Historic Dockyard Chatham secures £4.8m Heritage Lottery Fund support as part of £8m project
by Borislava Todorova
A volunteers’ centre alongside opportunities for people to learn about their heritage, are all part of a plan for further development of the Historic Dockyard Chatham.
The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust has received financial support of £4,812,000 from the Heritage Lotter Fund (HLF) for the Fitted Rigging House project, it was announced today by Tourism Minister and Chatham MP Tracey Crouch.
The application for the project won in competition with other submitted projects, and now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to secure a firm award.
Ms Crouch said, “This funding will not only help preserve our wonderful maritime heritage at Chatham, but allow the Dockyard to be fit for purpose and serve the community in the future.
“I am looking forward to witnessing the benefits this project will bring to the local area, businesses and all the fantastic volunteers who will help make the visitor experience brilliant.”
The aim of the project is to convert the Grade I Listed building in a sustainable addition to the wider Historic Dockyard site.
The Fitted Rigging House is a large, unused building that is at constant risk of falling apart. The idea of the Historic Dockyard Trust is to create a use of the building.
The plan includes creating a new space in the building, which will then be rented out.
In addition to that, a new Volunteer Centre of Excellence will open and provide a place for the training of volunteers.
Access to the Dockyard’s Library and Archive will be improved for visitors, thanks to the project.
An additional £11,000 has been allotted to progress the plans to the second stage application in June this year. Provided the project goals are deemed achievable this will allow work on the project to start in late autumn.
Bill Ferris, the Chief Executive of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, said, “Our long term partners at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have been highly supportive in this drive to independent sustainability.
“This is something they see as a model for other heritage and cultural estates where the productive use of heritage assets can support cultural, museum, education and preservation efforts.”
Commenting on the importance of the building to Chatham’s heritage, Sturat McLeod, head of Heritage Lottery Fund South East said, “The Fitting Rigging House is a key part of Chatham’s heritage – not flashy but solid and reliable.
“It has played a vital role at the site for over 200 years but currently its potential is not being fully capitalised on due to its sheer size and complexity.”
The Fitted Rigging House is located on the Anchor Wharf, and along with the other storehouse onsite, it’s the largest storehouse ever constructed by the Navy Board. It was built in 1793, and housed dockyard riggers. All the buildings in that area are important because they have all pretty much stayed unchanged since 18th century.
