Heritage and themed attractions
You will never be bored on a visit to Medway - there's so much to see and do. These pages will take you on a whistle-stop tour through Medway's most popular heritage attractions.
A place of pilgrimage
Rochester Cathedral is the second oldest in England and has been a regular place of pilgrimage for historians and worshippers since it was founded in 604 by Bishop Justus.
|
It is a blend of Norman and early English architecture, with a medieval crypt that contains a chapel dedicated to Ithamar, the first Bishop of Rochester. The cathedral features one of the largest collections of medieval wall paintings, including a particularly fine portion of the wheel of fortune in the quire. The first real fresco to be painted in an English cathedral for nearly 800 years is now on view to the public.
|
Fortress Medway
The Norman conquest of 1066 had a considerable impact on Medway, the most visible signs of which can be seen today at Rochester Castle. Centuries later, on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I, Upnor Castle was built to protect the Naval Dockyard against attack from the river. In the 18th century, Fort Amherst was built to protect the dockyard from attack by land.
Maritime and military heritage attractions
The area has seen both naval and military action throughout the centuries, due to its position on the River Medway and the main London to Dover road - two of the fastest and easiest ways of entering England from the Continent.
Medway has a proud and distinguished maritime past. For over 400 years the Royal Dockyard in Chatham was one of Britain's premier naval bases and is today one of the world's important maritime heritage locations.
|
Today, the Historic Dockyard is a major tourist destination covering some 80 acres of land and featuring the highest concentration of scheduled ancient monuments in Kent, together with exciting naval and maritime exhibits. The Royal Engineers' Museum in Gillingham is Kent's only designated museum of national and international importance. With thousands of items to see in 25 galleries, including 26 Victoria Crosses, tanks, aircraft and interactive displays, the museum tells the story of Britain's soldier engineers from 1066 to the present day. The Maritime Heritage Trail guides visitors along the coasts of Kent and the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France, exploring years of naval heritage, military history and maritime adventure.
|
Dickensian Medway
Medway and particularly Rochester, has been immortalised by its connections, both literary and personal, with the great novelist Charles Dickens.
Charles lived in Chatham as a child from 1817, when his father moved from Portsmouth to take up a post in the pay office at Chatham Dockyard, until 1822. The family lived first at Ordnance Terrace and later at St. Mary's Place, in the Brook.
|
Dickens featured Rochester in his writings more than any other town apart from London. However, the London of Dickens largely disappeared as a result of enemy action during the Second World War, whereas the Rochester he knew still exists and would be instantly recognised by him. For this reason, the old city and those other parts of the area with Dickensian connections are a mecca for Dickens enthusiasts from all over the world. There are many buildings that can be seen today in and around Rochester that were an inspiration to the great author. These include the impressive Guildhall Museum now a museum on local and social history, Restoration House (the home of Miss Havisham in Great Expectations), the Six Poor Travellers House and Dickens' last home, Gad's Hill Place. Visitors to Rochester can discover more about the great author's life and the buildings that were an inspiration to him by visiting the Guildhall Museum's Dickens' Discovery Room or by exploring the city on foot on a self-guided walking tour available from the Visitor Information Centre. |
Only three miles from Rochester is Dickens World at Chatham Maritime. Dickens World is an exciting indoor visitor complex based around the life, books and times of Charles Dickens. It takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Dickens' lifetime as they step back into Dickensian England and are immersed in the streets, sounds and smells of the 19th century. |
|