Rochester is a town and former city in the unitary authority of Medway, at the lowest bridging point of the river Medway, about 30 miles from London. The town has a strong connection with Charles Dickens who lived at nearby Gads Hill Place, Higham, and who based many of his novels in the surrounding area.
English, continental and Asian restaurants jostle for space with cafés, tearooms and traditional pubs in the historic town. These include the historic George Vaults, which offers four floors of food and drink, and Topes Restaurant, serving modern British food using fresh ingredients from local suppliers. Rochester Farmers’ Market, meanwhile, takes place on the third Sunday of every month with vendors having grown, bred, processed, pickled, brewed or baked the products themselves.
Must sees include Rochester Castle, created by Gundulf or Rochester and boasting the tallest keep in England, and Rochester Cathedral, which has been the focus of worship for more than 1,400 years. Indoor visitor complex Dickens World at Chatham Maritime takes visitors on a journey of the author’s lifetime complete with noises and smells, while the Royal Engineers Museum and the Historic Dockyard Chatham provide information on the town’s strategic position near the confluence of the Thames and the Medway.
