The River Medway has an extraordinary story to tell.  Over four centuries, no less than 400 Royal Navy ships were built at Chatham.  In 1547 during the reign of Henry VIII, the first storehouse was rented to service the king's ships at anchor in the River Medway.

Many of the ships which took part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 sailed from Chatham, having been carefully prepared by the yard's shipwrights. 

The Historic Dockyard Chatham as it is now known, is set in 32 hectares (80 acres) site.  It was once a centre of intense activity, employing thousands of men who brought with them the skills and trades which built England's most famous men of war, such as HMS Victory, Temeraire, Revenge and Leviathan.

Later, the dockyard lost some of its importance as a fleet base yet maintained its considerable strength as a ship building and repair centre. 

In 1863 the Achilles became the first iron battleship to be launched from the Royal Dockyard, followed by a period of great activity from 1908 to 1966 when 57 submarines were launched.  Finally, having played such an important role in the nations defence for so many years the dockyard closed in 1984.

Today, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is now major visitor attraction in Medway.  Ranging across 80 acres, it contains 47 scheduled ancient monuments forming the most complete 18th century dockyard in the world. 

Vistitors can now discover how the famous warships were built, explore the many on-site attractions and galleries and learn the skills of ropemaking with guides dressed in period costume, climb aboard historic warships and visit Smithery No.1, a new cultural venue with world-class models, art and objects on display from two national musuems.   The Historic Dockyard Chatham offers breathtaking architecture, it's educational and a great family day out.

Fort Amherst was built in 1756 to protect the dockyard from landward attack.  It is made up of a thrilling complex of underground chambers and tunnels.  The French prisoners of war extended the tunnels in the early part of the 19th century along with the creation of of vast underground stores, gun batteries, new magazine, barracks and guardrooms.  The fort remained active right up to the Second World War and is now a heritage attraction for visitors to enjoy.

The history of the Royal Engineers in Medway is a fascinating one and the barracks, in the small town of Brompton, is still used today as a military base for our soldier engineers.  

Lord Kitchener and General Gordon, famous military leaders were both based at the Brompton Barracks.  The statue of Lord Kitchener, which previously stood in Khartoum, now proudly stands in Dock Road - the road from Chatham to Brompton.

The Royal Engineers Museum provides a fascinating insight into the debt and part played by our soldier engineers in our past and the present day.  The thinking which led to the fortifications at Rochester Castle and the protective works around the dockyard are revealed.

The museum's collections have something for everyone; medals, uniforms, weapons, equipment and personal mementos including the map used by Wellington at Waterloo.  More unexpected are the treasures collected by the Royal Engineers as they travelled the world with the 19th century Imperial Army, such as the Court Dress presented to General Charles Gordon for his military service to the Chinese Imperial Authorities in the1860s. 

The museum is Kent's only designated museum of national and international importance.  If you are interested in military history and the "Sappers", then a visit to The Royal Engineers Museum is a must.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Upnor Castle and the defences of the Great Lines, are now on the UK's shortlist as a World Heritage Site.