Summary
Rochester, the site of the second-oldest diocese in England, is positioned at an ancient crossing on the River Medway, featuring a formidable Medieval castle that has remarkably withstood the test of time.
The architectural composition of Rochester Cathedral showcases both Romanesque and Gothic styles, with its west front originating nearly 900 years ago.
Charles Dickens, a resident of nearby Higham, had a profound appreciation for Rochester, incorporating several of its landmarks, such as Eastgate House and Six Poor Travellers House, into his literary works.
Just a short distance from Rochester lies Chatham, renowned for its Royal Navy dockyard, which boasts an extraordinary legacy of shipbuilding spanning nearly 500 years.
Let us delve into the most notable attractions in Rochester:
1. Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle stands as a distinguished example of Norman Romanesque architecture, strategically overlooking London Road from its elevated position beside the River Medway.
The prominent square keep, constructed from local Kentish ragstone, was erected during the reign of Henry I in the 1120s.
This three-story edifice rises just over 35 meters in height, with its entrance fortified by an extension requiring potential assailants to navigate a precarious stairway.
In certain areas, the keep’s walls measure an impressive four meters thick, having endured several sieges throughout history.
In 1215, King John employed fire started with pig fat to undermine the southeastern section of the castle.
The chapel houses a model illustrating the appearance of Rochester Castle in the 14th century, along with outdoor theatre and cinema performances that take place throughout the summer in the castle grounds.
2. Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral has served as a site of worship since the 7th century; however, the current structure primarily stems from the 12th and 13th centuries.
This period marks the transition from Norman to Early English Gothic architecture, and the cathedral harmonizes features from both styles.
The Norman elements are evident in the west front, characterized by rows of blind arcades and intricately detailed archivolts and tympanum depicting Christ in Glory at the grand west entrance.
Upon entering the nave, the initial six bays are also reflective of Norman design before the dominance of Gothic influences becomes apparent.
Adjacent to the north tower is Gundulf’s tower, a remnant of an earlier structure dating to the early 12th century, now utilized as a private access point to the cathedral.
Explore the remnants of the 12th-century cloisters located to the south of the building.
3. Guildhall Museum
Emblematic of Baroque civic architecture, the Guildhall is situated on High Street and was constructed in the late 17th century.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by elaborately crafted plaster ceilings that adorn the entrance hall and staircase, a gift to the Guildhall from local MP Sir Cloudesley Shovell in 1695. The museum offers a journey through Medway’s human history, beginning 200,000 years ago with a touchable flint axe.
Exhibits include Roman domestic artifacts from Darenth Roman Villa, a model depicting a siege at Rochester Castle, a discovery room dedicated to Charles Dickens, a model of a 19th-century prison hulk, and reconstructions of a Victorian kitchen and drawing room.
Additionally, the museum features an exceptional collection of 18th-century cabinet maker’s tools, claimed to be the most comprehensive in the world.
4. Rochester High Street
Meandering from north to southeast, Rochester High Street is remarkably picturesque, often resembling a set from a period film.
Its long-standing architectural heritage is preserved through a variety of styles, including charming cantilevered Tudor homes, weatherboard cottages, and striking 17th and 18th-century townhouses adorned with white-painted quoins.
Numerous attractions within this list reside on High Street, including Eastgate House, the Guildhall, and the southeastern wing of the cathedral.
The Medway Visitor Centre and Huguenot Museum can be found in an impressive Baroque structure topped with a quaint lantern.
A notable characteristic of the High Street is the absence of national retail chains.
In addition to family-owned pubs, there is a rich assortment of local businesses, design shops, vintage clothing stores, cafes, charming gift shops, and, most notably, antique vendors.
5. Eastgate House
Recently reopened after a five-year renovation, Eastgate House is a treasure along High Street, an Elizabethan townhouse completed in 1591. This location certainly captured the attention of Charles Dickens, as Eastgate House is represented as Westgate in The Pickwick Papers and as the Nun’s House in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
In the 16th century, Eastgate House served as the residence of a senior officer at the Royal Tudor Dockyard. Since the 19th century, it has functioned as a boarding school and hostel.
Visitors can appreciate the preserved interiors while learning about some of the notable individuals associated with the property.
The gardens feature the Swiss Chalet, Dickens’ writing shed, which was relocated here from Gad’s Hill in the 1960s, providing a unique glimpse into his creative process.
6. Six Poor Travellers House
Located adjacent to the Visitor Centre on High Street is a historic Elizabethan stone building.
As the name implies, the Six Poor Travellers House was established to provide accommodation for impoverished travelers visiting Rochester.
Constructed in the mid-1580s, it fulfilled this role until the Second World War.
The house is featured in Dickens’ Christmas story, The Seven Poor Travellers.
Entry is complimentary (donations encouraged) from Wednesday to Sunday during the summer months.
Information panels chronicle the rich and fascinating history of the building, complemented by a charming herb garden at the rear.
7. Restoration House
An exquisite Renaissance mansion located beyond the southeastern corner of Rochester’s city wall, Restoration House was formed by merging two Medieval houses with a third structure in the mid-17th century.
The owner at that time, Henry Clerke, was a lawyer and the Member of Parliament for Rochester.
On May 28, 1660, Charles II resided in Clerke’s house en route to London for his proclamation as King, marking the end of the Commonwealth of England, hence its naming.
over the past two decades, current owners of Restoration House have uncovered numerous fashionable 17th-century decorations believed to have been created for Charles II’s visit.
These elements are reflected in the marbling and japanning of the painted surfaces, along with the selection of French grey paint.
During summer, visitors can explore the restored interiors, walled gardens, and artworks by Gainsborough, Constable, and Reynolds, typically available on Thursdays and Fridays.
8. Chatham Historic Dockyard
Although situated separately from Rochester, this captivating segment of naval history is conveniently located just around the bend in the river.
For numerous centuries, up until 1984, this site functioned as a principal facility for the Royal Navy, consolidating its various factories and workshops.
It remains the most intact dockyard from the Age of Sail worldwide.
Since 2016, the Command of the Oceans gallery encapsulates the historical legacy of the location, employing cutting-edge multimedia and interactive displays.
As you navigate the dockyard, you will gain insight into the diverse skill sets required for shipbuilding. Visit the Ropery, originating in 1618, or experience the digital theater installation at Hearts of Oak, which depicts the construction of wooden-hulled ships.
Steam, Steel, and Submarines chronicles the evolution from the Industrial Revolution to the World Wars, illustrating the extensive manpower necessary for constructing the steamships of the Victorian era.
9. HMS Cavalier
A standout among the Historic Dockyard’s three museum ships is HMS Cavalier, a World War II-era C-class destroyer launched in 1944. The ship’s significant contribution during the war was providing escort for a crucial convoy from Russia’s Kola Inlet in February 1945, following the scattering of its ships due to a storm and U-boat attacks.
For those willing to navigate steep stairways, exploring HMS Cavalier is a rewarding experience.
Utilizing an audioguide, visitors can view the deck guns, confined living quarters, the NAAFI shop featuring small luxuries, the medical dispensary, the galley, and the open bridge, offering a glimpse into steering this vessel.
Should the Cavalier seem constricted, the experience is further enhanced upon encountering the Oberon-class submarine, HMS Ocelot!
10. Rochester Bridge
For centuries, Rochester Bridge was the lowest permanent crossing over the Medway before it flows into an estuary.
Rochester features four bridges traversing the Medway, but the focus here is on the bridge accommodating the A2 towards Strood at the north end of the High Street.
This cast iron structure, constructed in 1914, occupies the location of multiple crossings, with roots extending back to Roman times.
Nearby, along the riverfront, is the Bridge Chapel, established in 1383 and subsequently restored in the 1930s after being utilized as a storehouse since the 16th century.
Crossing over to the Strood side offers a remarkable view of the Castle and Cathedral from the Esplanade.
11. Upnor Castle
Situated downriver from the Historic Dockyard, on the picturesque opposite bank of the Medway, is an Elizabethan artillery fort managed by Medway Council.
Constructed in the 1560s, this fortification was designed to protect the dockyard and the numerous Royal Navy vessels anchored in the Medway.
Upnor Castle saw action during a disastrous raid by the Dutch Republic in 1667, which devastated much of the dockyard and seized or destroyed a significant portion of the English fleet.
The narrative of this raid is vividly retold through an engaging bilingual audiovisual presentation, while visitors can explore the fort’s preserved turrets and gun embrasures on the waterfront bastion extending over the river.
12. Huguenot Museum
Opened in 2015, the UK’s first museum dedicated to Huguenots is located on Rochester High Street.
This museum shares a building with the Visitor Centre and houses artifacts from the historical French Hospital.
Founded in 1718 to support impoverished French Protestants and their descendants, this institution originally began in Finsbury Park before relocating to Hackney, then Horsham, ultimately arriving in Rochester in 1959. The museum illustrates the persecution endured by Huguenots during the 16th and 17th centuries, prompting approximately 180,000 individuals to seek new beginnings globally, including in Britain.
Visitors will discover the knowledge, skills, and trades the Huguenots introduced, such as silk weaving, clock making, gun making, and goldsmithing.
The museum hosts a collection of oil paintings and silk samples, including a portrait of Mary Louise Grellier, the daughter of the French Hospital’s director, and a miniature 18th-century prayer book designed for discreet concealment.
13. Fort Amherst
En route to the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Fort Amherst was constructed in 1756 in anticipation of a potential land invasion from France.
This fascinating defensive structure is interlaced with tunnels, and the non-profit trust responsible for its management has been gradually restoring the site since the 1980s.
A new visitor center is planned to open in 2018, aided by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, with completion anticipated in 2020. The highest point of the fort offers a commanding view of the Medway, and summer months feature twice-daily guided tours of the tunnels.
Originally intended for defense, storage, and refuge during the Napoleonic Wars, these tunnels were later repurposed as operational bases during the Second World War.
14. Royal Engineers Museum
Situated in the magnificent Edwardian Baroque Ravelin Building, Gillingham’s Royal Engineers Museum is just a brief train ride from Rochester.
The museum boasts hundreds of thousands of artifacts, chronicling the 300-year history of the Royal Corps of Engineers and exploring British military engineering at large.
Exhibits include a map utilized by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo, a German V-2 rocket from World War II, a Harrier Jump Jet, a Brennan torpedo, and a small fleet of bridge-laying tanks.
The medal galleries feature 48 Victoria Crosses (the highest British military decoration for bravery), while “The Corps Today” section showcases advanced technology employed by 21st-century military engineers.
15. Sweeps Festival
Charles Dickens is credited with reviving Rochester’s May Day festivities, a tradition that traces back 400 years.
Dickens depicted Rochester’s dancing chimney sweeps in his short story collection, Sketches by Boz.
Although this celebration faded by the 1900s, the Sweeps Festival has been resurrected since 1980. The festival includes live music throughout the Bank Holiday weekend and features a parade from Star Hill along the High Street to the Castle Gardens, accompanied by individuals dressed as traditional chimney sweeps and Morris dancers from across England.
This event also includes Jack-in-the-Green, a character shrouded in foliage resembling a living bush, who is “awakened” by dancers and sweeps on Blue Bell Hill in the early hours of May 1.
