Sheerness Dockyard Church open for business
1 November 2023
Gutted by fire in 1881 and then again in 2001, the Grade II* listed Sheerness Dockyard Church was on Historic England’s ‘Heritage At Risk’ register. Now, thanks to a £9.5m transformation, it stands resurrected as a hub for local people on the Isle of Sheppey, hosting a co-working space with support for young entrepreneurs, a café, public exhibition areas and an events space. The building is operated by Island Works.
Externally, the C19th church has been faithfully restored to its original design, whilst the interior scheme presents surviving original features alongside contemporary interventions complimenting the robust elegance of the original architecture.
Sections of a remarkable wooden scale model of Sheerness Dockyard, made more than 150 years ago, are on display on the ground floor. This vast model provides a focal point for visitors and a means to tell the story of the dockyard and its place in Britain’s naval history.
The first floor provides open-plan workspace and is built to the footprint of the original tiered galleries. Lightweight steel link bridges provide new circulation and fire escape routes. The new roof is internally finished with a slatted timber ceiling with four large, circular skylights which fill the space with natural light.
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News 17 October 2025
RIBA Reinvention Award Winner
Sheerness Dockyard Church has won the prestigious RIBA Reinvention Award for the best adaptation of an existing building in the UK. The jury said "This is a powerful example of heritage-led regeneration, a project that reinvigorates history while equipping a community with space and purpose.”
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