Rochester Castle in the UK, Rochester Resort
Rating: 8,9/10 (5243 votes)  Rochester Castle is a castle in the city of Rochester, Kent. Located on the east bank of the Medway River.
Rochester has been a strategically important fortress since ancient times. The first defensive structures were built here by the Romans. Some of them have survived to the present day, being built into the city wall. After the Norman conquests, a wooden fortress of the mott-i-bailey type was built. Such a structure was necessary due to the fact that Rochester is located on the outskirts of London from the south and must cover it. The construction of a stone castle in Rochester began at the end of the 11th century, after the siege of the city by William II of Red. Bishop Gundulf, a priest and architect famous for the Tower and Heddingham castles, designed the castle built at the corner of the ancient city wall.
In 1127 the castle, by the edict of Henry I, passed into the possession of the Archbishop of Canterbury William de Corbeil. Henry I ordered the construction of such fortifications or towers that could withstand a century-old siege and protect the city. Soon, four corner towers were built, strengthening the keep of the castle. Donjon is a square measuring 21 x 21 meters, with a side extension at the base. The keep is 34 meters high and the corner towers are 38 meters. The interior is divided by a transverse wall from west to east. The entrance to the keep is on the second floor and is located in the annex. The staircase to it begins on the western side of the keep, goes around the northwest tower and leads to the entrance to this tower. The first floor can be reached by going down a spiral staircase from the second floor. The first floor was used as a storage or warehouse. On the third floor there is the main Hall, the transverse wall of which is made in the form of three arches. The hall occupies the third and fourth floors, on the fourth it is surrounded by a gallery. There is a chapel on the third floor of the annex. The fifth floor is occupied by the chambers of William de Corbeil and his personal chapel.
In 1215, during a baronial rebellion, the king organized a siege of the castle. The shelling did not lead to anything, so a tunnel was created. A tunnel was dug in the southeastern part of the keep, which they doused with fat and set on fire. The corner tower collapsed. The castle was rebuilt soon after, but was besieged again in 1264. After that, the castle was not restored until 1370. Edward III restored the castle, and Richard II erected new fortifications - round towers and a stone circular tower. In the future, the castle did not participate in the main events and began to collapse. Today the castle was cleared and put in relative order. The castle is open to the public.
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