yard ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁having ▁been ▁' am ong ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁ship y ards ▁of ▁sevent e enth - century ▁Europe '. ▁During ▁the ▁Age ▁of ▁S ail , ▁the ▁yard ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁ship building ▁and ▁repair ▁work ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁consist ently ; ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁a ▁special ist ▁factory ▁within ▁the ▁dock yard ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁steam ▁power ▁for ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁At ▁its ▁largest ▁extent ▁it ▁filled ▁a ▁ 5 6 - acre ▁site ▁north ▁of ▁W ool wich ▁Church ▁Street , ▁between ▁War sp ite ▁Road ▁and ▁New ▁Fer ry ▁Appro ach ; ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁naval ▁vessels ▁were ▁fast ▁out g row ing ▁the ▁yard , ▁however , ▁and ▁it ▁eventually ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁( though ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁site ▁remained ▁in ▁military ▁hands ▁for ▁a ▁further ▁century ). ▁The ▁former ▁dock yard ▁area ▁is ▁now ▁partly ▁resident ial , ▁partly ▁industrial , ▁with ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁its ▁historic ▁past ▁having ▁been ▁restored . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁ ▁W ool wich ▁D ock yard ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁King ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁in ▁ 1 5 1 2 ▁to ▁build ▁his ▁flags hip ▁Henri ▁Gr âce ▁à ▁Dieu ▁( Gre at ▁Harry ), ▁the ▁largest ▁ship ▁of ▁its ▁day . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁Old ▁W ool wich , ▁which ▁is ▁where ▁the ▁dock yard ▁was ▁initially ▁established : ▁past ▁Bell ▁Water