Location: Kent Map
Rochester is located within the area of the
unitary authority of Medway, on the banks of the homonymous river,
and about 50 km from London.
Rochester is known for its cathedral and its castle. Rochester
Castle was built between 1087 and 1089 for Bishop Gundulf, some
parts of the castle survive even though it has been greatly altered
by use and reuse in the following centuries. The latter, in 1215
being occupied by barons rebelled by the peace agreements reached by
King John I of England with France, was besieged for about 2 months
by the king himself. The siege was lifted when the defenders died of
starvation. The Church of the Christ and the Blessed Virgin is a
Norman building.
The Romano-British toponym for Rochester
has been a matter of debate for a long time. The name Durobrivae can
be translated as a "bastion on the bridge" or "stronghold of the
bridges". It was also known as Durobrovum and Durobrivis, which
could be a Latinization of the British word Dourbruf which means
"fast-flowing, river".
There is evidence of at least one
Neolithic settlement found in 1961 by R. E. Chaplin below the Roman
levels of the city. Rochester was one of the two centers of the
Cantiaci tribe (the other is the capital, Cantiacorum, today
Canterbury). It was the administrative west center of the Celtic
kingdom of Kent. The Romans arrived and called the settlement
Durobrivae, after being conquered by Aulus Plaucius. The later Roman
colony offers us the current Main Street and the hill Northgate /
Boley. Around the nineties of the second century: the Romans built
mud protections at key points for the domain of the territory. In
the early third century AD hese were replaced by others made of
stone, which are still preserved. In 427 the Romans decided to
abandon what for them was the province of Britania.
By plane
The nearest airport is London City Airport
(IATA: LCY) with connections to some European cities, approximately 50
km away. The nearest major international airport is London Gatwick
Airport (IATA: LGW), approximately 75 km away. The airports London
Southend Airport (IATA: SEN), only a few connections) and London
Stansted Airport (IATA: STN) are domains of low-cost airlines.
By
train
Rochester train station is approximately 100m north of the High
Street (ME1 1HQ).
Rochester is on the Chatham Main Line and
trains are served by Southeastern. There are connections to London
(depending on the train, Victoria, St Pancras or Charing Cross),
Canterbury East, Ramsgate and Dover Priory, among others.
In the
street
Coming into Rochester from the north, on the M25 you must pass
through the Dartford Crossing (toll £2.00 car). Turn off the M25 onto
the A2.
Arriving from the south is via the M2.
By boat
The port of Dover is around 75 km away.
The route to and from
Calais is operated by the following ferry companies: DFDS, P&O and My
Ferry Link
On foot
The old town, which is easy to explore on
foot, mainly includes the High Street, Cathedral and Castle. A leaflet
(from the Medway Council) with a city tour is available in the tourist
information and in the castle shop.
Park
Corporation Street
car park (long stay), coming off the Medway on the left
Blue Boar
Lane Car Park car park (short stay, up to 5 hours) coming off the Medway
on the right hand side
You can start a city tour at the Medway Bridge. From
here follow the High Street, turning right into Boley Hill (on the left
is the Cathedral, a short detour to the right is the Castle). Walking
along the facade of the Cathedral, you come through Minor Canon Row and
The Vines to Crow Lane, which leads back to the High Street. Turn right
to Eastgate House and back to Medway Bridge. The route passes all the
sights described.
Rochester Castle, Rochester, ME1 1SW,
accessible from Castle Hill, Esplanade and Baker's Walk. Tel: +44 (0)
1634 335882. Open: 1 October to 29 March 2015 daily 10am to 4pm. Price:
Adults £6.00 (only the keep, the courtyard is freely accessible).
At the site of the current castle there was probably a Roman sentry
post protecting the Watling Street trade route. At this strategically
important position, William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a
castle. Bishop Gundulf, who is also responsible for the construction of
Rochester Cathedral and the Tower of London, was chosen as the master
builder. Construction of the keep, which is one of the largest in
England, began around 1127. The walls reach a height of 34 m (113 ft)
and are up to 3.50 m (12 ft) thick. Although the main purpose of the
keep was defensive, there are some beautifully crafted archways and
windows. The sad highlight in the history of the castle was the 7-week
siege in 1215. Shortly before, the rebellious barons had forced King
John to sign the Magna Carta. The king engaged in a bitter war against
the barons who held the castle. John ordered a steady stream of arrows
and missiles. In addition, a tunnel was dug under the keep. Part of it
collapsed, but the defenders bravely fought on. Ultimately Rochester
fell and the defenders were captured. Between 1217 and 1237 the keep was
renovated. This is still clearly visible today, as the new corner tower
of the keep, in contrast to the other angular ones, has a cylindrical
shape. The last time the castle was involved in battle was during the
Peasants' Revolt in 1381. In 1423 Katharina von Valois received the
castle as her widow's property. After her death in 1437 the decline of
the castle began. Some of the stones were used in the construction of
Upnor Castle around 1600. Rochester Castle has been a visitor attraction
since the 19th century. Despite long neglect, Rochester Castle is
considered one of the best preserved Norman castles in England. Although
the roof and floors are missing, you can still use the passages and
stairs between the walls and climb all the way to the top. From here you
have an impressive view over the city, the Medway and the surrounding
area.
Rochester Cathedral, College Yard. Open: Daily 7:30 a.m. to
6:00 p.m., Sunday until 5:00 p.m. Price: Admission free.
There
was a cathedral in Rochester as far back as Anglo-Saxon times. It was
built around 604. Traces of the building survive, they are marked by
lines on the ground. The city is the second oldest bishopric in England
after Canterbury. The construction of today's church, which belonged to
a monastery, began in 1080. The architect was Archbishop Gundulf, who
also built Rochester Castle and the White Tower in the Tower of London.
The construction work dragged on for several centuries. The nave was
completed in the 12th century, and the Obergarden was built 300 years
later. The change in architectural style is also clearly visible in the
nave: the first, round arches with zigzag ornaments date back to Norman
times, while the taller pointed arches come from the early Gothic
period. The transepts were also built in the early Gothic style after a
fire in 1180. There is a modern (2004) fresco in the north transept. In
the south transept is an ornate portal (1343) in Gothic Decorated style.
The female figures are Ekklesia and Synagoga, they symbolize
Christianity and Judaism. The crossing is where the nave, transept and
chancel meet. The choir is separated from the nave by a rood screen.
So-called green men (carved in 1840, repainted in 1992) can be seen on
four bosses of the wooden ceiling. Faces are framed by foliage, leaves
spill out of mouths. The "Green Men" are of Celtic origin and symbolize
growth in spring. The early Christian church adopted them as a sign of
the resurrection.
The west facade
The west facade, which was
completed around 1160, rises up opposite the castle. Its portal is a
fine example of Norman architecture. In the center of the tympanum is
Christ surrounded by angels and symbols of the apostles. The large
window was added later.
In the choir
The murals originally
date from the 1340s but were repainted in the Victorian period. The
leopard of the royal coat of arms of England is seen together with the
French fleur-de-lis. This is meant to symbolize the English king's claim
to France. Above it are the coats of arms of the bishops. Wheel of
Fortune: wall painting from the 13th century. The surviving part was
hidden by a pulpit and the wall painting until the 19th century. You can
see Fortuna spinning the wheel of fortune. The men on the edge of the
wheel gain power and wealth only to become poor and weak again.
Restoration House, 17-19 Crow Street, Rochester, ME1 1RF. Tel: +44
(0)1634 848520 Email: robert.tucker@restorationhouse.co.uk. Open: May 28
to September 25, 2015 Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price: House &
Garden £7.50 (adults), Garden £4.00.
The property was created by
merging two medieval buildings that were transformed into a mansion in
the 17th century. Henry Clerke, the first owner, and his son Francis
were staunch supporters of the monarchy. When the Civil War (1642-1651)
broke out the house was confiscated by the Parliamentarians and Colonel
Gibbon made it his residence. After Cromwell died and the Commonwealth
could no longer be held, Francis Clerke tried very hard to bring Charles
II back to the throne. Restoration House owes its name to the fact that
King Charles II spent the eve of his coronation here in 1660. The house,
which suffered damage during the war, has been renovated to provide a
suitable place for the future king to spend the night. Charles Dickens
used the house as a model for his Satis House, the home of Miss Havisham
in the novel Great Expectations. The house now houses a collection of
17C and 18C period furniture, including paintings by Reynolds, Constable
and Gainsborough. A large, walled garden adjoins the house. It is
divided into two areas by a brick wall. There is a ground floor and
greenhouse on one side and a kitchen and cut flower garden on the other.
Part of a Tudor wall has been discovered at the edge of the property.
She was intrigued in the garden.
Rochester Bridge
The current road bridge over the
Medway dates from 1914, replacing two older predecessors. Three cast
iron arches are supported by granite pillars. At the point where the
arches meet, there are columns with heraldic ornaments and lamps on
plinths. Large lions lie on plinths to the right and left of the road.
The pedestrian walkway is entered through a portal that is also
decorated. From the bridge there is a beautiful view of Rochester Castle
and across the Medway. The old bridge is used for the northwest
direction. Another bridge was built in 1970 for traffic to the other.
The two bridges are part of the A 2.
Guildhall Museum, 17 High
St, Rochester, ME1 1PY. Tel: +44 (0) 1634 332680. The Guildhall was
built in 1687. The Staircase and Main Hall have beautiful stucco
ceilings added in 1695 at a donation from Sir Cloudesley Shovell. A
weathervane from 1780 in the shape of a contemporary warship is
enthroned on the dome. The adjacent building, which was built in 1909,
also belongs to the museum. It was once the River Medway Conservancy
Board Building. The museum was established in 1897 to commemorate Queen
Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It has been housed in the two buildings
since 1979. Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price: Admission
free.
The city's history is illustrated and the Dickens Discovery
Room pays tribute to the city's most famous resident. There is also the
hull of a prison ship used on the Medway during the Napoleonic Wars. The
inmates of these prisons used hair, wood and bone to create elaborate
artefacts, which are also on display. Also on display are local
paintings and prints, a Victorian drawing room and kitchen, as well as
portraits and the city's regalia.
Old Corn Exchange Admiral Sir
Cloudesley Shovell had the building built in 1706. It initially served
as a meat market, later as a court and most recently as a grain
exchange. The most distinctive feature is the clock towering far above
the street, which draws the eye to the elegant facade. The clock is
adorned with ornaments and the coat of arms of Admiral Sir Cloudesley
Shovell.
Chertseys Gate On the corner of High Street and Boley Hill,
Grade I listed. The gate was built of stone and flint in the early 15C.
In the 18th century the wooden upper floor was added to the gate. The
gate was part of the fortifications that once separated the Domfreiheit
from the city.
Poor Travelers' House, 97 High St, Rochester, ME1 1LX.
Tel: +44 (0) 1634 845609. Open: Wed to Sun 10am to 1pm & 2pm to 5pm. In
winter only on some weekends (as of 2014). Price: Admission free.
The Poor Travellers' House was built in 1579, the facade was added
in 1771. In his will, Richard Watts ordered the building to serve as a
poorhouse. The house provided overnight shelter for those who had
nowhere else to go. Above the door is an inscription from 1865 that
reads: "For six poor travelers who not being rogues or proctors may
receive gratis for one night lodging, entertainment and four pence
each". The money was given to the people because of the Poor Law Act of
1576. The law states that anyone who has less than that is a vagabond
will be flogged and sent back to their home parish. The simply furnished
rooms give an impression of the conditions under which people of the
lower class lived.
Eastgate House, High St. Open: Closed for
renovation until 2015.
Tiny Tim Tearoom, 5 Northgate Street, ME1 1LS. Open:
Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 4:00
p.m.
1 Nancy's Cafe, 95 High Street, ME1 1LX. The cafe is located on
the ground floor of the Tourist Information. Open: Monday to Saturday
10am to 5pm, Sunday 10.30am to 5pm (October to March closed on Sundays).
2 Golden Lion, 147-149 High Street, ME1 1EL. Tel.: +44 (0)1634 880521.
Open: Monday to Thursday & Saturday/Sunday 8am to midnight, Friday 8am
to 1am.
3 Eagle Tavern, 124 High Street, ME1 1JT. Tel.: +44 (0)1634
409040. Open: Monday to Wednesday 12.00 to 23.00, Thursday/Friday 12.00
to 24.00, Saturday 11.00 to 24.00, Sunday 12.00 to 22.30, food is
available Monday to Saturday from 12.00 to 24.00 8 p.m.
4 The Tudor
Rose, 29/31 High Street, Upnor, ME2 4XG. Tel: +44 (0)1634 714175. The
pub is close to Upnor Castle. Open: Mon to Sun 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., lunch
12 p.m. to 3 p.m., dinner 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
5 Topes, 60 High Street,
ME1 1JY. Tel.: +44 (0)1634 845270. Open: Wed to Sun 12.00 to 14.30 and
18.30 to 21.00.
6 Mamma Mia, 4 High St. Tel: +44 (0)1634 827027
Email: info@mammamiarochester.co.uk. Open: Sun to Thu 12:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m., Friday/Saturday 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Price: Pizza from
£6.25.
Antiquity
There is several evidence of Neolithic habitation near
Kit's Coty House, a ruined Long Barrow. The actual founding of the city
goes back to the Romans. In AD 43 they founded a fortified city with a
bridge over the Medway, possibly named Durobrivae. It is also said that
Aulus Plautius built a small fort here, which only existed until the
Kent area was secured. After 190 the settlement was secured by earthen
ramparts, which were replaced by stone fortifications after 225. Remains
of it are still preserved.
Middle Ages
Since the Anglo-Saxon
conquest in the mid-5th century, Rochester has been inhabited by
Romano-Brits, Jutes and Saxons respectively. In 604 Augustine of
Canterbury sent Justus to build a cathedral at Rochester. With a height
of 12 meters and about 9 meters wide, the apse can still be seen in
today's cathedral. A cathedral school was built with her, which still
exists today, the King's School. Rochester became the second see in the
British Isles after Canterbury.
In 676 Rochester was sacked and
pillaged by Æthelred of Mercia. During the Viking Age, the city was
sacked by the Danes in 842 and 884. In 877, Alfred of Wessex ordered
ships to be built to fight the Danes. This ushered in the shipbuilding
era in the towns along the Medway. In 930 Rochester gained the coinage
regime. From 1077 Bishop Gundulf had a decisive influence on the town's
appearance. Three years after taking office, Gundulf began building the
new Rochester Cathedral between the Roman wall and Watling Street, on
the remains of the earlier cathedral. In 1130 the cathedral was
completed. In 1087 Gundulf began building the fortifications. In 1215
the city was conquered by John the Landless and attacked in 1264 by
Simon V de Montfort. In 1461 the first mayor was elected.
Modern
times
On June 11, 1667, the Dutch pillaged along the Medway. In the
Second Dutch War the Dutch raided the Medway, breaking through the chain
at Upnor under de Ruijter and getting to the bridge at Rochester and
setting fire to the English fleet. Samuel Pepys, who was the naval
commander in charge of the naval port, describes the last successful
invasion of mainland Britain in his diaries. Treasures from the looting
can still be seen today in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. In 1687 the guild
hall was built.
Rochester has been a city since 1211. In 1974,
Rochester, along with Strood and Chatham, formed the Borough of Medway,
which was soon renamed Rochester-upon-Medway. The city status was
officially transferred to the new administrative unit. When the Borough
of Medway unitary authority was founded in 1998, however, the city
status was lost because no precautions had been taken to preserve it,
and the unitary authority may no longer call itself the City of Medway.
Around 1550 Edmund Drake, father of Sir Francis Drake, became vicar
of Upnor, a small town northeast of Rochester. The Protestant family had
been evicted from their lands in Francis Drake's birthplace (Crowndale,
Devonshire) as a result of a Catholic rebellion.
William Martin
Conway was born in Rochester in April 1856
Charles Dickens lived near
Gads Hill. The Dickens Festival is therefore celebrated every year.
The mathematician John Edensor Littlewood was born in Rochester in 1885.
Film producer Peter Rogers was born in Rochester in 1914.
The English
jazz drummer Ronnie Verrell was also born here in 1926.
Kelly Brook,
British film actress and fashion model, was born in Rochester in 1979.