Thank you Stuart and Lutonman for your kind welcome to the Forum.
With regards to the Deal Naval Yard, little is known but here is a bit of what I do know.
There was originally a small yard, no-one is sure where, inland from the sea. In 1696 the yard was deemed to be entirely inadequate and a new, bigger yard was built in 1703. It contained a large brick storehouse, a house for the storekeeper, three boathouses, five capstans, sheds, offices and a brewing house.
It occupied the land immediately north of the Timeball Tower, where the gates were, up to Deal Castle Road and down to Victoria Road. The purpose was to service the Royal Naval ships that were stationed in the Downs. At that time we were at war with France.
The yard developed and grew - guard houses, mast houses, blacksmith's, cordage and sail stores. sawpits, cooperage, victualling yard and engine house.
It closed in 1863 and the land was developed into the residential site it is today, then called Victoria Town. The Captain of the Yard lived in an imposing Georgian house that stood on the site of the Bus Station.
Regards
Alastair