Former Police Offices And Attached Wall

The Former Police Offices and attached wall, located on Main Gate Road in Chatham Dockyard, were built in 1764 and altered in 1815. This late Georgian-style building features stucco with stone dressings, cast-iron columns, a rear lateral stack, and a slate hipped roof.

The exterior is a single storey with an 11-bay colonnade, showcasing a long open colonnade supported by 10 cast-iron Doric columns that lead to an entablature and a coped parapet. In front, there is a flagged pavement with four doorways set back. The building includes three early 19th-century 6/6-pane sash windows, while the remaining windows are later 19th-century and 20th-century horned replacements. To the left, there is a parapeted seven-window range that aligns with the colonnade, featuring a doorway two from the left with a cornice.

The interior now contains late 20th-century offices. The attached wall encloses a small yard to the extreme left, while to the right is a rendered brick wall that ramps at the left-hand end and includes a doorway, extending to meet the Main Gate.

Historically, this building was constructed to accommodate marines who were increasingly responsible for the security of the dockyard in the late 18th century. Originally, the columns were made of timber but were replaced with iron in 1815. The structure backs onto the perimeter wall connected to the Main Gate and is a significant feature at the entrance to the Dockyard, contributing to a notable collection of Georgian naval buildings.