Guess the Place

[MartinR]

Spot on Local Hiker.

The official listing¹ describes the move in 1880 but seems to imply that it was used as a machine shop on its present site.  Remember that the whole of the basins and St. Mary's Island were within the Dockyard until it closed.  The listing date is 1984 which is when the Dockyard closed.  It forms a pair with the Dockside Outlet, which is housed in the former boilershop, itself a listed building.²  Indeed, the official listings for both cross-reference to the other.  Mentioning the Outlet, next time you are in it look how all the modern structure is clamped to the original, never bolted or welded.

¹https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1267822?section=official-list-entry
²https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1267821?section=official-list-entry

[John Walker]

It is interesting John.  You've got the right structure, but your second question is a leading one!

It seems to have been like that for quite a few years.  I've noticed it when I visited the dockyard over the years but I wasn't sure if was the structure in your photo.

A better location would have been within Chatham Historic Dockyard perhaps?

[Local Hiker]

Number 8 Machine Shop was originally a dry dock cover in Woolwich Dockyard and was moved to Chatham. Its current location is somewhere to preserve it, not its original location at Chatham. It is one of those historic artefacts that attracts lots of big ideas and speculation on what to do with it, but little genuine interest or funding.

[John Walker]

It is interesting John.  You've got the right structure, but your second question is a leading one!

It seems to have been like that for quite a few years.  I've noticed it when I visited the dockyard over the years but I wasn't sure if was the structure in your photo.

[Stewie]

Think there were plans to turn it into a 'drive in' cinema a few years ago! The steel work has been touched up with anti rust paint in the last couple of weeks.

[MartinR]

It is interesting John.  You've got the right structure, but your second question is a leading one!

[Stewie]

I walk past it every Monday so won't compete this one. 

[John Walker]

That's an interesting one. 

The only structure I can recall like that is next to the Chatham Historical Dockyard but I have no idea what it is.
Is it in the process of being built or being demolished?

[MartinR]

OK, a quick one here.  It's more of a race than a real GTP, but I'm still reconfiguring.

[MartinR]

Sorry for the delay.  I'm just in the process of moving from one desktop/server machine to another.  Currently I'm using the browser on the new machine and all my pictures are on the old/failing machine.  I'll endeavour to get something up this evening.

[John Walker]

Well done MartinR - that was quick.  Far more info that I was able to find too.

Over to you when you're ready.

[MartinR]

Short answer: originally the schoolroom of the Congregational Chapel in Union Road, Deal, and now part of the buildings of the Landmark Centre.

The first Congregational Chapel (known as the "Meeting House") was built in 1681.  This building was pulled down and replaced by a new, larger, 500-seater chapel in 1803 which in turn was pulled down and replaced by the current building in 1882.¹

The Sunday School was first built in 1810, then rebuilt in 1875.  It was extended to its current form in 1909 as can just be made out on the foundation stone between the central window (GSV).

The 1892-1914 OS 25" map (this sheet revised 1897, published 1898) shows the Chapel and the rear door (to the vestry) which is the door on the left of the GTP photo.  The small window to the right of the door shows similar characteristics to the main chapel, and quite different to the new schoolroom.  Examination of the brickwork on this lower roofed section also indicates that this was the original vestry.  The map shows three small premises where the schoolroom now stands.

The Congregational Chapel closed in 1974 and the building became redundant.  It is now the Landmark Centre run by the Deal & Walmer Community Association.  A new floor has been put in at gallery level to convert the main body of the chapel into two halls.³  It provides "a community cafe, a community pub/bar, three Halls for hire (two with bars), a lounge with pool and darts (also with a bar), meeting rooms and training rooms".²  The CA website continues: "The Centre, home to organisations such as Deal Radio and the Rotary Pirates, has rooms hired by a wide range of interest groups, societies, health and well-being focussed groups and is available for private hire. Weddings, parties, festivals, conferences, exhibitions, markets and other types of events are all welcome.".²  One user of the centre is Christ Church Deal.  This is an independent church founded in 1998.⁴  After temporary locations elsewhere, the group now meets at the Centre.³ 

I'm afraid I won't be able to put up the next GTP until tomorrow evening.

¹https://familiesofdealandwalmer.co.uk/the-congregational-church/
²https://www.dwchamber.co.uk/the-landmark-centre/
³https://christchurchdeal.org.uk/about-us/landmark-centre/
⁴https://christchurchdeal.org.uk/about-us/our-history/

[John Walker]

Free church (aka Methodist, URC, Baptist etc)?

 Part of a former Congregational Church but now an independent church run by the local community.  Being run by the community, the building, which is quite large has other functions.

[MartinR]

Free church (aka Methodist, URC, Baptist etc)?

[John Walker]

Religious?

Yes, but appears to be multi-purpose now.  Part of a much bigger building.