Dockyard Chapel

The Garrison Chapel stands beside the old Royal Dockyard in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire. George Ledwell Taylor, Surveyor of Buildings to the Navy Board, designed it in the early 1830s and it was finished in 1835. The original budget was £7,944 but this was cut to £4,000 by the Controller of the Navy Board. After opening, another £3,500 paid for galleries and an extra entrance as attendance grew. The chapel later became the Pembrokeshire Motor Museum from 1974 until 1986 before falling into disrepair. The county council bought the building in 2003 and rebuilt it with European Union Objective One funding. It now holds the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre run by Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust. The chapel is Grade II* listed, recognising its special historic interest. The Heritage Centre tells the story of the dockyard and its ships through displays and artefacts. Visitors learn how Pembroke Dock shaped naval history over two centuries. Inside, the chapel’s tall windows and original gallery railings remain from the 19th century. The nave now hosts exhibits about local shipbuilding and the Royal Navy. A small side room shows films and holds archives for research. Outside, the chapel sits among dockyard buildings and a wide waterfront space. The setting offers quiet views over the Milford Haven waterway and nearby hills.