The Road to Trafalgar Exhibition

The Road to Trafalgar commemorating Chatham’s role in the campaigns that led to the Battle of Trafalgar.

Visitors return to The Historic Dockyard today through this new exhibition created to celebrate Chatham Dockyard's unique contribution to Britain's naval success in the Age of Sail - success that culminated with Nelson's historic victory at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805. The exhibition traces Chatham Dockyard's 18th century role as the nation's principal shipbuilding and repair yard and the place where HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar was built.

The exhibition features contemporary ship models of Chatham built ships, original naval guns and objects drawn from the Historic Dockyard’s ‘Invincible Collection’ - artefacts recovered from the Invincible - wrecked off Portsmouth in 1758 that give a dramatic insight into life on board Georgian warships. Also on show is the unique model, or macquette of the Queen Charlotte’s figurehead, carved at Chatham in c1784. It was probably made to secure King George III’s approval before the full size figurehead was made.