- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1127 · 12th century
- Site origins
- 1087 per Wikidata – an earlier stronghold or first mention
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 51.3898°, 0.5016°
History
The first castle at Rochester, guarding the Roman road's crossing of the Medway, was raised after the Norman Conquest; in 1087–1089 Bishop Gundulf enclosed it with stone walls for King William II. In 1127 Henry I granted the castle to William de Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury, who built the keep that still stands, about 38 metres high. In 1215 King John took the castle after a siege of almost two months by undermining a corner of the tower. In 1264 Simon de Montfort besieged it, and in 1381 it was seized by the rebels of the Peasants' Revolt. The castle later declined, and in the 19th century its bailey became a public park.
What to see
The keep has lost its roof and floors, but its walls are almost complete. Spiral stairs in the corner turrets lead to the top, with views over the Medway, the bridge and the neighbouring cathedral. Note the round corner tower rebuilt after the 1215 siege – the other three are square. Stretches of the curtain wall survive around the bailey, which is now a green park.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1125527
Popularity: articles about this site in 26 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).