The Dorset Historic Towns Project report on Gillingham.
The historic urban character of Gillingham is closely bound up with the town's landscape setting, historic fabric and industrial heritage. Much of the medieval town plan survives, though truncated to the south and west by the modern relief road. A number of historic villages have become incorporated into the greater suburban area of the town, each with their own distinctive character, though the historic fabric of some is better preserved than others.
The survival in the historic core of a number of historic buildings helps underscore the historic elements of Gillingham's urban character. The widespread use of local brick in the 19th and early 20th-century town is testament to the importance of the local brick industry and the period when Gillingham was a significant market and industrial centre.
The landscape setting of the town is fundamental to its character, in particular the river meadows which run through the town.
Summary report
Here is a summary of the report (February 2011).
Detailed sections of the report
We have broken down the full report into individual sections, please select one of the parts to read:
- Part 1 and 2 Introduction and overview
- Part 3 and 4 Context and sources
- Part 5.1 Historical analysis - Medieval
- Part 5.2 Historical analysis - Post-medieval
- Part 5.3 Historical analysis - Late nineteenth and early twentieth century
- Part 5.4 Later twentieth century
- Part 6 Character appraisal
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 1 Historic Town Centre
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 2 Newbury
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 3 Le Neubourg Way, Station Road and Brickfields
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 4 Ham
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 5 Bay
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 6 Peacemarsh
- Part 6 Historic Urban Character Area 7 Wyke
- Part 7 Research and appendices