The Great Lines

The Great Lines is over 70 hectares of open space at the heart of Medway. It is visible from much of Chatham, and the Naval War Memorial at its apex is one of Medway’s best-known landmarks.

The huge expanse of the Great Lines was in its own right a layer of defence to protect Chatham Dockyard from attack. It was the ‘Field of Fire’ which provided no shelter for an approaching enemy. The majority of the site is flat, and offers stunning views to Gillingham, across Chatham and Rochester, and through to Strood.

A part of the site has been designated a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), for its chalk grassland flora. Notable species include the exceptionally rare red star thistle, as well as wild clary and squinancywort. Notable wildlife includes the skylark, and kestrel, as well as many other birds, butterflies and insects.

The Great Lines has a history of recreational use – all of the plateau has been used as sports pitches at some point (indeed, the Great Lines was the home pitch of the Royal Engineers – winners of the FA Cup in 1875). Today it is used for informal leisure pursuits, such as kite-flying, cycling and walking, as well as the annual fireworks display.