The Ropery in Chatham Dockyard is the only one of 4 original Royal Navy Ropeyards still in operation. Rope has been made on this site for over 400 years. The building is over a quarter of a mile long.
The rope is made by taking individuals strands and winding them together. This process can be repeated a number of times to produce the required thickness of rope.
Inside the ropery – the machinery travels from one end to the other in the production of the rope. At this end the strands are held in place.
The heads which combine the strands into one rope.
As the strands pass through the heads they are combined
Keeping the rope taught and a quick way to get from end to end of the Ropery
The finished rope is coiled
The Ropery still makes traditional ropes for sailing ships etc but also produces rope made from more modern materials
