Chatham Dockyard & Naval Barra

Chatham’s connection to the Royal Navy stretches back to the Elizabethan era, with its current site established in 1622. It served as a vital hub for building, repairing, maintaining, and supplying ships.

In the mid-19th century, the dockyard expanded onto St Mary’s Island, adding three large basins and five new docks, almost quadrupling its size to accommodate 20th-century vessels.

Following this expansion, construction began on HMS Pembroke, a new barracks for Royal Navy seamen. Opened in 1903, it housed 5,000 officers and ratings for eighty years.

The dockyard and barracks closed in 1984, marking the end of the Royal Navy’s presence in Chatham. However, its legacy endures, with the historic dockyard and barrack buildings now welcoming residents and visitors.