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Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Historic Dockyard Chatham

Name: Historic Dockyard Chatham
Address: Dock Road, Chatham, ME44TZ, GB
Telephone: +441634823800
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.8

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Historic Dockyard Chatham

Set sail on a voyage of discovery through the Age of Sail at Kent’s leading maritime destination.
(942)

Explore this award-winning maritime heritage destination with the largest concentration of iconic buildings, historic ships, museum galleries and attractions in the UK. In a partnership with Imperial War Museums and Royal Museums Greenwich, the brilliant No.1 Smithery displays world class maritime treasures and a changing programme of exhibitions.

14/06/2025

There are still tickets available for Armed Forces Day at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

📍 The Historic Dockyard Chatham
📆 Saturday 28 June
🎟 Free but must be reserved in advance

On the day, you can enjoy colourful military parades, displays, bands and singers as we come together to celebrate the bravery of those who have answered the call of duty. Prepare to be captivated by a range of immersive experiences – from military displays to musical performances.

👉 Get your Free tickets today: https://bit.ly/CHDT_AFD-2025

📸 Patrick Boniface and Pepsoft Photography

13/06/2025

It's the final chance to complete the feedback form if you visited during the May Half Term.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on your visit. Please spend a few moments filling in our feedback form and let us know about the bits you liked and the bits you didn't.

👉 https://bit.ly/CHDT_2025Survey

📸 Aerial Imaging South East

12/06/2025

Join us on Sunday for Brickwrecks: Brick Bonds Build Workshop.

Race against the clock ⏱ to build something found in a shipwreck.

Will you piece together a sunken treasure chest? A lost anchor? Or maybe a mysterious sea creature lurking in the deep?

You’ll have just 15 minutes to craft your masterpiece before surfacing—so think fast, build faster!

A fun, guided experience led by brick enthusiast Andrew Webb and suitable for all skill levels.

📆 Father’s Day; 15 June
🎟 Included with standard Dockyard ticket.
🍴 Enjoy a delicious build-your-own burger in the Mess Deck restaurant

11/06/2025

❓ Did you know? On this day in 1847, Sir John Franklin died at the age of 61.

Sir John was leading the fateful expedition to the Northwest Passage. The LEGO interpretation of the two ships, TERROR and EREBUS, can be seen as a part of Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks

For this month's Warship Wednesday, we are focusing on three of the other well-known ships within the exhibition: BATAVIA, RMS TITANIC, and VASA.

You may already know the story of TITANIC, and when completed, she was the largest vessel in the world.

It is an opportunity to learn more about Sweden's VASA, which sank off Stockholm on 10th August 1628. The incident happened on her maiden voyage, after travelling approximately 1400 yards. Or the mutiny and gruesome tale of BATVIA.

👉 Find out more: https://bit.ly/CHDT_VASA-BATVIA-TITANIC

📸 Oliver Dixon

10/06/2025

Lights 💡
Camera 🎥
Action 🎬

We are delighted to launch our brand new film location tour. Where History Meets Hollywood.

It's your chance to unlock the cinematic universe and discover the films and TV shows filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The new 90-minute tour allows you to venture into areas not open to the public and gain insider knowledge from our Dockyard crew who have worked with the productions. Discover how the magic happens, a rare chance to explore one of Britain's most filmed locations like never before.

👉 Tickets are available to book now: https://bit.ly/CHDT_Film-Locations-Tour

With thanks to the tour’s sponsors, Medway UKSPF Medway Council GOV.UK

📸 Alex BaileyWith thanks to the tour’s sponsors, Medway UKSPF.

09/06/2025

HMS CAVALIER - "The Fastest Ship in the Fleet"

One of CAVALIER’s final duties was to secure her a proud place in Naval history.

Following a challenge set during an exercise in 1970, a race was arranged between HMS CAVALIER and the frigate HMS RAPID to decide which ship was faster.

The challenge was particularly interesting as RAPID, being a former “R” class destroyer, had a hull form and machinery outfit identical to that of the CAVALIER.

Both ships were now elderly by Naval standards, but with the passing of the fleet destroyers, they were still two of the fastest vessels in the Royal Navy. A national newspaper donated a trophy for the “Fastest Ship in the Fleet”, attracting great publicity. On 6th July 1971, the two ships met off the Firth of Forth in perfect weather.

After two hours the race had little in it,

After two hours, the race had little in it, but the frigate lifted a safety valve. HMS CAVALIER was declared winner by a mere 30 yards, over a distance of 64 miles. Her average speed was 31.8 knots, a speed that very few more modern ships could achieve.

Since then, CAVALIER has been affectionately known as “The Fastest of the Greyhounds”.

After a record 27 years of Royal Navy service, HMS CAVALIER was approved for disposal in December 1971. She returned to Chatham for the last time on 5th July 1972 where she was laid up to await her fate…

08/06/2025

Join us for our next evening talk: In Conversation With … Anthony Mould on Thursday 12 June.

Our talks are FREE to attend (you do not need a Dockyard admission ticket), but spaces are limited. Tickets must be booked in advance.

Anthony Mould is a fine-art dealer and the founder of his eponymous gallery specialising in British art.

Anthony will be in conversation with Nick Ball, Collections, Galleries and Interpretation Manager, discussing the Trust’s recent acquisition of a ‘View of Chatham’ attributed to Ramsay Richard Reinagle. The painting shows the Dockyard looking north from Jackson’s Field across the river Medway in about 1800.

The Trust received support from the Art Fund and V&A Art Council Purchase Grant in acquiring this painting.

👉 https://bit.ly/CHDT_Anthony-Mould_Evening-Talk

07/06/2025

This Volunteers' Week, we celebrated the long service of some of our dedicated volunteers with a very special Coffee Morning. ☕

We are lucky to have so many highly dedicated volunteers at The Historic Dockyard Chatham and we wanted to celebrate them. During a fun-filled coffee morning, we handed out awards celebrating five years through to 30 years of service. 👏👏

We want to thank all our volunteers for their dedication and the time they continue to give to the Historic Dockyard.

Two of our longest-serving volunteers, David and Frank, both started volunteering at the Dockyard in 1994.

👉 Read all about David and Frank: https://bit.ly/CHDT_Volunteers-Week_Long-Service-2025

06/06/2025

In today's Volunteers' Week post, we honour the anniversary of the D-Day landings by focusing on the Railway Volunteers and their role in preserving WD 42 'Overlord'.

The Dockyard's railway is operated and maintained by a small and dedicated group of volunteers.

Operating any locomotive on our line brings back the nostalgia of what the site would have been like in its heyday, but 'Overlord' is something special for the volunteers.

“As volunteers, we have the opportunity to run WD 42 "Overlord" and keep it in working order, just as people have been doing for the last 81 years. However, it is humbling to do it in the comfort of a workshop rather than in the conflict of war.

During recent repair works on ‘Overlord’, we uncovered evidence of a ‘hasty’ repair that may have happened during the war. Thoughts turn to those brave men who carried out that repair under possibly arduous conditions, it makes us proud of their sacrifice and glad that we can continue honouring those by keeping ‘Overlord’ in operation for future visitors to experience that feeling of being in her presence as she trundles through the Dockyard.”

👉 Read the full blog: https://bit.ly/CHDT_Volunteers-Week_Overlord

04/06/2025

This Volunteers’ Week, we follow Ships’ Volunteer Jane to find out what she gets up to on a normal day at the Dockyard.

Jane says:
The regular task that I have been assigned is the cleaning of the gullies on the deck of HMS GANNET. I like to get it finished before the public enters at 10.00. So, I grab my broom and bucket, head over to the GANNET and fill up my bucket from the water tap alongside the ship. This task usually takes me around one hour, then it is time for tea!

Next, I look for Jamie or Dave to get my next job, but if I can’t find them, I will wander around the workshop, observing and chatting with the rest of the team. If I am lucky, I get a tutorial or better still I am invited to have a go.

During my time with this team, I have learnt new skills including shotblasting, machine polishing, wood carving on the lathe, painting, pop riveting, welding, woodworking skills and mechanics.

I absolutely love volunteering; it gives me a purpose and the feeling of being a part of a team. You are definitely never too old to learn new skills, and no two weeks are the same. It is impossible to choose a favourite!

👉 Read Jane's Blog: https://bit.ly/CHDT_A-Day-with-Jane

03/06/2025

Today's Volunteers’ Week blog is 'Money for Old Rope(ry Tools)'.

We hear from learning and Chatham Dockyard Historical Society volunteer, Ian. No task is too big or small, and last year he won the office ‘Dockyard Bake Off’ with a delicious Lemon Devil cake. Somewhere amongst all that, he’s even been helping out Alex Rowling from the Master Ropemakers.

Just before Christmas and while we were making rope-based wreaths, Alex produced some rusty old tools that she intended to throw out. I offered to try and rescue them. Now that the weather has got a bit warmer, I have ventured into my garage to give it a go.

Initially, I was interested in trying out the electrolysis method. I set up a suitable tank using an old laptop DC charger. It was cold, and I rushed the process, so I did not enjoy the success that the YouTubers presented in their videos. Hence, waiting for spring and this mini heatwave.

Meanwhile, I researched some other methods of removing rust and decided to use the one involving a powerful acid bath and some disposable gloves.

The rust comes off in a day or two of soaking. The tool then goes into a bath of bicarbonate of soda to neutralise the acid. I am told that surfaces become vulnerable to rusting again. A bit of elbow grease is required to rub off the black stuff with a wire brush and wire wool, and the tool looks almost new. A bit of 3 in 1 to finish should protect them until next Christmas and ease the bearings.

Since we are a museum, it is appropriate to note that most of these tools bear the logo of “Wilko” and are therefore museum pieces already!

02/06/2025

This Volunteers' Week, we’re proud to be spotlighting the incredible work our team of volunteers carry out.

The first blog post peeks behind the curtain of Collections Management and how a team of three volunteers, Lucy, Kirsty, and Celia, have undertaken condition checks of the uniforms in storage.

Condition checking is not just a quick glance at the object but a chance to make sure that our cataloguing and documentation are correct. The volunteers recorded the item reference numbers, a description of the piece and noted any problems that might need conservation treatment.

👉 Read the full blog: https://bit.ly/CHDT_Volunteers-Week_Condition-Check

Address

Dock Road
Chatham
ME44TZ

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441634823800

Website

https://thedockyard.co.uk/

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