The Master Ropemakers

We are the Master Ropemakers, based in Chatham in Kent, and we are delighted to have provided Sitting Spiritually with our British made rope for their tree swings for some time now, so we were happy when Sitting Spiritually asked us to write a guest blog for them about us and the history of our ropemaking. 

Rope has been made at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for over 400 years and today it is the last of the Royal Navy Dockyards to still make rope the way it was made in Victorian times.

In a building that is a quarter of a mile long, you’ll be in awe of this Victorian building. Visitors can witness the ropemaking process for themselves every weekday at The Dockyard! Watch as three strands of yarn twist into rope in the traditional way rope has been made throughout history.

Utilised for centuries by the Royal Navy, the ropery was once used to produce up to 5000 tonnes of cordage for its fleet of nearly 1000 ships. The Master Ropemakers now work in the ropery making bespoke orders for people all over the world. It remains the oldest rope making facility in the UK.

Natural and synthetic fibres are used in the manufacture and the teams of craftsmen not only produce the rope but work with it: splicing, knotting, net making and creating many other items such as gifts, dog leads, garden accessories and more. And of course the ropes on the Sitting Spiritually Tree Swings!

Many thanks to The Master Ropemakers for this blog, to find out more about them visit:

https://www.master-ropemakers.co.uk/