IMemorials · listed 1996Chatham Naval MemorialOn the list as Chatham Naval War MemorialPhoto: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent · CC BY 2.5
Sail Loft · Photo: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent · CC BY 2.5B+History Grade
History of Gillingham · Historic England
130 listed buildings, 4 of them Grade I
Historic England counts them inside Gillingham’s built-up area, 12 for every 10,000 residents. It also has 12 scheduled monuments. 23% of its homes were built before 1919. We have photos of 13 of its listed buildings and 2 old views of the town. Gillingham grades B+ for history: #37 of 87 in Kent.
Listed buildings
130
12 per 10,000 residents
Grade I
4
exceptional interest
Grade II*
17
more than special interest
Scheduled monuments
12
1 registered park or garden
Homes built before 1919
23%
typical UK town 15%
In pictures
Gillingham in 17 photos and old views
Nearly every Grade I and II* building, photographed, and the town before 1950. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.
Chatham Naval War MemorialGrade I listed
The Brunel Saw MillGrade I listed
The Officers' Terrace, The Historic Dockyard, ChathamGrade II park or garden
Medway Hospital, Laundry Water TowerGrade II listed
King George V Public HouseGrade II listed+12See all photosPhotos from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the building’s page or its official list entry.
Through time
Gillingham from 1837 to 1903
2 old photos and postcards, in date order. All public domain, made before 1950.
1837
c. 1903Public domain, from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server. Each credit opens the image’s page with its full description and history.
The map
Where Gillingham’s history is
Every Grade I and II* building, monument and historic park, over the age of each neighbourhood’s homes.
Grade IGrade II*Scheduled monumentPark or garden
Homes built before 1919, by neighbourhoodunder 10%10–25%25–50%50%+
17 of 70neighbourhoods have mostly pre-1919 homes; in the oldest, 96% were built before 1919.
Hover a dot for its name; tap one with a photo to open it.
130 listed buildings by grade
4 Grade I17 Grade II*109 Grade II
Historic England lists buildings in three grades: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest (about 2.5% of all listed buildings), Grade II* for particularly important buildings of more than special interest (about 5.8%), and Grade II for buildings of special interest (about 91.7%). Listing protects the whole building, inside and out.
Every entry on the National Heritage List for England whose point lies inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. One list entry can cover a terrace or a group of buildings. Neighbourhood dots: the population-weighted centre of each Census 2021 output area, coloured by its neighbourhood’s (LSOA’s) share of homes built before 1919 (Valuation Office Agency, March 2025).
Grade I
The 4 Grade I listed buildings in Gillingham
Buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of all listed buildings. Every one is photographed. Each opens its own page, with the official list entry.
IHouse · listed 1999Sail LoftPhoto: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent · CC BY 2.5
IInns & shops · listed 1971The Brunel Saw MillPhoto: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent · CC BY 2.5
IChurch · listed 1950Church of St Margaret, RainhamOn the list as Church of St MargaretPhoto: Bill Henderson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Grade II*
The 17 Grade II* listed buildings in Gillingham
Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 7 are photographed.
II*Walls & gates · listed 1998Boer War Memorial Arch, Brompton BarracksPhoto: Ridley7388 · Public domain
II*House · listed 1984BoilershopPhoto: Barabbas1312 · CC BY-SA 4.0
II*Public · listed 1998Brompton Barracks, GymnasiumPhoto: David Anstiss · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Church · listed 1950Church of St Mary MagdalenPhoto: Hugh Llewelyn from Keynsham, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Walls & gates · listed 1998Crimean War Memorial Arch and Gates, Brompton BarracksPhoto: Photochrom Print Collection · Public domain
II*House · listed 1999Lower Boat StorePhoto: Danny Robinson · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Inns & shops · listed 1984Number 8 Machine ShopPhoto: Dhowes9 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Street furniture · listed 1971Former Captain of the Dockyards House and Attached Front Area Railings
Walls & gates · listed 1999Front and Perimeter Walls to Raised Gardens to Rear of Former Officers' Terrace
Public · listed 1998Memorial to General Gordon, Brompton Barracks
Public · listed 1998North Block and Attached Basement Area Railings, Brompton Barracks
Walls & gates · listed 1999North Tower HouseOn the list as North Tower House and Attached Perimeter Wall to the South
Show the other 5
Public · listed 1998Officers Block and Attached Front Basement Railings, Brompton Barracks
Public · listed 1998South Block and Attached Front Basement Area Railings, Brompton Barracks
House · listed 1999South Tower House
Walls & gates · listed 1999Stables, North Range and Attached Perimeter Wall
Walls & gates · listed 1999Wall Surrounding Garden to Rear of Former Commissioners House
Historic streets
Prospect Row has the most listed buildings
Streets by the listed entries with an address on them. One entry can be a whole terrace, so long rows count once.
Prospect Row11 listed
Medway Road9 listed
Mansion Row8 listed
Of the 130 entries, 32 are named by a street address; the rest are named buildings such as churches, halls and bridges.
What’s protected
Most of Gillingham’s listed buildings are homes
Every listed building sorted by what its list name says it is.
Houses, terraces & villas69
Public & civic buildings16
Churches, chapels & priories16
Walls, gates & bridges15
Street furniture6
Inns, shops & warehouses5
Memorials, crosses & tombs3
69 entries (53%) are houses, terraces and villas. 16 are churches, chapels and priories, including 1 of the 4 Grade I buildings.
Buildings are sorted by words in each entry’s name (church, gate, inn, memorial…): the list’s open data has no building type. An entry named only by its address counts as a house.
Grade II
109 Grade II listed buildings
Most listed buildings are in this grade, which covers buildings of special interest. Open any building to read its official list entry.
All 109 Grade II listed buildings, A to Z
Bridge, with railings, stairs, abutment and lamps to north side of Central AvenueBrompton Garrison ChurchCambridge HouseChest Tomb Approimately 40 Metres North of East End of Church of St Mary MagdalenChest Tomb Approximately 3 Metres North East of East End, Church of St Mary MagdalenChest Tomb Approximately 3 Metres South of Chancel, Church of St Mary MagdalenChest Tomb Approximately 30 Metres North East of Church of St Mary MagdalenChest Tomb Approximately 5 Metres West of West End, Church of St Mary MagdalenCombined Ship Trade Office PP69 to Rear of Number 8 Machine ShopDockyard CanteenDurland HouseEast Moor Street CottagesFormer Anson BarrackFormer Blake BarrackFormer Captain's House, HMS PembrokeFormer Chapel at HMS PembrokeFormer Grenville BarrackFormer Nelson BarrackFormer mess block 8 metres to north of central mess block, HMS PembrokeFormer mess block 8 metres to south of central mess block, HMS PembrokeFormer north entrance lodges and walls flanking 80 metres north west and 40 metres north east, HMS PembrokeGillingham War MemorialGrench ManorGroup of Anti-Tank PimplesGymnasiumHeadquarters Royal School for Military Engineers and Attached Basement Area Railings, Brompton BarracksHeadstone of Children of Will Scott, Approximately 20 Metres South of Church of St MargaretHeadstone of Thomas Lane, Approximately 15 Metres South of Church of St MargaretHoly Trinity ChurchKing George V Public HouseLecture Theatre, Brompton BarracksLittle London FarmhouseLord Kitchener Memorial, Brompton BarracksMacklandsMagnolia HouseMain gate, lodge and walls to former HMS PembrokeManor Barn and Attached North and West WallsManor House and Attached Garden WallMansion HouseMedway Hospital, Laundry Water TowerMemorial to French prisoners of war approximately 25 metres south of Church of St GeorgeMoor Street HouseNile CottageNumber 12 and Attached Front Basement Area RailingsNumber 8 and Attached Iron RailingsNumbers 10 and 11 and Attached Front RailingNumbers 22 and 24 and Attached Front Basement Iron RailingsOasthouses and TheatreObelisk Tomb of John Chambers, Approximately 5 Metres South West of Church of St MargaretPair of Chest Tombs Approximately 5 Metres South of Chancel, Church of St MargaretPeckham CottagePeckham LodgePedestal Tomb Approximately 5 Metres West of Tower, Church of St Mary MagdalenPolice Section HousePooh House the HomesteadPumping StationRainham war memorialRemains of Chapel in North East Corner of Garden, Grench ManorRoyal Engineers Museum, Brompton BarracksSalcombe Cottage and Attached Cast Iron RailingsSchool House, Brompton BarracksSix sections of boundary wallSwimming poolThe Cowls the Oast the PressThe Drill HallThe Golden LionThe Green Lion HotelThe Old ParsonageThe Ship Public HouseThe StablesThe WardroomsTwydall Barn and Attached WallWalls Surrounding Churchyard of Church of St MargaretWalls and gate piers enclosing front drive and west garden, former Captain's HouseWest Moor FarmhouseWestmoor CottageYork Farmhouse1, Mansion Row10, Medway Road11, Mansion Row12, Mansion Row12, Medway Road12A and 14, Mansion Row13, Prospect Row14, Medway Road14, Prospect Row15, Prospect Row16, Medway Road16, Prospect Row17 and 18, Prospect Row174, High Street18, Medway Road19, Prospect Row2 and 3, Mansion Row2, Prospect Row20, Medway Road20, Prospect Row3 and 4, Prospect Row4, Harrow Road4, Medway Road5 and 6 Prospect Row, including attached front area railings and rear boundary wall5 and 6, Mansion Row6, Garden Street6, Medway Road7 and 8, Mansion Row7, Prospect Row8, Medway Road9 and 10, Mansion Row9, Prospect Row
Conservation areas
9 conservation areas cover 7.4% of Gillingham
Areas the council protects as a whole: demolition and changes to how buildings look need consent, and trees are protected.
Brompton Lines 198197 ha
Gillingham Park 199022 ha
Pembroke 198916 ha
Gillingham Green 199011 ha
Chatham Historic Dockyard 19995 ha
Moor Street 19895 ha
Rainham 19774 ha
Lower Twydall 19843 ha
Railway Street 19891 ha
163 hain conservation areas, of 2,190 ha inside the built-up area.
The first, Rainham, was designated in 1977; the newest, Chatham Historic Dockyard, in 1999. 114 of the 130 listed buildings stand in one.
Historic England’s conservation areas layer, supplied by councils (incomplete in places, so a page fact, never graded). Hectares are the part of each area inside the built-up area.
How the list grew
Gillingham’s list has grown since 1950
The year each building now on the list was first listed.
1973 · 311950 · 241984 · 15
19501960197019801990200020102020
The first 24 entries were listed in 1950, 1 of the 4 Grade I buildings among them. 31 came in 1973, in the national resurvey of the 1970s and 80s. Only 3 have been added in the last 15 years.
Monuments & landscapes
Monuments, parks and gardens
Designations that overlap the town by a tenth of their area or half a hectare.
12 scheduled monuments
Nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, protected by law; work on them needs consent from the Secretary of State, advised by Historic England.
1 registered park or garden
History Grade
Gillingham grades B+ for history
Protected heritage and the age of the town’s homes, against all UK towns.
Protected heritage, for its size and in all (180 points, 17 per 10,000 residents)More than 61% of UK towns
Homes built before 1919 (23%)More than 70% of UK towns
Two measures, each ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, with protected heritage counting twice as much as the age of homes. Protected heritage counts each listed building by its grade (Grade I three points, II* two, II one), each scheduled monument and battlefield two, and each registered park or garden by its grade; it is ranked both per 10,000 residents and as a total, so a village with one fine church doesn’t outrank a historic city. The second measure is the share of homes built before 1919, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records. History is a character grade: it describes the town and isn’t part of the overall grade.
Homes by age
23% of Gillingham’s homes were built before 1919
Every home by when it was built, from council tax records, against England & Wales (the dark tick).
16%
Before 1900
7.5%
1900–18
4.9%
1919–29
9.3%
1930s
4.1%
1945–54
11%
1955–64
13%
1965–72
9.6%
1973–82
6%
1983–92
3.2%
1993–99
5.3%
2000–08
3.6%
2009–15
6.4%
2016–25
GillinghamEngland & Wales
16% of homes are Victorian or older, against 16% across England and Wales. The busiest period since was 1965–72, which added 13% of today’s homes.
Valuation Office Agency, council tax stock of properties by build period, 31 March 2025, for the neighbourhoods (LSOAs) that make up the town, split by where their residents live. Homes with no recorded build period (187 here) are left out; 1939–44 is not a period in the data.
Born here
24 notable people born in Gillingham before 1900
The 20 best known on one timeline, earliest first.
William Adams
William Cuffay
Thomas Edward Laws Moore
John Hartnell
Edward Bate Scott
George Byng Scott
Henrietta Dorothy Everett
Sir Charles Madden, 1st Baronet
Percy Molsworth Sykes
Thomas Dowdall
Edith Farmiloe
John William Tristram
George Ekins
Henry Edward Manning Douglas
Robert Livesay
Kathleen Courtney
Henry Tizard
Ronald Turner
Walter Lewington
James McCudden
155016001650170017501800185019001950
William Adams1564–1620 · English navigator who travelled to Japan
Henry Tizard1885–1959 · British chemist (1885–1959)
Percy Molsworth Sykes1867–1945 · British general, diplomat and scholar (1867–1945)
James McCudden1895–1918 · Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1895–1918)
Sir Charles Madden, 1st Baronet1862–1935 · Royal Navy admiral of the fleet (1862-1935)
Thomas Edward Laws Moore1816–1872 · English naval officer (1816-1872)
Kathleen Courtney1878–1974 · British suffragist and peace campaigner (1878–1974)
William Cuffay1788–1870 · English political reformer
Everyone born in Gillingham → Birthplaces from Wikidata; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.
Neighbours
Listed buildings in the places around Gillingham
| Town | People | Listed | Grade I | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham | 108,485 | 130 | 4 | B+ |
| Chatham | 76,956 | 103 | 11 | B+ |
| Upchurch | 1,727 | 2 | 1 | C |
| Rochester | 67,279 | 279 | 21 | A− |
| Hoo St Werburgh | 8,758 | 6 | 1 | D |
| Chattenden | 2,417 | 0 | 0 | D− |
| Lower Halstow | 1,210 | 4 | 0 | C |
| Newington | 2,691 | 17 | 1 | B |
In brief
Gillingham in brief
Old houses are part of Gillingham’s character: 23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town. In all there are 130 listed buildings, 4 of them Grade I, including Chatham Naval Memorial. Prospect Row alone has 11 listed buildings. Its older streets lie in 9 conservation areas, the first designated in 1977.
Most entries on the list, 53%, are houses, terraces and villas. Of the 24 people born here before 1900, the best known include William Adams (1564), Henry Tizard (1885) and Percy Molsworth Sykes (1867). It also has 12 scheduled monuments, the archaeology and ruins the law protects. Beyond that, it has 4 Grade I buildings, about typical for a town its size (the middle one has 2); and per resident it sits near the middle of UK towns.
Questions about Gillingham’s history
How many listed buildings are there in Gillingham?
Historic England lists 130 buildings inside Gillingham’s built-up area: 4 Grade I, 17 Grade II* and 109 Grade II.
What are the Grade I listed buildings in Gillingham?
4, including Chatham Naval War Memorial, Church of St Margaret, Sail Loft and The Brunel Saw Mill.
Which street in Gillingham has the most listed buildings?
Prospect Row (11), Medway Road (9) and Mansion Row (8) have the most listed entries named by an address. One entry can be a whole terrace.
Are there scheduled monuments in Gillingham?
Yes, 12 scheduled monuments, including Brompton Lines, Brunel Sawmills, Chatham Dockyard, Chatham Dockyard, Captain of Dockyard's house and Chatham Dockyard, Officers' Terrace and gardens to east.
How many conservation areas are there in Gillingham?
9, covering about 163 hectares of the town. The largest are Brompton Lines and Gillingham Park.
When were Gillingham’s buildings listed?
The first in 1950; the most, 31, in 1973.
Are there old photos of Gillingham?
Yes: 2 public-domain photos and postcards from 1837 to 1903, all on this page.
Who was born in Gillingham?
Among people born before 1900: William Adams (1564), Henry Tizard (1885), Percy Molsworth Sykes (1867), James McCudden (1895) and Sir Charles Madden, 1st Baronet (1862).
How old are the homes in Gillingham?
23% of homes were built before 1919 and 38% before 1940, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records (March 2025).
© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The National Heritage List for England is the official, up-to-date register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England; check an entry on Historic England’s website before relying on it.
Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · Historic England conservation areas (supplied by local planning authorities; October 2026). All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.