ROCHESTER CASTLE

Kent

For the commuter, travelling along the line into Victoria station day after day, the site of Rochester Castle and Cathedral as the train sweeps through Strood is surely the highlight of the journey. The dominating position of the tallest of all England’s great keeps is awe-inspiring, and yet so familiar many of us simply ignore it. This same position gives it a commanding view both up and down the River which is always a joy to behold no matter how many times one scales those wobbly uneven stone steps.

It is hard to do justice to a Castle like Rochester in so few words - but here goes…

The original Castle, a wooden structure, was built some time between the Conquest and 1088 when Bishop Odo rebelled against William II and Rochester Castle and City were laid siege to by the Kings forces. After the rebellion Bishop Gundulf - that great figure in Medway history - rebuilt the Castle in stone; part of his curtain wall still survives today. The great keep we see today was constructed around 1130 on the orders of another Bishop, William de Corbeil.

In 1215 Rochester was the site of perhaps the greatest Castle siege in English history; King John himself laid siege to the Castle. Miners dug under the south tower and it collapsed (it was later repaired which is why one corner tower of Rochester is round when the others are all square). This siege changed ideas of Castle design forever - it was after the undermining of Rochester Castle that the concept of the wet moat was born.

A mere 50 years later Simon de Montfort also laid siege to the Castle, this time only damaging the curtain walls.  Yet another brief siege occurred in 1381, but as medieval times progressed the Castle's importance dwindled and it became a quarry for materials for Upnor Castle at one stage.

No self-respecting Castle is complete without a ghost and Rochester has two - Charles Dickens (who loved the Castle and the City, and wished to be buried beneath its walls - his wish was ignored and he ended up in Westminster Abbey) and Lady Blanche, accidentally killed by her jealous husband and doomed forever to walk the ramparts of the Castle.

The Civil War passed Rochester Castle by and today we are left with perhaps the most archetypal Castle in Kent.

The Castle is owned by English Heritage and is open all year.

Rochester was the last Castle Andrew and Roy visited at the end of their seven years of travelling around England's Castles.

Back to Castles of Kent Page

This text is based on one which appeared in "In Front" Magazine in November 1999.

© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions, Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
© Web Design and Layout - Andrew J. Müller
2001