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Rochester Castle, Kent

William The Conqueror seemed to be well aware of the link between power and religion. Following his invasion of England in 1066 William rebuilt all of England's cathedrals and many of it's churches. He also replaced many senior churchmen with Normans, and used English clergy that remained as a means of winning over flocks to his new regime. The link between power and religion is well illustrated by Rochester castle in Kent. Bishops often played major military roles, and Bishop Gundulf of Rochester, known to his contemporaries as: "very competent and skillful in building in stone," built the royal castle at Rochester, beside the river Medway. He also built beighbouring Rochester Cathedral, and he is a possible builder of the White Tower at the Tower of London, and Colchester Castle.

Castle walls are built to give a dividing line between us and them, and religion is similarly designed to hold people together in groups. However, castle walls disguise allegiances which are shifting all the time. The first incarnation of Rochester Castle saw a major battle during the confused succession of Conqueor's son William II to the throne in 1087. Many Norman nobles were unhappy with the way the Conqueror had divided up his dominions. They supported the Conqueror's elder son Robert as heir to the English throne, over his younger son William. Rochester became a headquarters for Robert's supporters, who included Odo, Bishop of Bayeux amongst them. The younger William marched on Rochester, recruiting Englishmen to his cause as he went. In May 1088 this army of Englishmen and Normans laid siege to fortifications at Rochester. The defenders soon surrendered, and William secured his crown. It was at this point that Bishop Gundulf started building the castle that we see at Rochester today.

Rochester Castle's next siege, two centuries years later, was also a result of internal division. King John was in conflict with his nobles. The Magna Carta had been signed at Runnymede in May 1215, in an attempt to defend traditional privileges enjoyed by England's nobles. The Magna Carta had been designed to bring peace, but many of the nobles simply did not want peace. Some of them had slipped away from Runnymede so that they had an excuse for not being bound by any agreement reached there. A rebel force gathered in Rochester Castle, and were only defeated after an intense two month siege, during which the south west tower was undermined and destroyed by fire. This tower was rebuilt and can be identified by its round shape, contrasting with the square shape of the remaining towers.

 

Opening Times: 1st April to 30th September open 10am to 6pm every day.

1st October to 31st March open 10am to 4pm.

Last admission is 45 minutes before closing. Closed 24th-26th December and 1st January.

Directions: Rochester is just off the A2, near the Rochester/Strood bridge. There is no car park at the castle. Park in Rochester. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Rochester Castle. Postcode ME1 1SW

Access: Only the grounds are accessible to wheelchair users

Contact:

telephone: 01634 402276