Preservation through reuse
The Historic Dockyard Chatham is in the stewardship of independent charity, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.
The Trust’s objectives of education and preservation are achieved by a strategy of preservation through reuse.
Chatham historic dockyard trust
Preserving maritime history
For more than four centuries Chatham was one of the most important centres of warship building and repair. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it became one of the country’s largest and most important industrial sites.
The Royal Dockyard at Chatham closed in March 1984, bringing more than 400 years of service to a close.
Today, under the custody of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, it is the world’s most complete dockyard of the Age of Sail and is home to over 100 buildings and structures, including 47 Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Our Charity
As a registered charity that employs over 140 people, the Trust aims to not only set the benchmark in maintaining excellence in the sympathetic preservation and use of The Historic Dockyard Chatham, its buildings, ships and collections through diverse re-use, but also to engage the widest possible audiences in learning about the significance and history of the former Royal Dockyard.
Our Work
The Historic Dockyard Chatham is much more than a museum and heritage site – it’s a place where over 100 businesses have chosen to locate, that over 400 people call home and where over 600 people study with the University of Kent.
We work in a number of different ways to fulfil our charitable objectives of preservation and learning. The majority of our operating income is generated through these charitable activities as well as a range of commercial trading activities.
