A great castle, ruin only. Nice location next to the cathedral. Great views from the top of the keep, obviously many stairs involved. Little shop at the entrance and a little cafe/ ice cream shop in the castle grounds. Castle itself has a fee the grounds are free. Parking available chargeable.

Plenty of parking. No ques, not busy. Lovely friendly, helpful staff. Amazing historical castle to visit, the views from the castle were breath taking!

Was at Christmas Market and quickly visited for the great views at the top of Castle. Not a place you would travel to visit specifically, but would recommend as part of a visit to Rochester, particularly if you're a heritage member (didn't check individual admission prices).

One of two castles in this area, the other being Upnor castle. This one is by far more impressive. You can enter the tower and climb to the top for a fee (British Heritage members enter for free).

Very beautiful view from top. Also the folks at the gate are very informative. Please be aware before you go, it's plain climbing of stairs. Obviously 1000 year old stairs

A great way to pass an hour or so. There are a lot of steps and although there is a side access to the castle grounds there is no disabled access to the castle itself. Still worth a visit if you can manage the stairs and very reasonable entry fee

Wonderful castle to visit with over 200 steps to clamber around. If you don't like heights, you might not be keen on this! It's all safe though, and there's several benches to sit down and catch your breath on! Reasonably priced, probably takes about 45 minutes to go round and read about from the info boards. Dramatic views from the top across Rochester and beyond.

This was a fascinating place to visit. Entry prices aren’t excessive and I had a concession price too. The actual rooms of the castle have gone, but there are panels to show what was there when the castle was in use. The path through the castle goes via some steep and uneven spiral staircases, so some care is needed, especially when people are going the other way. There’s a warning at the entry, it says there are 200 steps. There are some very nice views of the cathedral.

No trip is complete to Rochester without visiting the castle. Was given an audio tour to learn more about the history, which I highly recommend. NB, there are a lot of steps to climb but a great view from the top 👌

Went for the Xmas market/fayre. Didnt pay to go into the tower, entry into the grounds was free. Nice castle still in good condition. Recommend going at Xmas when there is a huge number of stalls. There is a great Xmas feel to the fayre, even snow machines blowing snow around.

Great castle and grounds. I would recommend going, however, be prepared to take a while to park if you are travelling by car. There is no car park so all the parking around is either, packed, very tight for big cars or out the way. Bearing in mind the castle is in the middle of town.

A small but interesting castle (keep?) with simple but well presented information and, most importantly, fantastic views when you make it to the top. 200ish steps but not difficult and plenty of places to rest on the way up if you need them.

A lovely place to visit with great views from the top. A great castle to walk around, lots of stairs and lots to see around it. Small gift shop at the entrance. Really enjoyed it here and will definitely come again.

A great castle ruin to attend for an hour or so. There is a small gift shop, as well as multiple information boards throughout the castle to read all about the history and the different types of rooms that used to be there. As others note, there are a lot of staircases, some of which are very tight, so please keep that in mind! It’s very near to Rochester High Street as well as the Cathedral, which is free to enter. Would recommend!

I love visiting Rochester Castle, it's a beautiful and historic place with stunning views of the river and the town. The castle grounds are well maintained and perfect for a picnic or a stroll. Me and my fiancée have spent many romantic evenings there, watching the sunset and the lights of the bridge. The castle itself is impressive and worth exploring, especially the keep with its medieval features. The staff are friendly and informative, and the admission fee for the castle is reasonable. I would highly recommend Rochester Castle to anyone who loves history, nature, or romance.

The is an open castle part of the English Heritage. A good walk going the up stairs and seeing pictures of how each floor used to look many years. You can see the square holes in the walls of where the wooden structure use to sit. The top of castle gives you the best 360 views of Rochester especially when it's sunny. It was a bit windy when we went, best to try and go on a hot day with no breeze. Still an enjoyable visit, there a live concert and funfair event on the castle grounds. Recommend!

Great family day out grounds are level for pushchairs and wheelchairs but the castle itself is up steps and then over 100 steps to the top of the castle. Inside castle is not suitable for pushchairs wheelchairs or people with mobility issues. One great feature in this castle was there were a number of boxes that you sniff to experience the smells of the castle when it was a working castle back in time. Grounds are great for kids to run around and have a picnic.

What an amazing castle! It lets you experience a great view of the river Medway and Rochester Cathedral! It’s a beautiful place itself with a good history and wasn’t busy at all on the day I went.

I've been here for the second time today, first seen 2 years ago, worth the visit. 👍♥️ A lot of history behind, it is not massive but still one of the impressive places u can visit in Kent. ♥️♥️♥️ Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, South East England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France

Good day out. Castle isn't very big, but well preserved. There's the Cathedral next to it, which is worth visiting. Also the museum at the top of the high street. Come and visit.

The castle is close to the back of the cathedral. There an ice cream kiosk in the entrance. There is a small car park.You need to climb stairs to get in the main Norman keep doorway to pay. Owned by English Heritage. It is a tall keep, on many floors. You can get to top and the views are great.

The day I visited the castle, it was on the same day as the Dickensian Festival and Christmas Market and it was very busy. I have been to many English Heritage sites, but there is something about this castle that makes me very anxious... probably the height of the place as you make your way up. I didn't stay for very long as there were many people around, but I hope to visit again around May/ June in 2024 when it is also a lot warmer. I will also see if I am brave enough to go all the way to the top then too.

An English Heritage run attraction. There is a charge to enter but you get an audio guide. There are also useful displays around the castle to help explain what you’re seeing and the history. Lots of signs regarding dead pigeons though we never saw any. There are lots of steps so one to avoid if you have mobility issues. The steps can be steep but ok for most, including kids. Can go on the roof and look down on the Cathedral. Learned a lot about the history of the castle. There’s a shop to peruse too but souvenirs were on the expensive end.

This is a very nice cathedral, and unlike some cathedrals it was completely FREE to enter! The people working there were nice and friendly too. The crypt had some fantastic lighting that I have never seen before in a cathedral, and it also had a cafe!

The Cathedral Rochester is a beautiful and historic church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Kent. It is the second oldest cathedral in England, founded by Bishop Justus in 604. The present building dates back to the work of Bishop Gundulf in 1083, and has a stunning Romanesque facade, a magnificent nave, and a crypt. The cathedral is open to visitors and offers guided tours, exhibitions, concerts, and services. The staff are friendly and informative, and the admission is free (donations are welcome). The cathedral has a peaceful and spiritual atmosphere, and is a must-see for anyone who loves history, art, or religion.

Lovely to visit Rochester Cathedral. It is just behind the small high street. Parked in a short stay car park which has a bit of castle wall and is next to high street. Just a short walk to Cathedral. Toilets are outside in cloister area. Super cafe is in crypt. Castle is close.

Visited the Cathedral to see the new art installation 'The Leaves on the Trees'. Steel maple leaves in various stages of 'decay' are laid out on the floor, each with the word Hope stamped on them. Beautiful.

Rochester Cathedral is a World Heritage site and is the second oldest cathedral in England, after Canterbury. It was founded in 604 AD. It is built in a Norman, Gothic style, and it is listed as Grade I. In front of it, there is a beautiful Catalpa Tree that is over 100 years old. As you go inside, you step into another world: an imposing and majestic world filled with music played the Quire (choir) and 'lighted' by the beautiful stained glass. The pipe organ is perfectly calibrated and sounds like an angelic music. There are many relics and tombs and coat of arms around the cathedral, and everything is just fantastic.the cathedral also has a gorgeous backyard. The staff are friendly and welcoming

A very decent looking cathedral. Free to enter. There’s a small shop and a donations box inside. There is also a cafe in the crypt. Toilets are found in a nice garden outside. The pane glass windows are lovely. Part the church was roped off for evensong. There was a huge dark wood panel table in the church with a useful informational display. It was a nice short visit.

I came here on a Sunday, three months ago, but could not enter because there was a service in progress. So, yesterday, I returned when the cathedral was quiet and had a leisurely tour. Staff were very friendly and helpful and pointed out things to see, including the medieval wall painting of the wheel of fortune (and accompanying audio-visual experience). The cathedral is small and very old. The west front is the best part of the exterior, with an ancient entrance gate. Proximity to the castle adds to the experience as does accessibility to the nearby railway station.

Absolutely love this Cathedral! Rochester Cathedral is the second oldest cathedral in England. It was founded in AD 604. The present building was initiated by Bishop Gundulf in 1080. The architecture is Norman, Gothic and Early-English Perpendicular with a fine crypt, medieval wall paintings and a magnificent 15th century chapter room doorway Every time we are in the area, we are popping in there. It is free to enter and so beautiful inside. You can light the candle there. Also, you can learn a lot about the history from the museum, which located on the lower floor there too.

Great history at the cathedral. We went on a day of free entry, and we were happynro donate because of the beautiful history being preserved. We will surely go back again. Great customer service too, there were people around who were happy to tell more about the place and its history.

I had the privilege and pleasure to attend a wedding ceremony at Rochester Cathedral. What an experience to behold! This is an exceptional building with excellent architectural features and rich history.

Beautiful little cathedral with a mix of Romanesque and gothic styles, within easy reach of London on the high speed train. Check to make sure it's not shut for a service before you go (although we just went a bit later in the day to compensate).

Fantastic historical location and perfect locale for a wedding! We were lucky enough to tell the story of the wedding of the Dean's very own daughter and what a fantastic day it was! We can't wait to return next year for another wedding to tell the next story in the chapter of this wonderful family's tapestry! All the best from MykeyDayPhotography!

Love the light show. It was absolutely amazing and made even more spectacular as it was within the cathedral. The event was well organised, and the staff were pleasant and helpful. The cathedral itself is beautiful, one of my favourite places to visit for events.

A beautiful little cathedral. It's probably the most tastfully beautiful cathedral I've visited. The cathedral organ looks amazing with its delicately painted decoration, as does the cathedral ceiling, which also has painted detailing. I was also lucky enough to see a fosilised black oak table on display at the time. Beautiful.

Rochester is not famous to Korean people. However, my curiosity dragged me into this cathedral. It was a beautiful, cozy and calm place. People working in this cathedral were very kind with smiling.

We were too late again, after 4 a clock, so we didn't see the inside of this stunning Chatedral. Till next time, I took some pictures from outside ♥️♥️♥️

A spectacular cathedral, well worth the visit , with a rich historical history.great for tour groups and school outings , impressive history of a dark oak tables recovered from a peat bog swamp carbon dated as old as 5000 years its an impressive piece of ancient history.

This is the 2nd oldest Cathedral in the country and so has a lot to offer in relation to it's architecture. Although not very big as far as newer Cathedrals go, there is still a lot to see with the view from one end to the other through the organ pipes amazing. Here there is also the "Table for the nation" which is a truly amazing to see and read the history of. The wood is 5000 years old. A lot of the cathedral is accessible to disabled people, and if you use a wheelchair rather than a scooter like I do, you can explore more than I was able to. The building is extremely old and you can see they have done their best within these confines. The staff there were really helpful, and there is good parking very close by.

Undoubtedly one of the most spectacular churches and Cathedrals I've ever been. There is not entrance fee, however you have the ability to make a donation if you want to. In the underground area there is a cafe in order to enjoy some sweets, snacks or your favourite coffee. It is often used in order to conduct some events. If you visit Rochester, it is a place you have to visit.

This is not a big museum but it should be visited. It has a amazing design and some historical stuff about Rochester.

From the front we had no idea what this might contain but it was free to visit so we were curious and decided to visit. The exhibits surpassed all expectations. Really fascinating and interesting. The hulk experience is atmospheric and quite exciting. Child visitors seemed to be enjoying this also. The Guildhall function room was set up for a wedding but we could see in and that looked amazing. The layout flows well from topic to topic and makes the building seem much larger than it is. Worth a donation.

An EXCELLENT free museum with welcoming and friendly staff. The highlight today was the three floors of a replica prison hulk where prisoners would have been imprisoned on the River Medway.

This museum is free to enter and although we had very little time here, the immersive (if largely static) displays offer a point of difference. There's lots to see, learn, and do (also for kids) on specific themes, such as Dickens and the prison ships (hulks). It's good fun, accessible, and distinctive for a local museum. No excuse not to go in and have a whirl.

Small but cute historical museum, my kids enjoyed the tour and explored the history of Rochester. It was free and surely worth to pop in if you visit Rochester.

Nice quaint museum in Rochester. Knowledgeable staff. You can easily spend hour and a half here if you want to learn about local history. Family friendly. Some kids interactive exhibits. Not accessible to wheelchair users

This used to be a great afternoon out with the kids, but now they have sold off half the museum and with it half the exhibits, it is not as good as it was. It's good it is free and has some good bits to view, but really miss the old presentations like the olympics or the catwalk and the theatre/toy room. Definitely has lost some of the charm.

Well packed free museum with exhibits ranging from prehistoric archeological artifacts to paintings, and an immersive life size reconstruction of the type of prison hulk once used on the river Medway. The displays are informative but easy to read and there's a good variety in the subject matter to keep everyone engaged. Opening hours are 10:00 - 17:00 Tuesday - Saturday. From the outside, the building itself is one of the more distinctive on the High Street and it's worth spending a few moments to appreciate the 17th century architecture.

For a free museum, we had a great time and I'd well say that it's worth a visit. He spent a good hour walking round the whole place, and a lot of the exhibits were interactive, so it was a great place to bring kids. Some of the historical torture stuff involving the dockside prisons might be a bit strong for children, so visit with caution. The preservation of the old paintings and artifacts from the towns is particularly good for any history buffs.

Wonderful museum. Small, but packed with information and artifacts from the local area. Staff are friendly and helpful. Lots of information about Charles Dickens, his life, loves and death. Lovely, enjoyable & educational museum. Update: I returned to the museum with my friend and they have added the Hulks exhibition. We loved it! I highly recommend.

New entry fee needed from 1/4/2024. Small museum when detailed history of Rochester. Location is good. Just a few walk away from the Castle

Cute little free museum, the 'hulk' rooms in particular (think prison, not the incredible) we're really interesting.

Lovely day out with friends. Upnor High St is just gorgeous and you will find the castle at the bottom of the road on the left, right by the river. The castle itself isn't huge, but really nice to explore. After visiting the castle we enjoyed a picnic in the castle grounds. Would definitely come back.

Interesting castle worth a couple of hours exploring! Lovely location with nice views. Half of the castle rooms were empty maybe lacking some more displays / mannequins to really bring it to life. Staff very welcoming and pleasant!

Smaller castle with a very interesting unique architecture that leaves you to meander around the various towers. The use as a gunpowder storage facility is well documented and nicely reconstructed. Beautiful river views as well.

Is a nice Fort to visit, not massive but worth it. Took as around 1h to explore it. If I have to suggest something, would be about the towers. The South and North towers look so "sad" without having historic signs, are completely empty, and give you the impression that they are not worthy to be invested in their historic past. Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort located on the west bank of the River Medway in Kent. It is in the village of Upnor, opposite and a short distance downriver from the Chatham Dockyard, at one time a key naval facility.

Interesting small English Heritage location on the River Medway. When I visited recently, the clock tower was locked and a helpful displayorama concerning the Danish attack was not working. Nonetheless, we did take a picnic with us which we ate outside on a bench looking out across the castle toward the Chatham Outlet. I did enjoy our brief visit and the walk from the free car park through the quaint high street is rather nice.

A Hiking 🥾 adventure to Upnor Castle. Castle 🏰 seems small compared to what I imagine it to be. I was not able to go into the castle - got there too early 🤦🏾‍♀️. However the surrounding environment is beautiful. Buildings architecture is very distinctive. I found the 17th Century Bar/restaurant super fascinating - 4 centuries and it’s still standing and serving the community🫡

Great little visit for some history on a sunny day!! Reasonably priced and lots to see, average of 2 hours spent on the grounds.

Lovely castle in a beautiful location. Lots to explore and learn here. Great if you have kids too. Upnor is lovely and ideal to combine with local walks and pub lunch.

Lovely castle steeped in history - great views of the river Medway, Chatham and beyond. Information on the small side, and a lot of empty rooms with little information. But great to explore on a sunny day.

Well preserved castle dating back to 1559, with a second phase added 40 years later. It was further modified after a devastating attack by the Dutch in 1667. Originally built to protect the main anchorages of the royal fleet, Upnor Castle was the largest black powder storage in all of England. Interesting and valuable part of England's history and worth a visit.

Great little castle, nice and quiet, lots of history.

My 5 year old twin boys loved this place. You can feel the history in Upnor Cadtle. Great exhibits and grounds.

Set in tranquil grounds, in the picturesque riverside village of Upnor, stands this rare and wonderfully preserved Elizabethan artillery fortress.Upnor Castle was built in 1559 to defend the navy of Queen Elizabeth I and the nearby Chatham Dockyard. It put up a brave but ineffective fight against the Dutch invasion of the British fleet in 1667 and this dramatic and exciting event is told to today's visitors with an audiovisual experience.After Upnor had served queen and country as a military base it was put to use supplying gunpowder and weapons to the men of war along the river.

It's a small fort that you will need around 2.5 hrs to visit, really well maintained and not too crowded when we visited on an August Sunday afternoon. Remember it's an old castle fort with lots of steps, accessibility wasn't a thing when it was built so it's not really advisable for people with mobility issues. Kids really loved running up and down the steps though, it has maintained its authenticity and really feels like stepping back in time. There is a small shop which sells ice-cream and gifts, a little self service coffee area but no cafe. There are picnic benches though so perfect to bring a picnic, or make use of one of the 2 historic pubs which are right on the doorstep.

Went to Upnor Castle on a beautiful sunny day. Its a small castle with two towers. Cost 7.50 for an adult. Right on the river medway. Lots of steps up the towers so not suitable for people with disabilities. Upnor has a few pubs which were all lovely x

Visited here for a bit of sightseeing. The castle and grounds are small so it doesn't take long to get around it. Lots of historic facts are plotted around the grounds to give you insight into the history or the ruins. Cost £15.40 for 2x adults.

Lovely little gem hidden away. The approach down a beautiful cobbled street leading to the entrance adds to its appeal with great views over the Medway. Not a great deal to see however and could do with some more info boards or signage to add to the history. No cafe onside so bring a picnic!

Great location nice walking around plenty of nice pubs two very close to old soldiers the Top House and Bottom house but cannot remember the pub names both serve great food also down near the pier pub another fab eating place Madeira restaurant

Super interesting history and amazing little garden to look around. The lady at the desk today (Sunday 22nd May) was lovely and very knowledgeable. Gems like this can't exist without people like her, she was great.

I always thought I knew Rochester well, but had more to learn visiting the Six Poor Traveller house, completely fortuitously today. The lady curator who welcomed us was friendly and a fount of knowledge on the house and old Rochester as well. The house is now a well informed museum on the charity that runs it, going right back to its founding by the dockyard victualler Richard Watts. This lovely old stone building is well kept and clean and describes the origin and meaning of poor travellers and how the charity catered for them. Their snug bedrooms are shown as well as their communal meeting rooms and washing facilities.At the back is a beautifully kept herbal garden where you can sit. We think of the past as harsh and unforgiving, but when you see the current few homeless on Rochesters high street it makes you wonder if the past wasn't more forgiving than we like to think. Do visit this interesting house and take in its wonderful atmosphere and karma.

What a gem! I'd highly recommend visiting Six Poor Traveller House. The staff is so knowledgeable and the history of the place together with the legacy of Watts is fascinating. Entry is free but cash donations are welcomed.

Six Poor Travellers House and garden is a lovely little museum, a hidden gem, bursting at the seams with stories. I visited the day before the Easter weekend and had the privilege of having the house to myself. From the moment I knocked on the door I was made to feel welcome by Elizabeth, the lovely custodian and curator. She is tremendously knowledgeable, hospitable and warm, continuing the tradition of the house’s founder, Richard Watts (a remarkable philanthropist). I learned so much, about travel restrictions in 16th century Britain, domestic architecture and customs, and over 300 years of charity (with a bit of crime & punishment thrown in). Do go – you will not be disappointed. And do leave a generous donation, to help Richard Watts Charities continue their brilliant work.

Heartmoving story of generosity and love for the common man. Safe board and lodgings with a few pennies to be on their way the next morning. All to brief a tour or benelovance experlty told by the knowledgeable guide - thank you! The Six Poor Traveller House is a delight to experience - please donate it's a free tour.

Excellent visit, the person showing us around was knowledgeable, frienly and enthusiastic. I would highly reccommend a visit, its such an important part of the history of Rochester.

A wonderful lady gave us a very informative presentation about the place. It's history was fantastic and we really enjoyed our tour. Truly remarkable place 👏 🙌

Had such a lovely time there 🥰 The cocktails are amazing 🤩 so delicious, and there are plenty of vegan options, and it's all decently priced. Plenty of games given the size of the place :) And the staff are really lovely. I can't wait to go again!

It's a really nice place with really lovely owners. We had so much fun! The cocktails were amazing, so much choice and fairly priced. Not a huge selection of food but definitely something for everyone. I've already told so many of my friends who now want to go!

Playopolis is a fun and cosy board game cafe bar in Rochester, near the castle and the cathedral. The staff are friendly and helpful, and they have a huge collection of board games to suit all tastes and ages. The food and drinks are delicious and affordable, with options like sandwiches, salads, cakes, coffee, tea, beer, and wine. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and it's a great place to hang out with friends, family, or strangers. They also host social nights every Tuesday, where you can meet new people and play some cool games. I would highly recommend Playopolis to anyone who loves board games or just wants to have a good time in Rochester.

Great place, I love it, amazing selection of boardgames to pick from or bring your own. Great selection of drinks and snacking food, the only reason I only gave 4's for food and service is that there are only normally 2 staff working and they are very busy, so during busy periods you will have to wait for drinks/food. But great atmosphere, I would highly recommend!!

I feel it's fairly priced and transparent in cost. The hosts that day were friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was chilled. No overbearing background music. Games stored neatly in another room.

So lucky to have this place on our doorstop! Such an amazing space to play games with friends & family alike. The staff are so friendly & helpful - they could recommend games based on our party size & likes & checked in with us at various points. I love the iPad ordering system too so you get grab drinks & snacks & food without leaving your game! We attended nearly all their online quizzes during lockdown too. Definitely going to be getting membership cards soon!

This is a great place to visit, especially if you like board games. They have games for all skills and ages (even little ones). The food options are good and tasty. Service is friendly and swift. The concept is great - book a table ahead of time (they may accept walk-ins if there's space), - then order your food via an iPad that they give you to use. - next you pop into the next room to select a board game and bring it back to your table to play - Your food/drinks arrive as you play and you can order more refreshments via the iPad for the duration of your 3 hour booking - You have a great time and pay when you're done. Great idea that is well-executed!

Love this place! Been several times, nice atmosphere and there’s definitely a game for everyone, the selection is huge. Theres not a huge vegan selection but definitely some options and the prices are reasonable

Great fun. Lovely staff. Dog friendly if you book in advance and sit downstairs. Lots of games.

Loads of games to play, friendly staff, quick service. Really enjoyed our evening out there with friends. The food wasn’t great but I would highly recommend to visit for a fun games night out and a few drinks.

They are always lovely, the food and alcohol isn’t bad priced the entry fee isn’t extortion for what you get. Read the article in the bathroom and sums it up quite well

Lovely little museum to browse. Well maintained and has lovely, friendly staff particularly in the museum itself. Was lovely to chat to them. The displayed dolls house was lovely. Very detailed. The history of the museum itself was very interesting and informative.

I have given 5 stars in support but sadly it was closed when I tried to visit yesterday. I do hope funds allow it to open again soon.

Interesting visit, especially if you have Huguenot connections. Had some amazing artifacts to look at, beautifully made. Enjoyed the town as well.

Have called the museum for 3 days now and a friend has emailed, no response. Is anyone there??

WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE GO THERE AND ENJOY HISTORY LESSON IN SPECTACULAR ENVIRONMENT WELL DONE BYE

Small but perfectly formed, and a delight to visit. Very helpful and friendly staff. Mr Hill gave us some amazing information and was very knowledgeable and interesting.

A small but interesting museum, covering the history of the huguenots in England and the impact they've had here.

Be warned they seem to close the museum despite the web stating it's open...

Could have been amazing but was the biggest waste of five pounds fifty ever. Family search unavailable, nothing much original, both ladies on pay desk absolutely hopeless, no customer service skills whatsoever. Don't bother! There's nothing here you can't find for free on Google.

A real find! A really nicely organised, small museum that tells the story of the Huguenots in a clear and engaging way. It really brought to life the story of this community for me. A real plus here were the staff - well informed, welcoming and full of enthusiasm for their subject.

Very well put together museum. Excellent layout and artefacts. Shop has some beautiful and interesting things to buy. Highly recommended. Do consider tracing your family through the museum if you know or suspect a Huguenot connection.

Would recommend going to see Restoration House, the inside of the house is very interesting, but the garden out the back is truly amazing and we will visit it again. It is only open on Thursdays and Fridays from June to September.

I visited this lovely place with my husband the staff were very knowledgeable and I could have quite easily sat and listened to the stories they had to tell all day. I couldn't believe how old some of the items were in this place and the stories about them. The gardens were absolutely stunning and I was so glad to hear that some of it was saved from having houses built on it. I certainly would go back and visit again.

My first visit what an amazing house and the garden is just beautiful and well cared for. I could've stayed in the garden all day. Definitely worth a visit.

A house full of history with an amazing garden. Pity it's only open for a ciulle of days a week a few mo ths of the year. If you can, you must visit.

What an absolutely beautiful and interesting place. Vast garden to explore and a gorgeous house packed full of history. Don't miss this jewel in Rochester.

A beautiful historical house and gardens just off the High Street, a beautiful oasis to delight the senses. Refreshments are available and can be taken into the garden to enjoy. The recently added Italian gardens are now established and I might add stunning, having recently returned from a holiday in Sorrento I felt immediately transported back. I recommend taking a good book to read and escape from the manic pace of life for a few hours or purchase the guide and read up the labour of love poured into this beautiful home kindly open to visitors in the late spring and summer months by the owners. Immerse yourself in the gardens and enjoy a few hours in paradise.

Beautiful gardens and house. Would definitely recommend visiting, such a hidden but lovely place in Rochester.

This is a hidden gem. It is a private house so the opening times are only Thursdays and Fridays June to September. The house is quirky to say the least. The gardens are wonderful. Lovely coffee and cake. Well worth a visit.

fantastic little bit of history right on my doorstep... great for a little trip out with a little tea room too . the garden is lovely and the owners really love their art. it's a must see if you visit Rochester

A fabulous experience! The gardens and house are gorgeous, and the passionate volunteers made touring the house a delightful experience.

There were some great photographs titled, 'Life on the high street.'

Currently staging one of three exhibitions UCA- Retrospective- My late wife studied at Medway College of Art (so of special interest)

Off putting to get the galleries facebook page and not official website when clicking on website in search engines.

Beautiful and enjoyable 🥰👍

Greeted by wonderful staff who did everything they could to make our visit enjoyable. Wheelchair access was good and they showed us the virtual tour so our son could see all around the rooms as the lift was temporarily out of service. The staff really made it enjoyable Beautiful gardens and lovely rooms to explore.

Didn't visit the house today, but until the next visit to Rochester, I took some photos of the garden. ♥️♥️♥️

Beautiful historic place to visit, fascinating history and fabulous staff

Incredible 16th century house! So peaceful after the hustle and bustle of the dickens festival. Its beautifully decorated for Christmas, well done to all the staff for that. Definitely worth a visit. See the Swiss chalet in the garden.

This is one of the buildings that initially doesn't give too much of a vibe, but boy, you'll be so wrong to believe that! Only after entering the house will be mesmerised by the roch history, colours, and all the interesting and fascinating bits that you will learn about the place. The building was constructed in 1590 for Sir Peter Buck and is Grade I listed. It was used as a bording school from 1791 for about 100 years. In 1897, it was bought by the Rochester Corporation and transformed in a museum dedicated to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. This house was used mentioned by Charles Dickens in two of his writings. Next to this house, in 1961, Dicken's chalet was moved here, and you can visit it for free(only the outside of it).

Lovely historical house, with some beautiful architectural details inside. Some interesting exhibits to while away a wet afternoon.

The house is closed on Mondays but the gardens are always open. I love this time of year when the lavender is in full bloom and the herbaceous borders are brimming with bright blooms and bees. The gardens are a quiet spot. It’s never packed. There are plenty of benches and shady spots or full sun if you like to sit on the grass and bring a picnic. I just love it here.

Interesting house full of things that capture the imagination. Good for interest in Dickens.

Beautiful historic building that puts on some small quirky shows, some better than others! Makes for a fun evening with friends.

They closed earlier than advertised (BEFORE 4.15pm), and they pretended not to understand what the problem was. We'd come to Rochester just on a day trip, so we were very disappointed not to be able to visit. As far as I'm concerned, that's cheating. If you're in such a rush to close early, why can't you be honest about it and modify the official opening times?!

I didn't have time to go inside but enjoyed looking around the outside. I would have liked to have explored inside.

An amazing historical house for people to enjoy . Loved the Charles Dickens story and the Swiss chalet styled building outside in the gardens. Highly recommended a visit

Excellent! We really enjoyed our visit. It’s not big so does not take long to walk around. I think it would work very well to add audio to some rooms (the kitchen kind of had it but too quiet and not enough; it could be sounds of a busy kitchen, cooks talking etc. this would help transport you to the times depicted.

Great museum. Went when I was in primary school. Took our little boy (bit young at 3, but he was happy playing with the old fashioned toys) staff very friendly, had a good laugh with them about Shakespeare at school.

Step back in time at Eastgate house has been turned back in to a museum with work ongoing. Good venue for weddings got married here ten years ago. Beautiful old building. Good entry price well worth a look.

Popped in to ‘Dickens’ House’ and had a fabulous time - special thanks go to the helpful and extremely knowledgable staff, who personalised our visit to suit both young and older members of our group - you are both excellent ambassadors for Eastgate House and we will cherish our memories of our visit - thanks to you 😊

Very quite place. RSPB was closed when we went there. But we managed to reach the mashy land and saw some birds and a few dragon flies! We met someone who was there specifically to watch dragon flies!

Came here a couple years ago, good walk around the nature reserve, shame people don't pick up their litter/clean up after their dogs.

Beautiful spot for a walk or cycle around the coast path with plenty of opportunities for a bit of birdwatching on the marshes. The path passes a derelict explosives factory, and other traces of industrial heritage.

The car park says it opens at 9am (not 10am) but it was open when I got there around 7:45am. Some good bird spotting, though lots of shrubberies for them to hide in so can be tough to spot what you can hear! I did the big route round the edge but would probably use the shorter routes nearer the car park in future as they were the nicer areas - it gets a bit industrial and desolate by the Thames.

Great place to come for long walks with your family or your furry friends. You can lost yourself for hours there! If you are history lover you can see Cliffe Fort which is now disused artillery fort, built in the 1860s to guard the entrance to the Thames from seaborne attack. Public foot paths can be muddy in some places, depending on season and weather conditions, so wellies would be very appropriate. The car park gates are shuts at 4 pm.

Wonderful secluded walks. Huge variety of ornithological abundance, nightingales, lapwings, greebs... Wonderful 7km lakeside walks

Not great for cycling as there are locked gates with stiles reducing access unless you lift your bike over. It's pretty flat as you would expect for marshland, surrounded by a wall with views out over the Thames. Plenty of wildlife, hundreds of rabbits. Look out for dogs running about if you cycle here, some dog owners seem not to care about the welfare of their pets or the wildlife, they need to pick up after their dogs too.

Do not use the Google Maps RSPB Cliffe Pools route using Pickles Way onto Mead Wall. The road is appalling condition very deep long pot holes and turning left at Mead Way there is a concrete barrier blocking route to car park. The only access to car park is via Rectory Road onto the RSPB Cliffe Pools car park. Google should not show the route.

A very nice place with beautiful scenery. Very quiet and peaceful. Great place to let your dogs run around. There are multiple paths to take. Lots of mud, so wear wellington boots or appropriate footwear.

Pleasant green space with a tree lined path connecting two historic streets. The area was once a priory vineyard, and now houses plenty of benches, making it a good place to sit and take a few moments break on a morning walk. The path is lit, but generally best avoided after dark.

Lovely park. Sadly the odd occasion you get the few sitting on benches drinking and playing music. No thought to others but if you ignore them the park is lovely. Nice big tree to run around. Great place to take some photos with the kids. And awesome to scoot around. There are little sculptures that you can explore. Very nice place to sit down or have a quick picnic when visiting Rochester.

Lovely garden, a hidden gem one could say, as it's not as crowded as the park next to the Pier or even the Castle garden. Plenty of space for a picnic and thick trees, providing a wonderful shade for those who don't want to be totally exposed to the sun (when it appears!)😉

Lovely to visit with kids and family. Recommend.

A lovely small park , just off the high st and back of the cathedral in Rochester, a great place to walk your dog. Sadly over the last few years has been a place for the less desirable to “hangout”, however don’t let this put you off as many local people care for the park. Spring is a great time to visit.

Took my newborn daughter to the park lovely

We attended a Spooky tour, which took us through the Vines. Lots of history and incidents that have happened. Well worth the tour. Rochester Walking Tours .

A good park, green, with benches and ideal for picnics and walks. It has some interesting sculptures of squirrels, acorns, and others.

Lovely park on the river. Lots of wide open green spaces with great views of the bridge, castle and surrounding landscape. It has a very active and welcoming friends group (Friends of Rochester Churchfields and Esplanade, aka FoRCE) who organise volunteer sessions for gardening and litter picking. Definitely worth a visit and a volunteer.

A really lovely open space, nice to walk along with a little playground for the kids to play in. Has the dramatic backdrop of Rochester Castle behind, which is well worth a walk around. Be aware, there's well over 200 steps to negotiate and if you don't like heights, you might not like this!

The Esplanade, Rochester is a piece of Rochester that never seems to be that busy. It is well over a mile from the bridge to where the road moves inland. Just down from the bridge and castle (another place which should be on everyone's bucket list) there is a small park area of grass with benches dotted about so one can relax and enjoy the views and the tranquillity. There is also a play area with a few play apparatus for children. Walking along the Esplanade with the river Medway on your right (high tidish) you will have a lovely view that makes you want to stand there looking at the water as it makes its way towards and under the road and rail bridges further down. On a sunny evening with the sun slowly making its journey across the sky to disappear beyond the horizon marking the end of yet another day can inspire your inner poet to enthuse about the beauty that Nature provides free of charge if only one would take the time to stop, notice and enjoy. Winter can also show you another side of the river Medway when it is crashing against the shore and throwing up spray and depositing all kinds of detritus that has made its way into the water and not ones rubbish bins.

Great for a quick evening walk with the dogs. Love the view of the water and the castle. Fantastic mix of people also here all of the time.

Nice promenade for a walk or run along the river. Lots of green space with picnic benches, there's also a kids playground.

Lovely place to go and watch the sunset over the River Medway. And only a 5 min walk to the picturesque High Street if you want to grab a cuppa and have a stroll around the local shops.

Not bad. Unexpected to find a garden in such location. Looks tidy. Be careful as it is popular amongst the dog walkers.

So I popped in today as I was visiting rochester from London. I have a large piece by Anne Brenner to frame. I asked an older lady about a specific frame’s price to which she replied that it’s hand painted. So I followed up with a question if it’s sold by a meter to which she said that it wasn’t and turned around to another customer (English) both laughing behind my back. A very unpleasant experience and felt quite racist. I’ll not be going back for sure!

Amazing place, Amazing Staff, Amazing Products, Amazing Services provided and Amazing Art Works. A must see place to Visit. 🙏🏽🙂🙏🏽.

This is my favourite shop in Rochester. It has been family run for around 50 years so you receive friendly, personal, well informed service. If you want a beautiful card ... this is the place to go. If you want to buy a thoughtful gift ... again, this is your best bet. And if you just want to visit a beautiful art gallery featuring many original works from local artists, you wont find a better gallery, in my view, outside of London.

Lovely shop to get cards and gifts for all occasions. The gallery is full of wonderful pieces of art, at excellent prices. Always have a browse when I visit

A wonderful gallery showcasing the best of local talent. The card and gift section is also excellent. Support independent stores like this. Francis Iles has been a fixture on Rochester High Street for half a century and is still family owned and lovingly maintained and run.

A really lovely shop. Great selection of cards and gifts. The gallery upstairs is great too. The prices are fair not overpriced like other stores. The staff are really friendly, the shop is a must if you're in Rochester.

Francis Iles gallery is situated right in the middle of Rochester High St, a short distance from both the Castle car park and Rochester Station. The gallery always has a great selection of sculptures, original paintings and limited edition prints by artists employing many different styles. The staff are also friendly and helpful, without being overly pushy, making wandering around a pleasure. If you enjoy art there is almost certainly going to be something to grab your attention. If not don't give up, it's worth visiting regularly as there's frequently new art being displayed by both regular and guest artists. Well worth a visit!

If you like good art & expert advice on it visit the gallery at least on a quarterly basis as the collection for sale is changed. Paintings to satisfy all tastes & the Artists of Russia are particularly bold & vibrant. A good place to spend half an hour whilst in Rochester & you may just be tempted to buy!

I've been coming here to buy art materials and see the exhibitions since 1979! There's some amazing art on display along with gift ideas, a framing service and art materials. Helpful, experienced staff on hand to offer any advice or requirements you might have too.

A large selection of beautiful art on the upper floors. Stationary and gift ideas on the ground floor. Francis Iles are good framers and very helpful in choosing mounts and frames. We keep returning.

Have seen several performances at this quaint friendly theatre. All v professional with a keen cast

A wonderful little theatre group enthusiastically produced a poignant mix of acting and songs with limited room and resources. Thoroughly enjoyed the production

Great little theatre. Warm, intimate. Good bar and cafe. Very pleasant night out.

This is a wee gem went with friends seen Educating Rita fantastic brought a teer to my eye ❤️ loved it xx had a chat to cast members afterwards great night would recommend . Cx

Great friendly place with lively people and always a good show!

Talented casts, professional feel and very well priced. Would definitely recommend!

Excellent shows in a wonderfully quaint setting with brilliant amateur actors.

Absolute lovely little theatre and fantastic for children/ adults..I have seen many shows here..has a fantastic atmosphere. Would definitely recommend you go.

I, and friends , went to see a band, "Track Dogs". I had seen them before in local pubs but not at the MLT before. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening probably because everyone there had gone to LISTEN to the band (in pubs that is not always the case). So, a great venue for listening to music, but of course having seen plays there too, I would recommend the MLT for its intimate atmosphere.

Have been going to the Medway Little Theatre for a good few years now and have never seen a bad production. Currently showing Taking Steps and it was brilliantly done. Fantastic value. a little gem on our doorstep! if you're local, you must try it out!

Saw kodachrome last night, first time in the venue,worked exceptionally well with the performance,well be back....

I saw Educating Rita last night, it was excellent. Brilliant performances, and the actress playing Rita wow she was so good. The production mirrored the film very cleverly. Worthy of the West End, thank you really enjoyed it. All the staff friendly and its a lovely venue.