200 men were required before 1836, to make and lay a 20in (circumference) cable. A cable is one or more Wires or Optical fibers bound together typically in a common protective jacket or sheath All was done by hand. Steam power in the form of a beam engine was introduced in 1836, and then electricity in the early 1900s. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. A beam engine is a design of Engine based on the principles of a first-class Lever.
  • The White Yarn House to store the yarn before it was tarred to prevent rot.
  • The Tarring House with its 'Tar Kettle' and horse drawn winch. Tar is a viscous black Liquid derived from the Destructive distillation of organic matter The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up or let out (wind out or otherwise adjust the " Tension " of a Rope or Wire rope
  • The Black Yarn House to store the tarred yarn. The tarring process declined as manila replaced hemp, and sisal replaced manila. The City of Manila This article is about the cultivation and uses of industrial hemp not its psychoactive cousin Cannabis (drug. Sisal or sisal hemp is an Agave Agave sisalana that yields a stiff Fiber used in making Rope. These fibres were chemically protected at the hatchelling stage and tarring stopped in the 1940s

Anchor Wharf Store Houses	Hemp Houses and Hatchelling House	Hemp Houses and Double Ropewalk	Double Ropewalk and Black Yarn House to right
Laying the Rope	Looking at the traveller	Tops	The Traveller

Later buildings

• No 1. Smithery. A smith, or metalsmith, is a person involved in the shaping of Metal objects 1808. It was designed by Edward Holl, for production of Anchors and Chain. An anchor is an object often made out of metal that is used to attach a ship to the bottom of a body of water at a specific point A chain is a series of connected links. This article is about the literal physical chain Anchors could weigh 72 cwt (3657Kg), and were forged by hand. Anchorsmiths were give an allowance of 8 pintsof strong beer a day, because of the difficult working conditions.
• Dockyard Church 1806. Designed by Edward Holl it has a gallery supported on cast iron columns, one of the first uses of cast iron in the dockyard. Last used in 1981.
• Brunel Saw Mill 1814. Until 1814 timber was cut by pairs of men, one above and one below the log. In 1758, there were 43 pairs of sawyers working in the yard. In 1812 ca the sawmill was designed by Marc Brunel, father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards Sawmill process A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of 100 years ago a log enters Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 &ndash 15 September 1859 (ˈɪzəmbɑrd ˈkɪŋdəm brʊˈnɛl was a British Engineer. The mill was driven by steam. Uses A Steam engine uses the expansion of steam in order to drive a Piston or Turbine to perform Mechanical work. The mill was linked to the mast ponds by a mechanical timber transport system, and underground canals. Later the basement was converted into a steam laundry. Laundry can be items of Clothing and other Textiles that require Washing the act of washing clothing and textiles
• Lead and Paint Mill 1818. Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly Paint is any Liquid, liquifiable or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque Solid Designed by Edward Holl to be fireproof. There was a lead furnace, casting area and steam powered double rolling mill, paint mills for grinding pigment, canvas stretching frames, and vats for storing and boiling linseed oil. A furnace is a device used for Heating The name derives from Latin fornax, Oven. A rolling mill is a Machine or Factory for shaping Metal by passing it between a pair of Work rolls. Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making Sails Tents Marquees Backpacks and other functions Linseed oil, also known as flax seed oil or simply flax oil, is a clear to yellowish Drying oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the Flax A warship was painted every 4 months.
• No 1 Machine Shop. This building retains it original structure and roof glazing. It was used to house the machine tools needed to produce HMS Achilles, the first iron battleship built in a Royal Dockyard. A machine tool is a powered mechanical device typically used to fabricate metal components of machines by Machining, which is the selective removal of metal Service history She was commissioned at Chatham in 1864 and served in the Channel Fleet until 1868 A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were
• The Galvanising Shop c1890. Galvanising is a process of dipping steel in molten zinc to prevent it from rusting. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Rust is a general term for a series of Iron oxides, usually red oxides formed by the reaction of Iron with Oxygen in the presence of water or air There were baths of acid and molten zinc, the fumes vented through louvres in the roof. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are Fume is an English Punk/Alternative Rock/Post Grunge band and is the brain child of lead-singer Jon Ham It is currently used as a visitors centre.
• Chain Cable Shed c1900, built to protect newly manufactured anchor chain. An anchor is an object often made out of metal that is used to attach a ship to the bottom of a body of water at a specific point A chain is a series of connected links. This article is about the literal physical chain It is supported by a row of 28 captured French and Spanish guns. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Dockyard Church	Dockyard Church	Brunel Sawmill	Brunel Sawmill
No 1 Machine Shop	Galvanising Shop

Defence of the dockyard

The defences in 1770.

The defences in 1812.

How the military presence developed after 1820, showing how the need for housing gave birth to New Brompton, showing roads and railways.

Upnor Castle

Main article: Upnor Castle

Dockyards have always required shore defences. Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort located in the village of Upnor, Kent England Among the earliest for Chatham was Upnor Castle, built in 1567, on the opposite side of the River Medway. Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort located in the village of Upnor, Kent England The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters It was somewhat unfortunate that on the one occasion it was required for action in the Raid on the Medway, 1667, the Dutch fleet were able to sail right past it to attack the British fleet, to carry off the pride of the fleet the Royal Charles back to the Netherlands. The Raid on the Medway, sometimes called the Battle of Medway or the Battle of Chatham, was a successful Dutch attack on the largest English

Chain defence

During the wars with Spain it was usual for ships to anchor at Chatham in reserve; consequently John Hawkins threw a massive chain across the River Medway for extra defence. Admiral Sir John Hawkins (also spelled as John Hawkyns) ( Plymouth 1532 &ndash November 12 1595) was an English shipbuilder Hawkin's chain was later replaced with a boom of masts, iron, cordage, and the hulls of two old ships, besides a couple of ruined pinnacles. This arrangement was again upgraded around 1645.

The Lines

With the failure of Upnor castle it was seen necessary to increase the defences. In the event, those defences were built in distinct phases, as the government saw the increasing threat of invasion. The building was as follows [complete details can be seen at the external link]:

• 1669 Gillingham and Cookham Wood forts built
• 1756 Chatham [or Cumberland] Lines built. Gillingham ( is a town in the Unitary authority of Medway in South East England. This fortification, and its subsequent upgrading, were to concentrate on an overland attack, so that they were built to face the south. It included redoubts at Amherst and Townsend. The Lines enclosed the entire dockyard on its eastern side.
• 1805-1812 Amherst redoubt now Fort Amherst; new forts named Pitt and Clarence. Fort Amherst, in Kent, England, was constructed in 1756 at the southern end of the Brompton lines of defence to protect the southeastern approaches
• 1860s Grain Fort, and other smaller batteries in that area
• 1870-1892 A number of forts built at a greater distance from the dockyard: Forts Bridgewood, Luton, Borstal, Horsted and Darland. These became known as the ‘’Great Lines’’. Forts Darnet and Hoo built on islands in the River Medway.

Growth of the dockyard

The growing importance of the dockyard was illustrated between 1619-20 with the addition of two new mast ponds, and the granting of additional land on which a dock, storehouse, and various brick and lime kilns were planned.

The renewed outbreak of war with Spain demonstrated the need for such readiness, and in 1710 land was ordered to be bought to improve the dockyard.

By the year 1770 the establishment had so expanded that, including the gun wharf, it stretched a mile (1. 6 km) in length, and included an area of in excess of 95 acres (384,000 m²), possessing four slip ways and four large docks.

The officers and men employed in the yard also increased, and by 1798 they numbered 1664, including 49 officers and clerks and 624 shipwrights. See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a Additionally required were the blockmakers, caulkers, pitch-heaters, blacksmiths, joiners and carpenters, sail makers, riggers, and ropemakers (274), as well as bricklayers, labourers and others. blacksmith is a person who creates objects from Iron or Steel by Forging the Metal; i A Joiner differs from a Carpenter in that he cuts and fits joints in wood that do not use nails usually as a furniture maker A carpenter (builder is a skilled craftsman who performs carpentry - a wide range of Woodworking that includes constructing buildings, A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. A bricklayer or mason is a Tradesman who lays bricks to construct Brickwork.

The dockyards final task was refitting nuclear submarines. This article is a subarticle of Nuclear power. A nuclear reactor is a device in which Nuclear chain reactions are initiated controlled A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability HMS Hermione was the last ship launched from there, though she had not been built there, but merely refitted. See also Warship (TV series HMS ''Hero'' Royal Navy

Closure and regeneration

The dockyard closed in 1984. It covered 400 acres (1. 6 km²). After closure this was divided into three sections. The easternmost basin was handed over to the Medway Ports authority and is now a commercial port. Medway Ports, incorporating the Port of Sheerness and Chatham Docks is part of Peel Ports, the second largest port group in the United Kingdom 80 acres (324,000 m²), comprising the 18th century core of the site, was transferred to a charity called the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and is now open as a visitor attraction. Chatham Historic Dockyard is a Maritime museum on part of the site of the former royal/naval Dockyard at Chatham in Kent, England. The other tranch was converted into a mixed commercial, residential and leisure development.

St Mary's Island, a 150 acre site, once a part of the Dockyard, has been transformed to a residential community for some 1500 homes. It has several themed areas with traditional maritime buildings, a fishing village with its multicoloured houses and a modern energy-efficient concept. Many homes have views of the River Medway. A primary school (St. Mary's CofE) and a medical centre provide facilities for the residents and there are attractive walks around the Island.

The Topsail Schooner Julia visiting the middle basin in 2006, behind her you can see the St Mary's Island housing estate.

References

See also

• Chatham Historic Dockyard
• British narrow gauge railways

External links

• The Chatham forts
• The Historic Dockyard Trust
• Chatham Dockyard Historical Society website
• Chatham's World Heritage Site application