Rochester Castle

I’ve seen my fair share of castles and palaces in my day, but this is my all-time favourite.

I used to live near this beauty, and would often meet my friend Atlas in it’s garden before heading to our local for a pint. It was also the first thing I saw when I moved to the area.

Rochester Castle is a Norman fortress, the stone construction of which dates back to the 10th century, though there had been a wooden Roman fort for centuries before William of Corbeil was commissioned to build the imposing structure you see today, as well as the construction of the cathedral next to it!

Strategically, Rochester castle is impeccably placed. The walls which today border the Esplanade were once lapped at by the River Medway, and the old Roman bridge was nearly at it’s gates. Along with Tonbridge, Rochester held one of the two most prominent routes from France to London. I could go on about how well it is designed and how advantageous the location is, but I’ll leave that for another post. In essence, it was an ideal place to be if you want to stop an invading force from reaching your capitol. In fact, no true invading force managed to capture it, the three times it was besieged was to oust home grown rebels from within it’s walls. It was the spot to be if one wanted to put a king in his place and secure the freedom of the common folk the world over. Think I’m kidding? Do you remember King John?

Yes, the very same who features so prominently in the Robin Hood stories. The stories aren’t far off from the truth. King John wasn’t ‘evil’, but he and his predecessors had always ruled in such away that indicated he thought he was above the law. He did not rule according to the custom of England, but instead his own will. This displeased his barons a great deal, and so they revolted. This was a period of conflict known as the First Baron’s War, and it resulted in the signing of Magna Carta Libertatum: the Great Charter of Freedoms.

Although he threw a massive kicking and screaming temper tantrum afterwards, King John did sign the Magna Carta. In essence the charter limited his power as king, demanding among other things freedom from wrongful imprisonment, the barons’ consent to levy certain taxes, and access to swift justice. King John largely ignored these demands despite having agreed to them, but the ideas in the Magna Carta became part of nearly every charter of rights and freedoms in the western world.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Constitution of the United States, and the European Convention of Human Rights are all based on documents which were reviewed, interpreted, and reviewed again, over and over going all the way back to the Magna Carta. Rochester Castle and her rebels helped to bring that about!

If you decide to visit her, which I highly recommend you do, you’ll want to get an audio guide. Be sure to check out the English Heritage Rochester Castle page to make sure you go at the right time as the castle is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays! I also recommend you wear a good set of closed toed shoes. Like any good castle it has uneven steps to trip those who are unfamiliar with it, ie., an invading force. You may not be wearing mail, intent on returning the castle to it’s ‘rightful monarch’, but you’ll still likely trip.

It’s not a large castle, so you’ll not need a water bottle or food, and if you find yourself in need of food or drink you can always wander to one of the local pubs and restaurants on Rochester High Street when you’re done at the castle. There are plenty to choose from.

The only word of caution I would say is not to go on a day wherein it is raining, or the day after it has rained. The castle has no roof and no floors save the ground of the basement. The only footing to be found is the platforms which have been added for tourists, and although they are railed one good slip could still send your phone, or worse, you, tumbling down. This holds especially true on the battlements. The beautiful view from up there is worth it, just be careful!

I hope you’ll enjoy this castle as much as I do, gentle reader.

Wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay safe gentle reader.