Tailer's Family - journeying!
Project: Kent - Rochester
No. 2 - 5:- Exploring Rochester - Rochester Castle - Castle Walls and Defences
City of Great Expectations - Charles Dickens..
Castle Walls and Defences
The first stone castle built on this site in 1088 consisted simply of a high wall enclosing a number of timber buildings. The ruins of this wall remains, along with some of the additions and alterations, which increased its strength and usefulness over the years. Edward III was responsible for many of these, after a series of surveys revealed major defects in the fabric of the 14th century castle.
In front of you are some of the results of Edward's work. From 1367-70 his builders reconstructed the 11th century wall here and added two towers. The one nearest the keep stands on earlier (12th century) and straddles the wall. The other was brand new and projects fully out towards the castle ditch. It is also much more elaborate with internal vaulting and garderobes (latrines). Their filled openings can be seen fro the castle ditch.
Guide-board.
'Magnificent ruin!...What a study for an antiquarian!'
The impressive Norman castle at Rochester had a humbling effect upon Dickens, reminding him perhaps of his own mortality. In Household Words he wrote: 'I surveyed the massive ruin from the Bridge, and thought what a brief little practical joke I seemed to be, in comparison with the solidarity, stature, strength and length of life.' In Dickens' time the castle looked very different. Houses and workshops filled much of the moat by the cathedral, the keep and towers were festooned with ivy and the waters of the River Medway lapped the base of the walls. - Guidemap
To see Large:-
farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3458667401_5e90575720_b.jpg
Taken on
July 18, 2007 at 12:09am BST
Project: Kent - Rochester
No. 2 - 5:- Exploring Rochester - Rochester Castle - Castle Walls and Defences
City of Great Expectations - Charles Dickens..
Castle Walls and Defences
The first stone castle built on this site in 1088 consisted simply of a high wall enclosing a number of timber buildings. The ruins of this wall remains, along with some of the additions and alterations, which increased its strength and usefulness over the years. Edward III was responsible for many of these, after a series of surveys revealed major defects in the fabric of the 14th century castle.
In front of you are some of the results of Edward's work. From 1367-70 his builders reconstructed the 11th century wall here and added two towers. The one nearest the keep stands on earlier (12th century) and straddles the wall. The other was brand new and projects fully out towards the castle ditch. It is also much more elaborate with internal vaulting and garderobes (latrines). Their filled openings can be seen fro the castle ditch.
Guide-board.
'Magnificent ruin!...What a study for an antiquarian!'
The impressive Norman castle at Rochester had a humbling effect upon Dickens, reminding him perhaps of his own mortality. In Household Words he wrote: 'I surveyed the massive ruin from the Bridge, and thought what a brief little practical joke I seemed to be, in comparison with the solidarity, stature, strength and length of life.' In Dickens' time the castle looked very different. Houses and workshops filled much of the moat by the cathedral, the keep and towers were festooned with ivy and the waters of the River Medway lapped the base of the walls. - Guidemap
To see Large:-
farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3458667401_5e90575720_b.jpg
Taken on
July 18, 2007 at 12:09am BST