The great Dockyard Model moves to its new (temporary) home

The Dockyard Model on display in the Boat Store at Sheerness in the 1960s

The Dockyard Model on display in the Boat Store at Sheerness in the 1960s

The great model of the Dockyard at Sheerness is one of the most extraordinary objects in the history of the Royal Navy. Probably built by craftsmen and apprentices working at the Yard at Sheerness, it was made to a scale of 1:60 and (when fully assembled) it measures 40ft by 36ft. At such a large scale it shows the buildings in great detail, from the individual oak piles that were an essential part of the vast engineering works necessary to found the buildings on the muds and quicksands of the site to the detailing of the interior of important buildings (some even have fireplaces and painted rooms).

The rebuilding of the Dockyard was authorised by the Admiralty in 1812 and the massive task of construction began in 1813. The Yard was formally reopened by the Duke of Clarence in September 1823, though building work continued for a further eight or so years. Given that the Admiralty only sought a model in 1825, the question remains for what purpose was it commissioned? Clearly it cannot have been to help inform the design and layout of the Yard or to instruct the contractors on the monumental task that they would be undertaking.

Perhaps it was to serve as a record of its construction? The Dockyard may have been 'complete' by 1832 but a number of new buildings were added over subsequent decades and the model shows these too. It was not until around 1834 that the Admiralty sought ancillary details such as the great boundary walls and the substructures - the piling, foundations, drains and culverts.

The Atom team during the packing of the Model in November 2020

The Atom team during the packing of the Model in November 2020

The Dockyard Model in storage at Fort Brockhurst

The Dockyard Model in storage at Fort Brockhurst

The model has spent most of its life at Sheerness Dockyard, on display in the Boat Store. It was saved from destruction at the eleventh hour by the Department of the Environment's Ancient Monuments Branch in 1972, has been conserved, and until last week was in the care of English Heritage at Fort Brockhurst, near Gosport, Hampshire.

Site Updates

The Model arriving at the storage facility in Lincolnshire

The Model arriving at the storage facility in Lincolnshire

Prior to last week, as part of a project generously supported by the Art Fund - was carefully packed into 47 bespoke cases by specialist firm Atom Ltd and transported on two trucks to a new archive storage facility in Lincolnshire. Before departure the ownership of the model was formally transferred to the Sheerness Dockyard Trust.

The next step is to survey the model and select the elements for display at Dockyard Church, carry out any necessary conservation work, and develop the information to accompany the display, to tell the story of the model to visitors. 

As well as the  Art Fund and Atom Ltd we would like to thank Alan Baxter for so generously giving over space in his store for the Great Model.

Packing cases stored under a temporary gazebo at Fort Brockhurst in Hampshire, awaiting transfer to the trucks

Packing cases stored under a temporary gazebo at Fort Brockhurst in Hampshire, awaiting transfer to the trucks

Visualisation of the Model display inside the restored Dockyard Church (c) Hugh Broughton Associates

Visualisation of the Model display inside the restored Dockyard Church (c) Hugh Broughton Associates

Chris Fouldssheerness dockyardComment