The Dockyard Story

Heritage as a catalyst for regeneration

In 1960, after nearly 300 years in the service of the British fleet, the Royal Naval Dockyard at Sheerness closed and was sold to commercial port operator. During the subsequent two decades many buildings shown on John Rennie’s model dockyard were lost to demolition. 

Today, Sheerness is a busy commercial port (operated by Peel Ports). Surviving within its fringes are many important buildings from the 19th-century. In recent years, and thanks to the combined efforts of organisations such as the Spitalfields Trust, SAVE Britain’s Heritage and Historic England, supported by funding from owner-investors, a dozen important listed buildings in the former residential quarter have been repaired. Likewise, Naval Terrace, the fine row of Grade II* late-Georgian houses adjacent to the church has now been lovingly restored by residents. Now the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust is working to bring the greatest dockyard building, Dockyard Church, back from the brink.

Putting Sheerness back on the map

In addition to the church project the Sheerness Dockyard Preservation Trust is looking to find ways to help bring more of the historic dockyard’s remarkable heritage back into sustainable use – working with stakeholders including the local authority and Peel Ports – and advocating heritage-led regeneration to help put Sheerness back on the map.

Pepys plans a dockyard  /  Rennie’s model dockyard

See also : Posts in Heritage