Rochester, Kent

Historical Description

Rochester, a municipal and parliamentary borough, a market-town, and a parish in Kent, and a diocese in Kent, Essex, and Herts. The borough stands on Watling Street, on the right bank of the river Medway, with stations on the L.O. & D.R. and S.E.R., 29 miles E by S of London. It adjoins Strood on the W and Chatham on the E, in such manner that the three towns practically form one. The two railways, from stations at respectively Chatham and Strood, give it inland communication with all parts of the kingdom; and the river Medway, from its own quays, give it navigation both inward for barges to Maidstone, and outward for seaborne vessels to the Thames and the ocean.

History.-An ancient British stronghold seems to have occupied the site of Rochester. A Roman castrum succeeded, and took the name of Dnrobrivae or Durobrivis, from the Celtic words dwr and briva, the former signifying " water," the latter indicating " a ferry." A Saxon chieftain called Hrof afterwards settled at it, and occasioned it to be known to the Saxons as Hrofe-ceastre, signifying " Hrofs castle." Ethelbert walled it in 600-4, and founded at it a missionary church which became the nucleus of the cathedral. Ethelred plundered it in 676. The Danes attacked it in 839 and 885, and were driven off in the latter year by Alfred. Etheldred besieged it in 986. The Danes sacked it in 998. William the Conqueror built a new castle on the site of the Saxon or Roman fort, and gave it to Bishop Odo. William Rufus besieged and took the castle in 1088. Henry I. attended the dedication of the new or reconstructed cathedral in 1130. The city was greatly injured by fire in the same year, and in 1137 and 1177. John took the castle from the barons in 1215, and Louis the Dauphin retook it in the following year. A tournament was held at the city, in the presence of Henry IIL, in 1251. Simon de Montford took the city, and besieged the castle, in 1264. Wat Tyier in his insurrection attacked the castle, and Edward IV. repaired it. Henry VIII. and Charles V. visited the city in 1522. Two Protestant martyrs were burnt in it in 1556. Elizabeth visited it in 1573, and Charles II. at the Restoration. The plague ravaged it in 1665. James II. embarked at it in his flight in 1688. Christian VII. slept at it in 1768. Queen Victoria went repeatedly through it in 1856. John de Salisbury, the friend of A'Becket, was a native; Dickens the novelist spent in it the earliest years of his life; and the families of Wilmot and Hyde took from it the title of Earl.

Structure.-The city is straggling, and extends over considerable space along the river. The main street is nearly in a line with the main street of Strood, and is continuous with the main street of Chatham. The streets for the most part are irregularly aligned, but they are well paved and have been much improved. The general view in combination with Strood and Chatham, as seen in the approach from the W, is very striking; discloses a curious mixture of old and new things, of quietude and activity; and includes, as chief objects, the castle and cathedral in the city, Fort Pitt on a hill above Chatham, and a throng of ships and steamers in the river. The city walls were suffered to fall into decay after the time of Edward IV., but remains of them still exist, and the fortifications of Chatham afford ample defence. The castle stands at the SW angle of the city; was defended on one side by the Medway, on the other sides by a deep fosse; retains traces of the fosse and much of the outer walls, with square open towers at intervals; and consists now chiefly of a Norman quadrangular keep, 70 feet square, 104 high, and from 11 to 13 thick in the walls, arranged in four storeys, and surmounted at each angle with a buttress-tower 12 feet square and rising above the principal mass. In 1883 the castle with its grounds was purchased by the corporation from the Earl of Jersey, and the grounds have been laid out for public recreation. A hillock called Boley Hill is close to the castle, seems to be partly or even mainly artificial, and is crowned by the house of Satis where Watts entertained Queen Elizabeth. Many Roman bricks, urns, coins, and other relics have been found on Boley Hill and around the castle. A wooden bridge of uncertain antiquity crossed the Medway in a line with High Street, was defended at its E end by a wooden tower and strong gates, and continued in use till the fifteenth year of Richard II. A stone bridge about 40 yards nearer the castle succeeded the wooden one, was 560 feet long and 24 wide between the parapets, had eleven arches, and continued in use till 1856. An iron bridge, on the site of the wooden one, was erected in 1857-58 at a cost of £200,000, has a centre arch 170 feet in span and two side arches each 140 feet in span, and includes toward the E end a swing bridge, turning on a pivot, and laying open a passage 50 feet wide for the transit of vessels. A railway viaduct, taking the North Kent line onward to a junction with the London, Chatham, and Dover line, crosses immediately below, and is an ungainly structure. The town-hall was built in 1687, is a brick structure with Doric columns, and contains portraits of William III., Queen Anne, and Sir C. Shovel. The clock-house, on the site of the old guildhall, was built in 1706 by Sir C. Shovel, and projects into High Street. The county court office in High Street was built in 1862, and is a commodious brick edifice in the Tudor style. A new corn exchange, to conjoin with the old one, was erected in 1870-71. There are Liberal and Conservative clubs. Other public buildings are the theatre, the custom-house, and the Fort Clarence military prison.

The Cathedral.-The original cathedral grew out of the church founded in 604, and was in a completely ruined condition at the time of the Norman Conquest. The present cathedral was commenced by Bishop Gundulph soon after 1077, did not attain sufficient commodiousness or character to be dedicated till 1130, underwent enlargements and alterations at various periods till 1479, and was renovated or repaired at a cost of £14,000 in 1827 and 1834. The pile comprises a nave of eight bays with aisles, a St Mary's chapel of three bays on the SE side of the nave, a west choir and transept each of one bay, a main transept with a four-chapelled aisle in one part and a tower called Gnndulph's Tower in another, a choir with aisles separated from it by solid walls, a central tower, an east ambulatory, and a Lady chapel of four bays. The nave is 159 feet long, 65½ wide, and 55 high; St Mary's chapel is 45 feet long and 30 wide, the choir transept is 92 feet long, the main transept is 122½ feet long, Gundulph's Tower is 24 feet square and 95 high, the central tower is 156 feet high, the choir is 110½ feet long, the Lady chapel is 44 feet long and 28¼ wide, and the entire pile is. 310 feet long. Part of the architecture is Norman, and all the rest is Early English. The W front is 94 feet long, and has a magnificent Norman doorway. The nave is the oldest in England, and chiefly Norman. The central tower was built in 1352, and a spire was erected on it in 1479 and taken down in 1827. Three decorated sedilia are on the S side of the choir, occupy the ancient site of the high altar, and were restored in 1825. The chief monuments are one of Lord Henniker (1803), a stone cist of Bishop Gnndulph (1107), a canopied effigies of Bishop Inglethorpe (1291), an effigies of Bishop Laurence (1274), a coped tomb of Bishop Glanville-(1214), a canopy and effigies of Bishop Bradfield (1283), a canopy and effigies of Bishop Shepey (1361), a table tomb of Bishop Lowe (1467), an effigies and two pyramidal canopies -restored in 1849-of Walter de Merton (1278), a brass tablet to the celebrated novelist Charles Dickens, who lived. at Gad's Hill, near Rochester; and a marble portrait medallion of Joseph Maas the singer, who was at one time a chorister in the cathedral. A crypt extends beneath all the choir, was completed in 1227, and once contained nine altars. Th& W front of the destroyed chapter-house has a fine Norman character, and is elaborately carved with zodiacal signs; a doorway of it, rich in sculptures, was restored in 1830. Three gates of the precinct wall, and an embattled tower-arch of the S cloister gate, still stand. The choir was restored in 1874-75, and the stone screen between the nave and choir was adorned with canopied niches, to contain figures of bishops, in 1890. Since 1885 several of the Norman windows have been filled with stained glass as memorials-one being dedicated to General Gordon, the hero of Khartoum. The establishment of the cathedral consists of a dean, four canons, three minor canons, and six lay clerks. The salary of the bishop is £3800, that of the dean £1500, and of the canons £750 each.

The Diocese.-The see of Rochester claims to have been founded in 604. Some of the most prominent of the bishops were Putta who was deposed, Paulinus who was canonized, Gundulph the architect, Arnulph the compiler of " Textus Eoffensis," Walter the sportsman, Galeran who officially humbled himself at the altar of Canterbury, Glanville who severely mulcted the monks, Walter de Merton who founded a college at Oxford, John de Shepey who was Lord Chancellor, Rotherham called the munificent, Alcock founder of Jesus College at Cambridge, Fisher who became Cardinal and was executed, Eidley who died a martyr's death, Young who refused to be translated to Norwich, Neile called the Ambitious, Wamer the generous and brave, Sprat the wit and time-server, Atterbury the eloquent, Pearce who vainly entreated leave to renounce his mitre, and Horsley the learned. The diocese formerly included the whole of Herts and Essex, but these counties were separated from it and placed in the diocese of St Alban's in 1877. The present diocese comprises-Kent (part of), viz., the city and deanery of Rochester and the deaneries of Cobham and Gravesend; also part of the ecclesiastical parish of St Andrew, Mottingham; London (part of), viz., the deaneries of Battersea, Camberwell, Clapham, Greenwich, Kennington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newington, Southwark, Streatham, and Woolwich, and the ecclesiastical parishes of Putney and Roehampton; Surrey (part of), viz., the deaneries of Beddington, Godstone, Kingston, and Reigate, and that part of the deanery of Barnes in the county of Surrey; Sussex (part of), viz., part of the ecclesiastical parish of Felbridge. Population, 1,928,737.

Churches.-St Margaret's Church was rebuilt in 1824,and contains a curious stone font and some old monuments. It has been well restored. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester; net value, £340 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Rochester. The church of St Matthew, Borstal, serves as a chapel of ease to St Margaret's. St Nicholas' Church was rebuilt in 1624, is a favourable specimen of debased Gothic, was restored in 1862 at a cost of £1700, and contains a curious octagonal stone font. The living is a vicarage; net value, £170 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of Rochester. St Clement's Church is now represented by only traces of its walls in houses on the N side of High Street. St Peter's Church stands in Troy Town, and is a building of stone and brick in the Decorated style. The living is a vicarage; net value, £185 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Rochester. There are Congregational, Bible Christian, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Wesleyan chapels, and a Society of Friends' meeting-house. There is also a Jews' synagogue, built in 1868. The cemetery for St Margaret's and St Peter's was formed in 1865, occupies 6 acres, and contains two chapels with connecting arcades and with a tower and spire, all in the Early English style. Population of the ecclesiastical parish of the cathedral church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, 156; of St Margaret, with Borstal St Matthew, 6980; of St Nicholas, with St Clement, 2778; and of St Peter, 5390.

Schools and Institutions.-The cathedral grammar school was founded by Henry VIII., gives free tuition and an annual allowance to each of twenty boys, admits other boys on payment of fees, and has four exhibitions at Oxford and two at Cambridge. Williamson's Free School was founded in 1701 by Sir Joseph Williamson, has an endowed income of nearly £1400 a year, and had Garrick for a pupil. A good grammar school for girls was founded in 1888. Richard Watt's Hospital was founded in 1579 for giving a night's lodging, a supper, and fourpence to each of twelve poor travellers; was rebuilt in 1771; bears an inscription stating that neither '' rogues nor proctors will be admitted,'' and has an endowed income of about £3500. A scheme was sanctioned in 1855 by the Court of Chancery to appropriate part of the funds of Watt's Hospital to the building and support of almshouses, and part toward the building and support of a general sick hospital. The almshouses were erected at a cost of £10,000, stand in the Maidstone Road, are very fine structures in the Tudor style with two splendid gateways, contain accommodation for ten men, ten women, and a porter, and have a yearly endowment from Watt's Hospital funds. The general hospital was built in 1862-63 at a cost of about £20,000, derived £4000 of that sum from Watt's charity, £4500 from a Government grant, and the rest from the revenues of St Bartholomew's Lepers' Hospital, founded in the time of the Crusades; stands in the New Road, is in the Tudor style, of red brick with stone dressings; consists of a main centre and projecting wings; contains accommodation for 100 patients, includes also surgeries, lecture-halls, nurses' rooms, and other departments, and draws £1000 a year from Watt's charity, and a considerable sum annually from the Lepers' Hospital estate. St Catherine's Hospital in Starhill is for sixteen aged females, and has about £548 a year from endowment. Other institutions are a house of industry, the Fort Pitt Military Hospital, and Hawkins' charity for decayed seamen.

Trade and Commerce.-The city has a head post office, two banks, and several good inns; is a port and a seat of quarter sessions and county courts; and publishes five newspapers. Weekly markets are held on Tuesdays. An oyster fishery is carried on, considerable business in connection with the arsenal at Chatham is done, and an establishment for making patent steam engines employs many hands. A new quay was constructed in 1862 at a cost of about £1500. The number of vessels registered as belonging to the port in 1895 was 1050 (65,000 tons). The entries and clearances each average 7700 (620,000 tons) per annum.

The Borough, &c.-Rochester was first chartered by Henry II., sent two members to Parliament from the time of Edward I. until 1885, when the number was reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act. It is governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 17 councillors, who act as the urban district council. The borough boundaries are the same municipally as parliamentarily, and include the two city parishes, the cathedral precinct, Strood-Intra and Media, and small parts of the parishes of Chatham and Frindsbury. Area of the borough, 2909 acres; population, 26,290; area of the civil parish, 2334 acres; population of the civil parishes of Cathedral Precincts, 156; St Margaret, 12,370; and St Nicholas, 2778.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Rochester from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Rochester)

Maps

Online maps of Rochester are available from a number of sites:

• Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• Google Streetview.
• National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
• OpenStreetMap.
• old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
• Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
• A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)

Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Kent newspapers online:

• Kent & Sussex Courier
• Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
• Dover Express
• Kentish Gazette
• Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald
• Kentish Chronicle
• Maidstone Telegraph

Visitations Heraldic

The Visitation of Kent, 1619 is available on the Heraldry page, as is also The Visitation of Kent, 1663-68.