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Sail and steam: The Gannet was a turning point in ship design Chatham Dockyard played a vital role in supporting the Royal Navy for more than 400 years, building and repairing ships that would serve in some of this country’s most significant naval actions, from the Spanish Armada to the Falklands War.
Over the centuries the dockyard provided 500 ships for the navy, including Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, which saw action at the Battle of Trafalgar, and HMS Achilles. Built in 1863, Achilles was the first iron battleship constructed in a royal dockyard. The site remained active well into the 20th century, moving on to submarine construction and the refitting of Cold War submarines, until its closure in 1984.
Today, visitors can roam the 80-acre site to discover its rich maritime history. The grounds are dotted with examples of shipbuilding machinery and boast three dry docks, three historic warships and a host of maritime galleries and exhibitions in Grade I and II listed buildings.
Begin your visit at the Upper Mast House. Its mould loft was once where the lines of each frame of a ship would be scribed full-size into the floor by shipwrights. It is now home to the Hearts of Oak exhibition, where digital actors guide you around a reconstruction of the 18th century dockyard.
On display: The Upeer Mast House
The cavernous Big Space holds an impressive collection of giant maritime tools, steam machinery, vessels and military vehicles, including the aptly named D-Day locomotive Overlord. Perhaps even more impressive is the building itself. Constructed in 1838, this immense covered slip was Europe’s largest wide-span timber structure and is a wonder to behold.
Climb aboard the beautifully restored naval sloop, HMS Gannet, built at Chatham in 1878. Powered by both sail and steam and with a teak hull constructed on an iron frame, the vessel is noted as a turning point in ship design.
Visitors can also explore Second World War destroyer HMS Cavalier or go down into the depths of the submarine Ocelot, which was the last warship to be built at Chatham and served the Royal Navy throughout the height of the Cold War. Guided tours of the diesel-electric submarine paint a vivid, and claustrophobic, picture of what life under the
sea was like for its 80-strong crew.
The Cold War submarine Ocelot
The No 1 Smithery, formerly for ironworking, has seen the recent addition of the Maritime Treasures gallery. This showcases an extensive collection of art, more than 4,000 ship models and previously unseen artefacts from the National Maritime Museum and Imperial War Museum.
A forthcoming project is called Command of the Oceans. This will see the construction of a new entrance to the visitor attraction and a discovery centre linking the former naval base with other heritage sites.
Chatham Dockyard is overflowing with fascinating collections but be sure to set aside a whole day so you can give it the attention it deserves.
5 things to see:
1. The Gannet: A beautifully restored ship that is a testament to Victorian engineering.
2. The Ocelot: Cold War submarine was the last warship built at Chatham.
3. The Big Space: Mammoth machinery in an architectural gem of a building.
4. Hearts of Oak: The story of the workers, ships and processes brought to life.
5. Steam, Steel and Submarines: Discover the central role the dockyard played in the two world wars.
For more details see: www.thedockyard.co.uk