BEST WESTERN Russell Hotel
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Checkout 22/05/2012
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The Historic Dockyard Chatham

 
Start date
13 February 2012
End date
12 December 2012
Hours
Feb-Oct 10am-6pm (or dusk if earlier)
Nov & Dec 10am-4pm (some exhibits close early)
Cost
£15; concessions £12.50; children £10.50; family (2+2 or 1 adult +3 children) £42.50
Address
The Historic Dockyard Chatham Chatham ME4 4TZ
Telephone
+44 (0) 1634 823800
Email
info@chdt.org.uk
Directions
By Train: Chatham, then take No 151 bus Dockyard Visitor Centre.
By yacht: Chatham Maritime's marina
The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Chatham. © Chatham Historic Dockyard

From the building of wooden galleys that sailed the high seas from Antigua to Banda, via steam-powered battleships, protecting the British Empire's interests, to Second World War destroyers and state-of-the-art submarines, the Historic Dockyard Chatham has it all.

More sinisterly, it also features a 1980s secret Soviet Intelligence map of the Medway Towns, showing key installations in the area and the potential threat of attack at the height of the Cold War.

The Dockyard is closed between mid-December and mid-February.

 

Other Events

 
  • Faversham Classic Car & Motorcycle Show

    20 May

    Faversham, called the "market town of kings", is taken over by a selection of the most beautiful classic cars in the south of England. Live music, craft stalls, trade stands and competitions transform the town during this popular annual show.
  • Kent Garden Show

    26 May

    The spring and autumn Kent Garden Shows take place at the dedicated Kent Showground in Detling, surrounded by the hat-shaped oast houses characteristic of the Kentish countryside. Over 300 exhibitors display everything for the garden, from plants to outdoor furniture.
  • Jousting Tournament

    31 May

    Heralded by resounding fanfares and the thunder of galloping hooves, knights stage dramatic battles on horseback twice daily. Daredevil stunts, falls and fights are all part of the spectacular Jousting Tournament held in the grounds of Leeds Castle.

  • Dickens Festival

    01 Jun

    Rochester boasts close links to Charles Dickens. He spent five years of his childhood there (1817-1822) and returned for 13 years at the end of his life (1856-1870). Since 1978 Medway has held this annual celebration in honour of the Victorian author.
  • Tonbridge Carnival

    10 Jun

    Tonbridge welcomes the summer with its annual float procession through the town centre, from Brook Street to the castle. The afternoon is given over to a fair on the castle lawns, with games, stalls and plenty of family-friendly entertainment.

  • Broadstairs Dickens Festival

    18 Jun

    The Broadstairs Dickens Festival turns Kent back into a Victorian holiday destination. This heritage event features a dramatic adaptation of a Dickens novel performed in the Dickens House Museum, a Victorian cricket match, talks and walking tours of the town.

  • Hop Farm Festival

    06 Jul

    The Hop Farm Festival brings the best British and international bands to perform at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood, Kent. Performances are spread across three stages while further attractions include funfair rides and celebrity five-a-side football.
  • Tonbridge Castle Music Festival

    12 Jul

    Tonbridge Castle Music Festival is a three-night celebration of classical music in the beautiful surroundings of Tonbridge Castle. The event features accessible opera designed to appeal to aficionados and newcomers alike.

  • War and Peace Show

    18 Jul

    Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag, as the wartime song goes, and get down to The Hop Farm's War and Peace Show. Military vehicles, battle re-enactments and even a fashion show make it a feast of military nostalgia.
  • Kent Beer Festival

    19 Jul

    Kent is the home of Britain's hops production and the Kent Beer Festival at Merton Farm is the second-oldest in England. Try brews from the county's independent breweries, including Shepherd Neame, Goachers, Hopdeamon and Whitstable.
  • Kent County Show

    20 Jul

    The Kent Show, held on Kent Showground in Detling, features livestock classes, judging competitions, agricultural presentations, a flower show and arena demonstrations. The six-acre Forestry Area is the setting for exhibits on wildlife, conservation, country crafts and the environment.
  • Whitstable Oyster Festival

    28 Jul

    The Whitstable Oyster Festival celebrates Kent's marine heritage, and particularly those tasty morsels, the oyster. Highlights include delicious molluscs and the costumed Oyster Parade, as well as spectacular entertainments on Whitstable Beaches and Tankerton Slopes.
  • Down House

    17 May

    Step into Charles Darwin's slippers and explore Down House, in which he wrote and researched his revolutionary On The Origin of Species series. Watch bees building their honeycomb or pace his Sandwalk path and come up with your own theories.
  • Tonbridge Theatre and Arts Club

    17 May

    The Tonbridge Theatre and Arts Club at the Oast Theatre puts on ten monthly shows a year, each running for eight nights. Three more plays are staged by the associated youth theatre, and the Art Group organises twice yearly exhibitions.
  • Knole

    17 May

    Henry VIII and novelist Vita Sackville-West have both been residents of the National Trust house, Knole. Surrounded by a 1000-acre deer park, its early 17th-century state rooms contain an important collection of tapestries, and paintings by Van Dyck and Gainsborough.
  • MV Princess Pocahontas

    17 May

    Climb aboard the MV Princess Pocahontas for a guided tour along the Thames. Cruise upstream as far as London or to Greenwich, where you can visit the Maritime Museum and Cutty Sark. Sail downstream to enjoy Southend's traditional seaside amusements.
  • Ashford Borough Museum

    17 May

    Delve into Ashford's history at the Ashford Borough Museum, which houses local archaeological and geological artefacts. There's also a fascinating range of black-and-white photography featuring old Ashford, and a special exhibition entitled Ashford at War.
  • Maison Dieu

    17 May

    A 13th-century haven founded by Henry III, which served as a Royal Lodge, pilgrims' hostel, hospital and almshouses for retired royal retainers, Maison Dieu is now a museum. Beautifully restored, it houses Roman and medieval objects excavated from nearby sites.
  • Penshurst Place and Gardens

    17 May

    Imagine Henry VIII warming his hands at the octagonal hearth when he came to stay in the 13th-century Penshurst Place and Gardens. Kids love the ancient suits of armour in the Baron's Hall. Visit in June to admire the Rose Garden.
  • Chantry Heritage Centre

    17 May

    The Chantry Heritage Centre is a small museum housed within a 14th-century chapel. Inside there is an ornate Jacobean staircase and displays on Gravesend's local industries and Roman history, including Roman coins excavated from nearby Springhead.
  • Chiddingstone Castle

    17 May

    Rescued from dereliction by antiquary Denys Bower in 1955, 15th-century Chiddingstone Castle is home to Bower's impressive collection of Japanese, Egyptian and Buddhist artefacts, including Edo period weaponry. Finish the day with a walk around the National Trust village.
  • Chart Gunpowder Mills

    17 May

    Discover the history and process of gunpowder production at the restored 18th-century Chart Gunpowder Mills in Faversham. One of Britain's first gunpowder factories, the mills supplied powder for the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo.
  • Upnor Castle

    17 May

    Mighty Upnor Castle was built to protect warships moored at Chatham dockyards. This rare example of an Elizabethan artillery fort is a treat to explore and the peaceful riverside grounds are also open to the public.
  • Allington Belle River Boat

    17 May

    Jump aboard the Allington Belle, a Mississippi-style paddle boat which runs along the River Medway from Allington to Maidstone town centre. The boat travels through Maidstone Millennium River Park, and can be boarded at the Archbishop's Palace or Allington.
  • Crofton Roman Villa

    17 May

    Touch ancient Roman objects like coins and pottery, excavated at Crofton Roman Villa in Orpington. Evidence of underfloor heating within the ten rooms of this former farming estate reveals the sophistication of Roman life.
  • Willesborough Windmill

    17 May

    Kids love watching the resident miller grind corn at Willesborough Windmill near Ashford, a Grade II-listed landmark which has been restored to full working order. Tours of the 19th-century structure run at weekends and on Wednesday during the summer.
  • Godinton House & Gardens

    17 May

    Join a guided tour of the Jacobean Godinton House mansion and explore the stunning medieval hall and beautifully restored labyrinth of rooms. The house is surrounded by 12 acres of beautiful landscaped grounds including a rose garden.
  • Tonbridge Waterways

    17 May

    Jump aboard your own 5- or 7-seater rowing boat and glide peacefully around Tonbridge Racecourse Sports Ground's 14 acre island. Enjoy views of 13th century Tonbridge Castle and look out for kingfisher and heron.
  • Belmont House

    17 May

    Belmont House is an 18th-century Georgian manor house designed by architect Samuel Wyatt, surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens and classical English country parkland. Visitors can tour the house and garden.
  • Riverhill Gardens

    17 May

    Scientist and botanist John Rodgers, a friend and contemporary of Charles Darwin, started planting the south-facing Riverhill Gardens in 1842. Spring and early summer sees an explosion of colour from rhododendrons and azaleas within the three-acre Wood Garden.