Chatham in Medway, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Mast Houses & Mould Loft

Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 5, 2018

1. Mast Houses & Mould Loft Marker

Inscription.
Mast Houses & Mould Loft
Scheduled Ancient Monument, Grade 1 Listed Building

Skilled mast-makers, working in these Mast Houses, made timber masts and spars for the sail-powered warsips of the age of sail. They were made from fir logs that had been seasond underwater in the Dockyard’s mast ponds.

Above the Mast Houses is a large Mould Loft, a full-size drawing board used at the start of the shipbuilding process. Here the most skilled shipwrights converted small scale ships’ plans drawn on paper into actual size lines scribed into the floor tha showed them the outside shape of the hull.

HMS Victory’s lines were almost certainly laid down in this building and her masts and spars made here too.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 51° 23.799′ N, 0° 31.782′ E. Marker is in Chatham, England, in Medway. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Western Avenue and Main Gate Road, on the left when traveling north. Located in Historic Dockyard Chatham. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chatham, England ME4 4TZ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. North Mast Pond, 1702 (a few steps from this marker); South Mast Pond, 1696 (a few steps from this marker); Brunel Saw Mill Canal Lock, 1812-14

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(a few steps from this marker); No. 1 Smithery, 1808 (within shouting distance of this marker); Timber Seasoning Sheds, 1774 (within shouting distance of this marker); Propeller, RFA Reliant, c.1954 (within shouting distance of this marker); Plate Bending Rolls, 1913 (within shouting distance of this marker); Steam Hammer, 1955 (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chatham.

Also see . . .
1. Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. (Submitted on June 7, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Chatham Dockyard Historical Society. (Submitted on June 7, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
3. Chatham Dockyard on Wikipedia. (Submitted on June 7, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Mast Houses & Mould Loft image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, May 5, 2018

2. Mast Houses & Mould Loft

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 168 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 7, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.