Have fun in Historical Rochester

Come to Rochester where history meets contemporary city life. Rochester is in Kent, in the heart of the ‘garden of England’ and has everything to keep you entertained and active all year round. The city is swimming in history. It is overlooked by the Norman Cathedral and Castle - you can see the influences from this era as well as the town’s strong Naval heritage.

On the River Medway, Rochester has heavy influences from maritime traditions and you can see the imprints of British Naval dominance from past decades. Other highlights include the carnivals of the Dickens and Sweeps festivals or you can chill out with your family in the lovely countryside or on the calming River Medway.

Rochester’s Ghost Tours

With so much history it is not surprising that you can go on Rochester’s Ghost Tours. The last Sunday of each month is the meeting day for the ghost hunters of Rochester and you can go through the city guided by historians who will recount stories of the old days, including eye witness accounts of ghost sightings.

Upnor Castle

Only a short distance from the centre stands Upnor Castle, the magnificent 16th century fort that overlooks the banks of the Medway protecting the village of Upnor. Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort from 1559; it was built to protect warships moored at Chatham dockyards. However the Castle was unsuccessful when in 1667 the Dutch sailed past and captured and burned the English Fleet.

Rochester Cathedral

Commonly known as Rochester Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the second oldest foundation in England and was built by the Saxons in 604AD. The Cathedral has suffered many hardships over the years from a Danish invasion in 1077 and fires in the 12th Century as well as being plundered by rebellious Barons in the 13th Century. Rochester Cathedral has been a place of notoriety having been desecrated by Simon De Montford’s troops and came under attack by Oliver Cromwell’s soldiers. However the Cathedral is still standing and all of this history is there to learn about when visiting. A really interesting place to go, Rochester Cathedral is fascinating and entertaining for all ages.

Rochester Castle

Another place of historical interest is Rochester Castle, viewed from nearly all places in the centre so you simply cannot miss it. The castle fortress was built on an important crossing over the River Medway; this was a strategic move to protect the city and the river from threats of warships. Like the Cathedral, the Norman-built castle has had many hardships and been damaged a number of times over the years – it has been knocked down and rebuilt in various areas. One of the oldest castles in the world, Rochester Castle was the first Norman castle to be made of stone and was once the tallest keep in England towering at 125 feet high. The Bishop of Rochester built the castle in around 1090 to mimic the shape of the Roman town wall. Being close to the London to Dover Road, Rochester was built to protect the road and river from attack as a last defence before an enemy could make their way to London.

For a memorable visit in an exciting city full of history then get booked into one of the hotels in Rochester and discover all that this city has to offer.

Frederick Lemm works for an agency and writes about hotels in Rochester for a hotel offering meeting rooms in Rochester. This content is not promotional, but should be considered professional content.