Scheduled MonumentsEnglandSite of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern

Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern

England
List entry 1423608
Nation
England
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

The site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern is a scheduled ancient monument in Middlesex comprising the remains of the slipway infrastructure used for the construction and launching of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's revolutionary iron steamship. The Great Eastern, built between 1854 and 1858 at John Scott Russell's shipyard on the Thames at Millwall, represented a significant advance in maritime engineering and steam-powered vessel technology of the mid-nineteenth century. The launch ways themselves were an engineering feat appropriate to the ship's unprecedented scale, at the time the largest vessel ever built. The site preserves physical evidence of this important chapter in British industrial and maritime history, though the structures now exist as buried remains or fragmentary surface features within the modern urban landscape.

Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1423608. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern?

The site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern is a scheduled ancient monument in Middlesex comprising the remains of the slipway infrastructure used for the construction and launching of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's revolutionary iron steamship. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1423608.

Who is responsible for protecting Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern?

Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1423608.

What other scheduled monuments are near Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tudor naval storehouse at Convoys Wharf (0.4 km), Greenwich Hospital (RN College) (1.1 km), Greenwich Palace (1.2 km).

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