Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The pair of patent slipways, designated Nos. 2 and 3, were built to the west of the 1838 No. 1 Slipway at some point during the Second World War, presumably as part of the Royal Navy base HMS Fervent established in September 1939, but their exact date of construction is currently unknown. They are associated with the repair of small naval vessels such as motor torpedo boats (MTB’s) and motor gunboats (MGB’s) and also the launches used by the Air Sea Rescue (ASR) units of the Royal Air Force.

Monument Types

• SLIPWAY (Modern - 1939 AD? to 2050 AD (between))

Full description

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HISTORY AND DETAILS (from Historic England Report 2015):

The pair of patent slipways, designated Nos. 2 and 3, were built to the west of the 1838 No. 1 Slipway at some point during the Second World War, presumably as part of the Royal Navy base HMS Fervent established in September 1939, but their exact date of construction is currently unknown. They are
associated with the repair of small naval vessels such as motor torpedo boats (MTB’s) and motor gunboats (MGB’s) and also the launches used by the Air Sea Rescue (ASR) units of the Royal Air Force. ASR Unit 27 was based at Dover and Ramsgate from the Battle of Britain onwards. Post-war a fourth
slipway was added between Nos. 1 and 2.
The two Second World War patent slipways consist of parallel pairs of sloping concrete beams mounted on low concrete blocks set into a concrete apron. Steel rails mounted on the beams supported a moveable cradle used to winch boats out of the sea at high tide to enable maintenance and repairs to be
undertaken. From the photographs provided, the rails remain in place on No. 3 slipway, along with a cradle of uncertain date, but only the fixing bolts remain on No. 2. The electric-powered winches (believed to be partly of Second World War date) are housed in a single-storey winch house to the north of the slipways. This has a flat roof and is clad in corrugated metal, probably not original. The winch cables were routed via pulley wheels set on pyramidal concrete blocks located between the winch house and the slipways. These remain in situ.

DISCUSSION:

The Listing Selection Guide for Maritime and Naval Buildings (April 2011) sets out the criteria for the designation of port facilities. It states that because of the greater survival of dock and port facilities from the mid-C19 onwards and because of more standardised techniques and materials greater selection
should be exercised for examples after this date. Criteria include technological innovation, state of preservation and group value with other port facilities. Slipways may merit consideration even without a surviving cradle. Based on the information provided, although of local interest for its association with the role the port of Ramsgate played during the Second World War and in particular the work of the Air Sea Rescue, No. 2 and No. 3 slipways and associated structures are not recommended for listing for the following principal reasons:

* Function: although associated by the applicant with the motor launches which played an important role in the recovery of downed airmen during the Second World War, the slipways were purely maintenance structures, probably used by both services;
* Date of construction: as it has not been possible to date them precisely, any link to the key military event with which they are purported to be associated, the Battle of Britain, is speculative;
* Historic interest: they therefore lack the clear historic interest bestowed by documented operational involvement in this particularly resonant event in world history;
* Structural interest: the structures are not proven to be innovative in terms of function or materials;
* Intactness: the metal rails and cradle on No. 2 Slipway have been lost. The winch house appears to have been altered;
* Group value: although there is some degree of functional group value with the adjoining C19 listed slipway, this is insufficient reason to provide special interest in a national context for the Second World War slipways.

CONCLUSION
Whilst of local note, No. 2 and No. 3 slipways and associated structures are not recommended for listing (as of 2015).

historic england, 2015, Historic England Report on No.2 and No.3 slipway, Ramsgate Harbour, Designation assessment report (Unpublished document). SKE31399.

Sources and further reading

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