Pictures of Rochester Castle

a Castle in the town of Rochester, in the county of Kent

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About Rochester Castle

The impressive ruins of Rochester Castle at the side of the Medway River make up one of the most spectacular riverside views in the whole of Kent.

The mighty castle keep stands to its full height of 125 feet, it was one of the first castles to be built of stone, and was built for the Bishop of Rochester in about 1090. The castle then would have been little more than a curtain wall and enclosure; the keep was added at a later date by William de Corbiel, Archbishop of Canterbury who received the castle as a gift from Henry I, in around 1127. It is one of the largest castles in the country and in its hey-day was one of the most luxurious.

Staircases lead upwards through four storeys, the second and third storeys were merged to make one huge dramatic great hall. The cross wall became a pierced and columned arcade dividing the room into two. A double row of large windows lit the room and it is still possible to catch a glimpse of the former decorative work.

In 1215 the castle was besieged by King John, whose men toppled the south tower. This was not rebuilt until Henry III ascended the throne. The castle was damaged again in 1264, it was restored by Edward III, and further improved by Richard II.

Sadly, not much was done to the castle after this time and it was left to fall into decay. In the 18th-century plans were laid to have the castle demolished, fortunately this did not come to pass, and the beautiful ruins surrounded by expanses of grass provide a delightful riverside setting where visitors can sit and ponder its proud history, whilst enjoying the ever changing views of river traffic.

Rochester is a gorgeous old town with a myriad of cobbled streets where visitors will find a wealth of richly gabled houses and inns, some with Dickensian associations.

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Please see below for other recommended attractions and towns to visit near Rochester Castle.

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Distances and directions shown below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Rochester Castle

Restoration House	(0.2 miles, 0.4 km)	Pictures
Charles Dickens Chalet	(0.3 miles, 0.4 km)	Pictures
Rochester Cathedral	(0.4 miles, 0.7 km)	Pictures
Historic Dockyard, Chatham	(1.2 miles, 1.9 km, direction E)	Pictures
Upnor Castle	(1.9 miles, 3.1 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Owletts	(4.4 miles, 7.1 km, direction W)	Pictures
Camer Country Park	(5.7 miles, 9.2 km, direction W)	Pictures
New Tavern Fort	(6.5 miles, 10.5 km, direction NW)	Pictures
Trosley Country Park	(6.7 miles, 10.7 km, direction SW)	Pictures
Allington Castle	(6.7 miles, 10.7 km, direction S)	Pictures

All attractions in Kent
Complete A to Z of attractions in England

Recommended towns near Rochester Castle

Higham, in the county of Kent (2.6 miles, 4.1 km, direction NW)
An interesting village situated between Gravesend and Rochester in Kent, with links to the author Charles Dickens, the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin, and auctioneer and...
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Upchurch, in the county of Kent (6.4 miles, 10.3 km, direction E)
This is an historic, interesting village which was once home to Edmund Drake, father of Sir Francis, who became vicar of the local church in 1560.
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Meopham Green, in the county of Kent (6.7 miles, 10.8 km, direction W)
This is an attractive Kentish village lying to the south of Gravesend. It is picked out by its Windmill of 1801, which has been lovingly restored back to its original working order and is now one of the best preserved in Kent.
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Gravesend, in the county of Kent (6.7 miles, 10.8 km, direction NW)
Attractive old town overlooking the Thames estuary with walkways and picnic sites ideal for watching the busy water traffic, for this stretch of the river is said to be one of the busiest in the world.
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Canvey Island, in the county of Essex (9.5 miles, 15.3 km, direction N)
With a pleasant coast, intriguing creeks to explore and views across the Thames estuary to Allhallows and beyond, it is not surprising that Canvey Island is a popular tourist destination.
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Greenhithe, in the county of Kent (10.4 miles, 16.8 km, direction NW)
Greenhithe is an area of Kent found sandwiched between the River Thames and Watling.
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Leeds, in the county of Kent (10.9 miles, 17.6 km, direction SE)
For a romantic day out and a trip into England's rich historic past you can do no better than visit the pastoral village of Leeds.
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Sheerness, in the county of Kent (11.9 miles, 19.2 km, direction E)
This is the port to which Nelson's body was brought home following his untimely death after his glorious victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
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Leigh-on-Sea, in the county of Essex (12.5 miles, 20.1 km, direction NE)
At Leigh, visitors will find a small sandy beach and a narrow High Street containing lovely old fishermen's cottages. The resort is situated close to Leigh Marsh Nature Reserve and Two Tree Island, a lonely expanse of windswept grass and saltings.
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Eynsford, in the county of Kent (12.6 miles, 20.3 km, direction W)
This is a small town in the Darent Valley. Way back in the mists of history it was thought to be an important town, but is now not much bigger than a large village. It is...
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All towns in Kent
Complete A to Z of towns in England

Nearby travel help

Rochester Station	(0.3 miles, 0.5 km)
Strood Station	(0.7 miles, 1.1 km)
M2 Junction 2	(1.5 miles, 2.4 km, direction SW)
M2 Junction 1	(2.6 miles, 4.2 km, direction W)
London City Airport	(20.7 miles, 33.2 km, direction W)
Rochester Castle to London	(28.3 miles, 45.6 km, direction W)
London Gatwick Airport	(33.7 miles, 54.2 km, direction SW)

Accommodation & Hotels near Rochester Castle

Hotel Name
King Charles Hotel	(1.6 miles, 2.6 km, direction E)
The Ship & Trades	(2.0 miles, 3.2 km, direction NE)
Holiday Inn Rochester-Chatham	(2.8 miles, 4.4 km, direction S)
Bridgewood Manor - A QHotel	(3.2 miles, 5.1 km, direction S)
Inn On The Lake	(4.2 miles, 6.7 km, direction W)
Best Western Manor Hotel	(5.6 miles, 9.0 km, direction W)
Village Hotel & Leisure Club Maidstone	(6.3 miles, 10.1 km, direction S)
Larkfield Priory Hotel	(6.8 miles, 10.9 km, direction S)
Detling Coach House	(6.9 miles, 11.1 km, direction SE)
Best Western Russell Hotel	(7.3 miles, 11.7 km, direction S)
All of our hotels are available to book online & with special discounts