The Great Lines Heritage Park is a complex network of open spaces in the Medway Towns, connecting Chatham, Gillingham, Brompton and the Historic Dockyard.

The Lines are known as a 'Bastion trace fortification', a linear defence with projecting bastions allowing covering fire to be directed into the ditches (on the landward side of the fort) flanking them.

[2] They stretch from Fort Amherst (overlooking Chatham Dockyard and River Medway), northwards across Brompton towards St Mary's creek near Gillingham.

Also air raid shelters, anti-aircraft gun emplacements, an emergency water reservoir, a pillbox and a spigot mortar, was added.

[5] This is an open stretch of land immediately in front of the Chatham Lines fortifications (of Fort Amherst), if the outer fortification was breached then the enemy would have to cross the field of fire, its openness (meaning no shelter) would allow for a clear view, and shot, of the approaching enemy.

On 14 June 1758, Captain George Brisac (the Lines superintendent) was threatened with murder (by an unknown local) if he did not restore the pitch.

[5] In 1800, Edward Hasted notes "Westward of the village (of Gillingham) is Upberry and the manor house of Westcourt; beyond which the ground ascends to the summit of the chalk hill, on which is the town of Brompton"[10] In 1803, the Chatham Lines were upgraded (due to the start of the Napoleonic War).

[11] The sieges also became major spectator events, including being recorded by Charles Dickens in The Pickwick Papers and in the Illustrated London Gazette.

[8] The Great Lines was also the home training pitch of the Royal Engineers (who were winners of the 1875 FA Cup Final).

[citation needed] In June 1897, the Great Lines (the name used for the Field of Fire) were used to host a celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

In 1902, on the coronation of King Edward VII, 8,000 children were assembled on the lines, to sing 'the Old Hundredth' and the 'National anthem'.

The Field of Fire became a tented camp and parts of the Inner Lines gained accommodation huts, supplementing pre-existing barracks defending the Dockyard.

[18] In 1948, a NAAFI (Naval, Army and Air Force) club was built, beside Brompton Road on the Field of Fire, opposite the Garrison Sports Ground.

Notable species include the rare red star thistle (Centaurea calcitrapa),[25] as well as wild clary (Salvia verbenaca) and squinancywort (Asperula cynanchica).

Currently, the park is mainly used for informal leisure pursuits, such as kite-flying, cycling and walking, as well as the annual fireworks display.

[5] In June 1808, after an act of parliament was passed, the main road from Gillingham to Chatham (via the Field of Fire) was closed.

In 1879, an Ordnance Survey map is made of the area, it shows that the barrier has been removed and the road has been straightened and used a causeway to pass over the ditch (instead of a drawbridge).

[5] During the 18th Century the Inner Lines played home to the true park and recreation ground of the Military Residents.

The formal layout of the gardens reflected the need for military order, somewhat at odds with the fashion at the time of creating Capability Brown style landscapes.

[5] Between 1914 and 1918 (World War I), parts of the Inner Lines were used to site accommodation huts, supplementing pre-existing barracks defending the Dockyard.

The houses in Brompton were also used for engineers working on the Chatham Dockyard nuclear submarine refit facilities.

Now called 'Medway Park' and the sports areas around it, would have been farmland during the 18th century forming part of the medieval manor of 'Westcourt Farm'.

The site of where the manor house was located is now used by the United Services rugby pitches (opposite the King Charles Hotel on Brompton Road).

[7] Edward Hasted notes "Westward of the village (of Gillingham) is Upberry and the manor house of Westcourt; beyond which the ground ascends to the summit of the chalk hill, on which is the town of Brompton"[10] The public house was originally a farmhouse (at the junction of Gillingham Lane and Spray Lane).

[1] The Paralympic Association of Barbados and Portuguese trampolining squad have also signed agreements to train for the Olympics at Medway Park and the neighbouring Jumpers Rebound Centre respectively.

They are large deep ditches with brick lined walls (similar to the upgraded Fort Amherst fortifications).

[3][37] In June 1808, after an act of parliament was passed, a road from Gillingham heading north towards St Mary's Island was closed, for the building of the Lower Lines.

[5] Afterwards in the 1800s, the Lower Lines were used to train the Royal Engineer sappers, including mining, removing defence foundations and escalading.

[40] In 1963, Captain J. S. M. Richardson DSO RN (Rtd) was invited to set up a Royal Naval Reserve Headquarters Unit in Chatham.

On 2 June 2010, it was officially opened to the public by Admiral Sir Ian Garnett with the Mayor of Medway, Cllr David Brake, project director for the construction of MidKent College's Medway Campus and the Lower Lines Park, Jane Jones, and Chairman of the Park's Charitable Trust, John Spence.