It is easy to dismiss Rochester as just part of the industrial/commuter conurbation known as the Medway Towns. This is a shame as it has been an important place since Roman times, and has many historic buildings.
It grew up around the bridge the Romans built to carry their main Dover to London road, Watling Street, over the River Medway.
The current High Street follows the line of the Roman road and contains many buildings of note, as do the Boley Hill and St Margaret's Street areas.
The Normans also recognised its importance and built a very fine Castle and Cathedral.
Charles Dickens, who lived nearby at Gads Hill Place, Higham, based many of his novels in the area, and many of the buildings have plaques claiming to be connected to various places he mentions.
The plaque on the front of the Corn Exchange proclaims that:
This Present Building was Erected at the Sole Charge and Expense of Sir Cloudsley Shovel Knight AD 1700.
He represented this City in three Parliaments in the Reign of King William the third and in one Parliament in the Reign of Queen Ann.
Sir Cloudesley Shovell seems to be following me around, as not so long ago I visited the memorial in the Isles of Scilly marking the spot where his body was washed ashore from the wreck of the HMS Association. He is buried in the church where I got married.
External Links and References
External Links
Corn Exchange
A page from Medway Council's web site mostly concerned with event bookings. https://www.medway.gov.uk/cornexchange
The very fine Eastgate House was built in the late 1590s by Sir Peter Buck, Clerk of the Cheque at Chatham Dockyard.
The Bucks lived there for five generations then, during the 18th and 19th centuries, the house had many uses.
At the time of my visit (2012) it was used for exhibitions, weddings and civil ceremonies and educational visits. It wass also open for special events such as Heritage Open Days and the summer and Christmas Dickens Festivals.
External Links and References
External Links
Eastgate House
More information from the Visit Medway site. https://www.visitmedway.org/attractions/eastgate-house-1805/
The Guildhall was built in 1687 and its staircase and main hall have magnificent plaster ceilings given by Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell who also paid for the Corn Exchange.
Mounted on the lantern, is a very fine weather vane in the form of a fully rigged 18th-century warship.
It was installed in 1780 and is made from gilded copper and lead alloy. It is 1.52m (5ft) tall and weighs just under 51kg (112lb).
External Links and References
External Links
Guildhall Museum
Medway Council's official page for the museum. https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/671/the_guildhall_museum
When one Richard Watts died in 1579 left money to the Rochester Almshouse for the construction of six rooms to house poor travellers, "for one night only unlesse sicknesse be the cause".
The Six Poor Travellers House was opened to travellers in 1586 and continued in use until July 1940. The upper floors are use today as an almshouse, whilst the ground floor is open to the public.
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