Simon’s Town Dockyard 1

Simon’s Town Dockyard was built in  1743. The Dutch East India Company established a small dockyard facility in Simon’s Town where ships were safer in the winter months. In the 1790s, the British Royal Navy took over and development continued over the next 150 years. Simon’s Town got its name after the second British occupation in 1806.

By the mid-19th century, steam engineering and coaling facilities were added. In 1885, the Cape Colony government transferred the assets of the Simon’s Bay Dock and Patent Slip Company to the British Admiralty. However, by the end of the century, it became clear that more space was needed for the modern navy’s growing demands.

Dockyard 1967

1957 under the Simon’s Town Agreement, the naval base was handed over to the South African Navy. The dockyard was expanded again in 1975, with land reclamation and extensions to form a new tidal basin.

Construction of the new dockyard

In 1898, an extension of the dockyard began. Sir John Jackson and Co. Ltd. were appointed for the project. Construction started in 1900, resulting in a new 11-hectare harbour with a 914-meter breakwater. The development included a 240-meter-long, 29-meter-wide drydock and a steam factory. This dry dock was named ‘Selborne Graving Dock’ after the Earl of Selborne and was completed in 1910.

The drydock aimed to accommodate the larger steamships of the time, and it required a massive workforce. Over 3,000 labourers were brought in to work on the dock, including 75 Indian craftsmen. These labourers were tasked with quarrying the stone for the dock, which involved transporting heavy granite and sandstone blocks from the mountains above the town down to the construction site using an inclined railway system. These workers, many of whom were skilled masons and stonecutters, were integral to the success of the dock’s construction. They worked under harsh conditions, and 33 workers tragically died during construction.

Dockyard hauntings

Simons Town is considered to be one of the most haunted towns in South Africa and it is said that spectral hands sometimes emerge from the sandstone walls of Selbourne Dock. These hands are believed to be those of the spirits of the workers who died during the construction, reaching out to passersby before sinking back into the stone.

Other Buildings at the Simon’s Town Dockyard.

• In the 1740s, the Dutch East India Company built a pair of stone storehouses at the original shipyard site.
• The oldest Royal Naval building is a Mast-House, Boathouse, and Sail Loft, built in 1815, and now serving as the SA Naval Museum..
• A lighthouse at Simon’s Town dockyard was commissioned on November 3, 1910, though it is not open to the public.
• Additionally, the circular Martello Tower, constructed in 1796 by the order of James Craig, was built to enhance Simon’s Town’s defence system.
• Simon’s Town Jetty was built in 1886. It was the first public jetty in Simon’s Town and was constructed using light timber. In 1905, this jetty was replaced using heavier jarrah timber and was reinforced with concrete in 1921.
• Selborne Graving Dock was named after William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne. The High Commissioner for Southern Africa at the time of construction was  Sir John Jackson Ltd., which was awarded the tender for construction. The foundation stone was laid in 1906. The dry dock was opened in 1910, and the Dockyard was handed over to South Africa in 1957 as part of the Simon’s Town Agreement.
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Defence of Simon’s Town

Lower North Battery is at the site of the original Zoutman Battery, built in 1793 under the VOC. The Dutch abandoned the battery after spiking their guns before the Battle of Muizenberg. When the British took control of it, they renamed it North Battery. Upgrades began in 1806. In 1962, the battery became the Gunnery School’s firing range. Middle North Battery  ‍A gun, known as “Betsy”, was designed in 1865 as a broadside gun for ironclad ships and harbour seafront defence.  It was a 9-inch rifled muzzle-loading. Only 190 were made. It was last fired in 1903. It was mounted at Middle North Battery, Simon’s Town, in 1896. Scala Battery ‍: Three 9.2-inch guns were installed as part of the Scala Battery during WW2 to defend Simon’s Town. These guns were never fired in anger but were used for training purposes. In 1947, they were used to scuttle the SATS General Botha, which was moored out in the middle of False Bay.

FAQs

Is there a dry dock at the Simon’s Town dockyard? Yes, there are drydock facilities at Simon’s Town Docks

Are the docks open to the public? Yes, some areas of the Simon’s Town docks are open to the public

Are there submarines at the Simon’s Town docks?  This is the main base of the South African Navy, and the home port of the frigate and submarine flotillas

Is the lighthouse open to the public? No, the lighthouse is not open to the public.

Updated October 2025