Rochester Castle

August 2017 was a very memorable summer for us as we had accomplished a vast number of new goals – visit a different country, climb a mountain, get promotions at work and stay in a relatively secluded log cabin right on the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland. The final week of our holidays was spent in Kent, as mentioned in previous posts.

After arriving in Kent, getting to know the area better and visiting some castles and other historic places, we decided to visit Rochester Castle. Alex, Vera and I had enjoyed some great sights and moments throughout our week. Vera and I live and work in Russia, so getting to return home and experience some of the day-to-day life of England was a welcome treat for us, especially as it is what I grew up with and gives me a nice sense of nostalgia. Kent had certainly lived up to our expectations and was a great way to cap off our great holiday in the UK.

1. A standard car park in a not-so-standard location.

The sunlight was shining aimlessly through the slit in the curtains, shining its beams on the floor and brightening the room in a nice way. The birdsong that drifted through the window was soft and melodic, almost enticing us to go out and enjoy the day. As we got up, we thought about how the atmosphere in the room, enhanced by the birdsong and rays of warm summer light, was almost foreshadowing how the day would be great. We all got ready, had breakfast and planned our journey to Rochester Castle. We went out to the car and could feel the summery warmth of the day falling on us, with the smells of the freshly cut grass and flowers being carried softly on the gentle wisps of wind that permeated the otherwise still air. Our olfactory senses were stimulated, and we were reminiscing about the beauty of the day and sharing some jokes about things that we all used to on similar days in our childhood. In our minds, our childhood days seemed more romanticised.

 

Rochester Castle

Rochester is an idyllic town, with cobblestone roads, local shops which sell handmade items and a variety of small cafes and coffee shops that are wonderful to visit on a sunny day. We parked our car in the carpark that sits directly in the shadow of the castle wall. The car park is adjacent to a small cobblestone road and opposite a pub, called Ye Arrow, which had outdoor seating. The scenery from the pub’s outdoor seating is stunning, with views of the mighty castle, contrasting with the deep, blue sky and, at certain times of the day, resting in the shadow of this historic and monumental location. To many, the castle is simply a pleasant sight, fading into the background of those who live there and see it every day, but to those who are visiting for the first time, it is an imposing and beautiful sight.

2. Seems almost something a villain would use as headquarters.

We decided to head inside the castle before having a walk around the town as we wanted to get a feel for the castle and learn more of its history. The sky had darkened slightly as clouds were passing in front of the sun, but they only provided temporary relief from the sun’s heat, which was reaching a peak as we approached midday. The contrast of magnificent, ancient brickwork and the more modern surrounding town is a sharp one. After passing through the entrance, the well-tended inner lawns of the castle are a wonderful sight and are befitting of a castle of this type. While Rochester’s history is long and very well-documented, one of the purposes of the castle’s grounds now is for open-air concerts! More information about upcoming concerts can be found here.

3. Move over Italy, we have the leaning tower of Rochester.

The well-maintained lawns are interspersed with concrete pathways and viewing benches, where you can relax and look out over the calm River Medway. The grounds have large trees dotted about and are a very beautiful sight in spring, summer and autumn. When we were there, the flowers and buds had fully blossomed, emitting their scents and giving the grounds a nice smell, especially when the wind blew from across the river.

 

The grounds rise up a gentle slope, atop of which sits the medieval castle. The forebuilding of Rochester Castle is quite a grand affair, designed ‘to frustrate attackers and impress visitors’[1] (Morris 2003). The forebuilding has an external staircase, which in the medieval times would have led to a beautiful room designed to impress guests. According to the Rochester Castle handbook, which can be bought in the shop in the castle, ‘[s]uch an approach was secure and impressive, placing the entrance at the end of a series of check-points.’[2] (Jeremy Ashbee)

 

When you enter the gift shop of the castle, there are glass doors to the right of the entrance which lead to the inner section of the multi-storey castle. Whilst the inner section of the castle itself is laying in ruins, it actually contains a huge amount of history, most of which can be learnt through audio guides, the guidebook or the signs dotted around the site. Some of it, however, is more of a sensation that can be felt when you walk along pathways built through the walls, most of which sit in eternal darkness. Whilst the sensation of the history doesn’t provide any specific information, it is not a stretch of the imagination to imagine that people had been walking through these same pathways, touching the same bricks and seeing the same sights for over 900 years. The silence of the inner section is heavy, with the sounds of any distant conversation reverberating loudly off the walls. The castle itself, now, consists of four walls, with pathways crisscrossing through them. The main section of the castle has long lost its different floors, leaving nothing but a clear view of the mossy ground at the bottom. As you pass through the walls, there are a few windows and small openings which allow you to see the outside world, mostly overlooking the sparkling, rippling waters of the river Medway, or over the old town of Rochester, with its magnificent churches, old pubs and newer high street and paved roads.

4. Genuinely a wonderful view from the top of the castle.

Following the darkened pathways through the walls will lead you to the top of the castle, where you are gifted the stunning panoramic view of Rochester and across the Medway. On a sunny day, the views stretch across many miles, fading, blurring and mixing seamlessly into the very distant horizon. When we were standing on the roof, the sun was shining high in the sky, casting a wonderful light across the entire town. As shadows moved across the sky, we were amazed by the sight of the shadows of these clouds rolling silently across patches of land.

5. The view from the other side of the top of the castle.

Brief History

Rochester Castle was, like Leeds Castle, listed in the Domesday Book, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror and completed in 1086. It was under the constructional expertise of the Bishop of Rochester that the castle was built and rebuilt. The castle itself was not the first stone castle to be built, as many had been built under the Norman rule in France and was following a sort of accepted style of development. However, one of the main differences was the inclusion of a secure, yet elaborate, keep, built between 1127 and 1136, acting as both an example of security and a display of wealth and power. The stone building is four storeys tall and slender. In relation to the forebuilding, Marc (2003) states that ‘it was probably intended as a waiting room, where visitors would be deliberately delayed, giving them time to admire the building, and putting them in a mood of suitable reverence prior to meeting the owner’.[3]

 

Throughout the centuries, the castle was the focus of many bloody sieges, such as the siege of the castle by William II, son of William the Conqueror, in 1088, the 1215 siege by King John, and an unsuccessful rebel siege in 1264. As well as being the site of many sieges, it also served as a home and a fortress, undergoing many reconstructions throughout its earlier medieval life. The Bishop of Rochester was commissioned by William II to reconstruct areas of the castle after the 1088 siege by Odo.[4] (Jeremy Ashbee) As well as this, Henry II, a prolific castle-builder and investor in castle restorations, allocated £100 towards the restoration of some of the stonework of the castle. King John also allocated £115 towards its restoration in 1206, before successfully besieging it in 1215. King John is most famously known for signing the Magna Carter in 1215 but is also considered to be one of the cruelest, and most cowardly, kings to have ever reigned over England. Following the death of King John in 1216, his son, Henry III, ruled over the land. Henry III had found his reign was not without difficult nor challenge, as evidenced by the baron’s war and siege in 1264. The rebel siege was led by Simon de Montford, Earl of Leicester. He intended to take the castle back and fortify the rebel stronghold over London[5]. Ultimately, the siege was unsuccessful and ended a few months later. Simon died not too long after that.

The castle was severely damaged during the siege, with certain areas deemed to be financially irreparable. This then saw these areas being demolished and the materials taken to other locations to support other restoration works. This saw a significant decline in the quality of the castle and a fundamental change in its purpose and use. The castle now served as a place to hold prisoners, who, like in Lydford castle, were subjected to abject squalor and miserable conditions. The castle ultimately fell into further disrepair and had succumbed to weather and other natural disasters by the middle of the 14^th century. The castle remained in disrepair for the next few centuries, with further materials being taken to reinforce other castles and fortresses along the river. By the 20^th century, the castle underwent some simple restorations and passed onto the English Heritage in 1984, who maintains the castle to this day[6].

6. A wonderful view, made even better by the fact that there wasn't anyone else there.

Back to the castle

Not only was the castle silent inside, the staircases were quiet and empty, the upper rooms and pathways were well-kept but quiet. We waked around the area and enjoyed the sights that awaited us. The castle, whilst having been built around the same time as Leeds Castle, underwent a very different life and now stands in ruins, in stark contrast with the magnificently kept gardens and stately home of Leeds Castle. However, I am personally a fan of the castles that lay in ruins, as I feel that they tend to hold more history in their walls, which is more visible and easier to imagine life in medieval times as you walk through them and look at their interiors.

 

Having perused the castle and its gift shop for a while, we decided that we wanted to explore the surrounding town and high street. As we exited the castle, we took a few pictures in the grounds and then headed outside. It was mid-afternoon at this point and the clouds were beginning to thicken in the sky. We walked around the high street, enjoying the cobblestone paths and the local shops. As we moved around the town, we walked through a few parks and enjoyed the summer weather.

We had a meal in town before heading back to our AirBnB. We had enjoyed the castle and the town, and all agreed that of the castles we visited in Kent, that Rochester was our personal favourite. I don’t know what it is but there is something enticing and perhaps even mesmerising about the ruins of an ancient castle.

 

By Kyle P

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[1] Marc Morris, 2003, Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain, Pan Macmillan Ltd. p.56.

[2] Jeremy Ashbee, English Heritage Guidebook- Rochester Castle, English Heritage Trust, p.4.

[3] Marc Morris, 2003, Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain, Pan Macmillan Ltd. p.56.

[4] Jeremy Ashbee, English Heritage Guidebook- Rochester Castle, English Heritage Trust, p.26.

 

[5] Jeremy Ashbee, English Heritage Guidebook- Rochester Castle, English Heritage Trust, p.34.

[6] Jeremy Ashbee, English Heritage Guidebook- Rochester Castle, English Heritage Trust, p.40.