Commonwealth and Restoration
At the death of Henry VIII, the fleet had a strength of 58 vessels. The Dockyard continued to build warships for his successors, including the Elizabeth Jonas for Elizabeth I and the Sovereign of the Seas for Charles I, but generally the Navy declined in the period leading up to the Civil War. In 1642, the strength of Charles I's Navy stood at 42 ships. Under Cromwell, the Navy was to flourish; by 1652 the fleet had grown to 102 ships, the most powerful naval force yet seen in Britain. Parliament under Cromwell voted annual funds of some 400,000l for the maintenance of the fleet, a vast sum. The Commonwealth's commitment to Woolwich would ensure the viability of the Dockyard for the following century and a half.
Woolwich took on the characteristics of a Naval port at this time; part of the fleet was based here, and Woolwich was a receiving point for the scourings of the press gangs. War with the Dutch also brought jobs and investment to Woolwich, and in 1651 the Admiralty granted timber for the construction of three proof butts in the Warren. This marked the start of the Arsenal's role in ordnance testing. Industry also flourished on the civilian waterfront, where the country's first stoneware kiln produced Bellarmine jugs for use in the city's taverns.

Lithograph of the battle of North Foreland by Petrus Schotel
 In early June 1653, the Dutch fleet under Admiral Tromp met the Commonwealth fleet under Admirals ("Generals-at-Sea") George Monck and Richard Deane off North Foreland. The Dutch were defeated, at the cost of 120 British casualties including Admiral Deane. His body was brought back to Woolwich, together with eleven Dutch prizes and 1,300 prisoners. The Navy adopted the "line of battle" for the first time at North Foreland, a tactic that was to govern naval warfare for the following two centuries.
When the interregnum came to an end in 1660, Charles II inherited a fleet of no fewer than 154 ships. Much of the credit for this incomparable bequest must go to Admiral Robert Blake. The Restoration changes included a return to the old names of the ships built at Woolwich. Under the Commonwealth, the President (built by Christopher Pett) and the Naseby were followed by Restoration vessels such as the Little Prince. That Pett had kept his job as master shipwright at Woolwich under Charles I, Cromwell and Charles II must be a testament to his skill. The Restoration would see a continuation of the Dutch wars, and of Dutch prisoners and prizes at Woolwich. It would also see Prince Rupert, Pepys and John Evelyn at Woolwich - and Plague.
Samual Pepys, the son of a tailor, obtained his first post with the Navy Board despite knowing little of Naval life. As Clerk of the Acts, he championed the nascent Navy with energy and great skill, introducing far-reaching reforms to ships and dockyards. His interest in promoting scientific navigation helped found the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. His famous diary reveals that he knew Woolwich intimately from his work, even sending his wife and treasure to Woolwich when plague struck central London. He walked regularly between Greenwich and Woolwich, in May 1661 finding my walk being very pleasant along the green corn and pease. The dogs at Westcombe Farm were, however, always an annoyance; I was set upon by a great dogge, who got hold of my garters.
This period also saw the foundation of the Carriage Department in the Warren - gun carriages rather than coaches. In 1664, a range of old Tudor outbuildings belonging to Tower Place was repaired, including flooring a stoarehouse att Woolwich to keep shipp carriages dry. In 1682 a new workshop and store of some 8,000 sq ft was built in the same place for lodging of ship carriages in ye place where ye old one is fallen down. The proofing of guns at Woolwich expanded after the closure of the proof-ground at Spitalfield in 1658, and from 1668 it was ordered that all new ordnance and carriages be stored at Woolwich.
The original carriage yard now lies under Number 1 Street outside Firepower. The pavilions (red) are the only buildings remaining from this plan of 1701.