1. Judging Significance in the Historic Environment The importance of Conservation Statements and Heritage Impact Assessments Peter Rawlings Caroe Architecture Ltd

11. NO 1 SMITHERY A case study: No 1 Smithery Site: Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent Client: CHD Trust with NMM & IWM CMP written by: CHDT Project period: 2003 -2010 Design Team : vHH, PMT, MFP, P&M, Land, Appleyards Funding: HLF, SEEDA, English Heritage Awards: RIBA award (2011)

15. NO 1 SMITHERY Assess the significance - designation Historic Dockyard Conservation Area Scheduled Ancient Monument Grade 2 * listed

16. NO 1 SMITHERY Assess the significance - summary Occupying a central position at the heart of the Historic Dockyard the Smithery is an important metal working building with considerable local, regional and national significance. The Smithery played an important part in the mechanisation of the Royal Dockyards during the Napoleonic Wars and in the subsequent transition from the timber-hulled sail powered warship to the iron hulled steam powered warship. It has important associations with people and ships, in particular Edward Holl, and HMSAchilles.Today the Smithery is one of only a small number of industrial scale metal working facilities to survive in Britain

21. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – on change of use No 1 Smithery is in a state of considerable decay and at risk. Roof coverings failed during the last years of naval ownership and the fabric of the building has suffered accordingly. Securing an appropriate new use with funding for the building’s restoration together with a sustainable long-term future for the building is one of the Trust’s highest priorities for the period of this Conservation Plan.

25. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – archaeology summary If any deep excavations are to be carried out, particularly in the area of the building founded on the chalk, it should be recognised that the potential for finding early remains exists. It is unlikely that any significant buried archaeology will have survived (from earlier phases of the dockyard) – although saw pits identified. Below ground structures related to the Smithery itself and its uses are definitely known to exist – identified from various trial pits and desktop studies.

33. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – on adaptation & alteration Policy 33.1 accepts that adaptation of the structure for an appropriate re-use is accepted and indeed is essential to securing the long-term future of this important structure. Whilst all such interventions should respect the Smithery’s history and significance it is also accepted that some compromise may be necessary in this respect.

56. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – on internal restoration Internally significant issues will need to be addressed, particularly relating to contamination. The original dirt floor is known to be contaminated with asbestos and potentially other contaminants. Preservation of the present flooring material is therefore considered impracticable.

61. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – on restoration Restoration of the structure poses a number of challenges. Although the building is in an advanced state of decay most of the elements remain in an identifiable form and are relatively ‘complete’. It is therefore thought that an appropriate restoration strategy should be to return the building externally to the form following the last major intervention – ie the period 1943 – 1974. This strategy will however need to be tested and if necessary modified during the design process.

69. NO 1 SMITHERY Policy – on fixtures & fittings The Smithery contains a number of examples of fixed industrial equipment such as small forges, wall cranes and bending slab/furnaces. These should be retained in situ where possible. Key items in this respect include the small forges dating from c 1860 adjacent to the west wall of Holl’s original building; wall mounted cranes around the main Holl structure and the 1869 Slab shop. Should it not prove feasible to retain other examples of forges and fixtures then appropriate record drawings and photographs should be taken to document their position. If appropriate typographical examples of items not retained elsewhere in the building should be taken into the Trust’s museum collections and stored elsewhere on site. surveys to establish topography and critical heights