The Great Western Dockyard, where the ss Great Britain was built and now rests, is of great interest as the world’s first purpose-built integrated iron steamship works.
The Great Western Steamship Company purchased the empty site in 1839, and built the dry dock, the large Steamship Engine Works and probably the surviving Drawing Office, and proceeded to construct the ss Great Britain here between 1839 and 1843.
After 1852 the dockyard was leased to other shipbuilders and repairers until part of the site was compulsorily purchased by the Great Western Railway in 1874-6. The dry dock itself was separated off behind a tight boundary wall by Bristol City Corporation in c.1903. The dry dock continued with ship repairs while the rest of the yard was used for importing timber well into the twentieth century. In early 1941 bombing raids badly damaged the site, and left the Steamship Engine Works as a ruined shell.
Following the salvage of the ss Great Britain and her return home in 1970, the ss Great Britain Trust took a lease for the dry dock from Bristol City Council. This reunited historic ship and historic dockyard, intensifying the significance of each.
Thanks to Bristol City Council, a long lease for the remaining dockyard was agreed in 2002, and recombined all elements of the historic dockyard for the first time since 1874. This provides a secure home for the ss Great Britain. The dry dock is now Listed Grade II*. Ship and dockyard together are now under active consideration as part of the Great Western World Heritage Site.
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