Nowhere can you get a sense of how British maritime innovation, engineering and design broke the mould than on our historic warships – HMS Gannet (1878), HMS Cavalier (1944) and HMS Ocelot (1962). From the moment you catch your first glimpse of these mighty vessels you’ll sense the vision, grit and hard work that created them and the courage, determination and endurance of the sailors who sailed them.
A visit to our three Historic Warships will allow you to discover what life was really like onboard. Walk the decks of a Victorian sloop, command the bridge of a Second World War Destroyer and peer through the periscope of Cold War submarine. Each are examples of warships built, repaired or refitted at the Dockyard. The dockside cranes bear witness to the heavy-duty work that was carried out here.
Be prepared for a memorable experience as you climb aboard.
HMS Gannet was built on the River Medway at Sheerness in 1878. Designed to patrol the world’s oceans, she ‘flew the flag’ protecting British interests around the world, including the South Pacific, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
Built in 1944, HMS Cavalier served in the Arctic, Western Approaches and British Pacific Fleet before finally paying off at Chatham in 1972.
Launched in 1962, HM Submarine Ocelot was one of 57 submarines built at Chatham between 1908 and 1966. She served during the Cold War in the Arctic, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.
Visit the HMS Cavalier Virtual Reality Experience
Welcome aboard ...
As with the rest of the world, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust is closely monitoring the situation around the global pandemic of COVID-19.
It is with sadness that following UK Government guidelines we have closed our visitor attraction to the public until further notice.
This closure also extends to Call the Midwife Official Location Tours.
Whilst outside of our control, we apologise for any inconvenience caused during this difficult time and would like to thank all our visitors for their understanding during this challenging period.
We are taking forward orders and enquiries for business ‘post lockdown’ – Master Ropemakers Ltd, film & TV productions, Call the Midwife tours, group travel, weddings, corporate hospitality and conferences.
Last updated: 28 May 2020