Chatham Historic Dockyard

Summary

400-year-old naval dockyard in Kent used extensively by Call the Midwife and many other productions.

About this location

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a 400-year-old working Royal Navy dockyard on the River Medway in Kent that closed in 1984 and has since operated as a heritage attraction and major filming venue. The complex includes the world’s largest collection of Grade I listed scheduled monument buildings, covering 80 acres of Victorian and Georgian naval architecture including ropewalks, covered slips, and officers’ houses. Call the Midwife has used Chatham Dockyard as a primary filming location for multiple series, with fans confirming visits and sharing photographs. The dockyard also has extensive film credits including Sherlock, Les Misérables, and various period features.

The site has attracted attention from location scouts working across the region and represents a practical addition to the available filming stock in this part of Britain. Production enquiries should be directed to the site manager or managing authority well in advance of intended shoot dates. The combination of visual character and accessibility makes this location a viable choice for productions of varied scale and budget, from documentary units to mid-budget drama series requiring authentic British settings.