The oldest naval storehouse to survive in any of the Royal Dockyards, it dates from the reorganisation of the yard in the 1720’s and in scale, if not in architectural refinement is more like the stores of the previous Stuart yard. Built as a ‘present use store’ for materials and equipment needed by ships under construction and repair its top floor was used as a Mould Loft and the six ground floor bays at the north end of the structure were left open and used as saw pits.