View allAll Photos Tagged RESTORATIONS
With this restoration, the external ring of standing stones has been largely incorporated into a flush dry stone wall. If standing stones had an anthropomorphic interpretation beyond the statue menhirs and menhir steles, then either the allusion was missing for this site, or, the imagery of being sandwiched into anonymity had a public. Alternatively, the tumulus should have finished lower, leaving the standing stones visible, identifiable and proud. A slightly lower outer wall would provide a full range of shadow developments for reading of the sun and sky...
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Nice restored barn that caught my eye. Been super busy. Catch up with all of you soon!
The boot floor just before it was screwed down. Lots of screws so we had to be sure we did not want to access the frame any more.
I am playing catch up with some pictures. I was surprised to find that these two views of the painted boot area dated from September 2017.
Mexican woman. Original print was photographed/digitized using Sony RX100. Restored using CS5 and android photo apps.
Willeke, working at the DAIMLER 1948 in the restoration hall.
Model: Willeke Bartels IG: @willekebartels
Believe it or not there is still a willingness by Brighton's West Pier Trust to restore the pier, using funds from the i360 now occupying the sight to generate the money required.
The West Pier is a pier in Brighton, England. It was designed by Eugenius Birch, opening in 1866 and closing in 1975. The pier was the first to be Grade I listed in Britain but has become increasingly derelict since closure.
The pier was constructed during a boom in pleasure pier building in the 1860s, and was designed to attract tourism in Brighton. It was the town's second pier, joining the Royal Suspension Chain Pier of 1823. It was extended in 1893, and a concert hall was added in 1916. The pier reached its peak attendance during this time, with 2 million visitors between 1918 and 1919. Its popularity began to decline after World War II, and concerts were replaced by a funfair and tearoom. A local company took ownership in 1965, but could not meet the increased maintenance cost, and ultimately filed for bankruptcy. They could not find a suitable buyer, so the pier closed in 1975 and subsequently fell into disrepair.
The West Pier Trust now owns the pier and has proposed various plans to renovate it. Some schemes have been opposed by local residents and the owners of the nearby Palace Pier, who have claimed unfair competition. The pier gradually collapsed during the early 21st century. Major sections collapsed in late 2002, and two fires in March and May 2003 left little of the original structure. Subsequently, English Heritage declared it to be beyond repair. Structured demolition took place in 2010 to make way for the observation tower i360; further structural damage from storms has occurred since.
Restoration of the the two turrets (Hishi and Tsuzuki Yagura) and a long storehouse (Gojukken Nagaya) between them, 2001. Rebuilt using traditional techniques, the roof tiles are made of lead with a trace of copper. Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa-ken, Japan.
As part of the 19th century restoration of the 11th century Kaiserpfalz ini Goslar, the painter Hermann Wislicenus created a series of murals purporting to illustrate the continuity of imperial rule from Charlemagne, the 9th century Frankish king who was crowned King of the Romans by pope Leo III, to Kaiser WIlhelm, whose coronation in 1871 initiated the Prussian Empire ("second reich"). Beginning in the mid-11th century, this hall was the seat of the imperial court..
About the palace: The Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich (Henry) III built this Romanesque-style edifice in Goslar (Lower Saxony) between 1040 and 1050. Goslar lies in a river valley on the edge of the Harz Mountains near rich sources of silver and iron ore. The palace is the largest, oldest, and most well preserved 11th century secular building in Europe and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage SIte. At the time of its construction, the emperor typically maintained an itinerant court that traveled through the extensive realm of the Empire, often maintaining dozens of active palaces, collecting taxes, checking local infrastructure and military readiness, monitoring political loyalties, holding public councils (Diets), and dispensing justice. This palace saw frequent use for about two centuries before falling into disrepair about 1289. It was the favorite palace of its creator, Heinricih III, who visited Goslar frequently (and whose heart is buried there). It was used mostly for storage in over the next few centuries, so it wasn't destroyed, and in 1868 it was rehabilitated, just in time to receive a visit from Kaiser Wilhelm I, in celebration of the establishment in 1871 of the Prussian Empire (headquartered in Berlin). The monarchy was replaced at the end of WWI by the Weiimar Republic; Hitler referred to the Prussian Empire as the "Second Reich," the first having been established by Charlemagne in the 9th century.
20 May, 2018
By the end of last year I bought a Peugeot Zenith for my daughter. I spent a lot of time to make it like new, but a few weeks ago it was stolen....
Lucky enough it was found two days later slighty damaged. They forced the steeringlock and tried to hotwire it. This didn't work and the scooter was left behind.
Now it's back I repaired the wiring and placed a new steering and ignitionlock.
The other damage (broken bodyparts) was also fixed and now it's like new again.
If you're interested in all the work take a look at my small movie: overhaulin' a Peugeot Zenith
I almost forgot to tell you that my daughter is happy again :)
The left photo was taken in 2002. (courtesy of Victorian Secrets of Washington, D.C.) The right photo was taken in 2008 by yours truly.
The Portner, an eight-unit condominium located at 1224 13th Street NW in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., is the last remaining Victorian building on its block. Built in 1885 by August Getz, the Second Empire row house was designed by architect Clement August Didden (here's another design by Didden, located nearby) for millionaire real estate speculator and entrepreneur, Robert Portner, a native of the Province of Westphalia, Prussia. The building was renovated in 2004 by the Murillo/Malnati Group (MMg) following the designs of Zahn Design Architects.
The restoration of the organ whipped up a storm of controversy.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frauenkirche,_Dresden
www.mz.de/kultur/dresdner-frauenkirche-orgelstreit-als-gr...
grantmacdonald.com/blogs/blog/blood-sweat-and-tears-the-d...
'Builders decided not to reproduce the 1736 Gottfried Silbermann organ, despite the fact that the original design papers, description, and details exist, giving rise to the Dresden organ dispute ("Dresdner Orgelstreit").' [from the above Wikipedia link].
Here's the full on complaint about the organ restoration (in German) – www.bach-cantatas.com/teritowe/frkgbcwd.htm There are some very prominent musicians who have signed their names to this letter, which would certainly make you think twice about what you were doing.
The issue goes along the following lines: 'Reasons were given for the departure from the faithful replica of the Silbermann organ from 1732-36, which were exhaustively refuted by internationally prominent organists, organ builders and organ scientists. The reference to the supposedly insufficient documentation of the original condition shows ignorance or conscious ignorance of the state of research. The fear that only a significantly limited musical repertoire can be played on an organ of the late Silbermann style can be refuted by looking at the early Silbermann organ in Freiberg Cathedral, as well as numerous other historical organs. The unique harmony of recreated space and instrument that can be achieved in the Frauenkirche far outweighs the loss of an adequate representation of romantic and newer organ literature (which is possible in many places).'
This photo meets the photo goals for this project because it effectively uses the insinuated framing and the interesting composition to enhance the photo. We were standing in the top floor showing room of Restoration Hardware when I took this shot. It was partly cloudy out side and the sun was coming in the picture window wall. I had him stand front of the leather couch and in-between the two retro lights. Then I had him look out the window. I chose this photo for this project because the light coming in gives him nice lighting on his coat and face along with how there is insinuated framing. I edited this picture by lowering the saturation a tad and decreased vibrance. I felt like I found an interesting subject and idea of framing. If I had to change something I would have taken more pictures from different angles but we got caught taking photos and were told that no professional photos were to be taken in the store.
This image is the latest in my fine art 'Treescapes' series - more of which can be seen here - www.flickr.com/photos/dougchinnery/sets/72157611685272818/
With much fanfare, the William Underwood was launched into Rockport Harbor Saturday, July 13, culminating a 12-year restoration by Rockport Marine owner Taylor Allen and the boatyard crew. The William Underwood, which, according to Allen, is one of the only sardine carriers remaining on the East Coast, was built in 1941 in Dorchester, Mass., by Simms Brothers for the Underwood Packing Co. The boats would motor out to where sardines were caught and collect them from nets with a hose before bringing them ashore for packing. The UNDERWOOD carried sardines and herring from the weirs and nets where they were caught along the coast of Maine to the Underwood packing plant in Jonesport. Boats like the William Underwood are now considered excellent workboats to convert into yachts because of their attractive lines, speed and maneuverability. Yard owner Taylor Allen plans to use the UNDERWOOD as a cruising boat for his family.
Allen said he had long admired sardine carriers, calling them a great “marriage of form and function,” and praising their efficient hull which, for its size, does not require a lot of power to move.
Allen said that along with other Underwood canned products like deviled ham, sardines from the boat helped feed soldiers during World War II.
The topsides of the bow were painted with sardines in homage to its past, but Allen said the only sardines that would be coming aboard would be in cans.
White said the plan for this summer is to take a couple of short trips and get comfortable on the boat before planning some longer voyages for next summer.
Click link below to see original boat (couldn't get the image to display here).
Facts about the rebuilding of the four chimneys at Battersea power station.
Mate 20 Pro - Leica lens
This photo was enhanced and refurbished using a combination of editing tools including FaceApp, Remini, Adobe Lightroom, and Paintshop Pro.
Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, Italy.
My museum collection : www.flickr.com/photos/9619972@N08/collections/72157702215...
NEC Restoration Show Setup Day. Taken on a Canon AT-1 with 35mm f/2.8 lens and Ilford XP2 Super film, shot at ISO800 (or thereabouts). Home processed in C-41 chemistry and scanned with an Epson V800
What do the Brazilian colonial city of Salvador da Bahia and the Spanish colonial city of Ayacucho on the other side of the South American continent have in common?
For what must have been relatively small populations during the colonial era, there is an abundance of handsome old churches. Salvador boasts of at least eight; Ayacucho, dubbed the City of Churches, ten.
That implies a substantial flow of cash to build them and a large flow of donations thereafter to keep them open.
It has proven to be remarkably difficult to identify the churches I photographed in Bahia from the decks of the MV Monte Rosa. While Google has a treasury of photos of Bahian churches and maps to show where they are, so far none of them have the distinctive and prominent arches at the top of each tower. But that's not a completely bad thing; it shows that something as large as that church can evade detection by or in the Total Information System that is coming together faster than we know.
Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.
Extensive restoration of the facade of the Town Hall with 30 - 35 percent of all the exterior sandstone elements replaced at a cost of $28 million .
Newcastle . NSW
This ‘bathtub’ Packard of c.1948 vintage has rested inside the Sarasota Classic Car Museum for several years, awaiting restoration. It’s future is now far less certain as the museum’s landlord, New College of Florida, has given it notice to quit at very short notice. The Museum is expected to close its doors for the final time at the end of this month.
A carriage awaiting restoration at East Kent Light Railway Eythorne Station Kent.
MY THANKS TO ALL WHO VISIT AND COMMENT IT IS APPRECIATED
A trial project has begun to determine how long a full restoration project will take to repair Gloucester Cathedral's medieval fan vaulted cloisters. The whole project could take years, or even decades.
Rochester is a town and historic city in the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, England. It is situated at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London.
Rochester was for many years a favourite of Charles Dickens, who owned nearby Gads Hill Place, Higham,[1] basing many of his novels on the area. The Diocese of Rochester, the second oldest in England, is based at Rochester Cathedral and was responsible for the founding of a school, now The King's School in 604 AD,[2] which is recognised as being the second oldest continuously running school in the world. Rochester Castle, built by Bishop Gundulf of Rochester, has one of the best preserved keepsin either England or France, and during the First Barons' War (1215–1217) in King John's reign, baronial forces captured the castle from Archbishop Stephen Langton and held it against the king, who then besieged it.[3]
Neighbouring Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and a number of outlying villages, together with Rochester, nowadays make up the MedwayUnitary Authority area. It was, until 1998,[4]under the control of Kent County Council and is still part of the ceremonial county of Kent, under the latest Lieutenancies Act.[5]
Toponymy[edit]
The Romano-British name for Rochester was Durobrivae, later Durobrivis c. 730 and Dorobrevis in 844. The two commonly cited origins of this name are that it either came from "stronghold by the bridge(s)",[6] or is the latinisation of the British word Dourbruf meaning "swiftstream".[7]Durobrivis was pronounced 'Robrivis. Bede copied down this name, c. 730, mistaking its meaning as Hrofi's fortified camp (OE Hrofes cæster). From this we get c. 730 Hrofæscæstre, 811 Hrofescester, 1086 Rovescester, 1610 Rochester.[6] The Latinised adjective 'Roffensis' refers to Rochester.[7]
Neolithic remains have been found in the vicinity of Rochester; over time it has been variously occupied by Celts, Romans, Jutes and/or Saxons. During the Celtic period it was one of the two administrative centres of the Cantiaci tribe. During the Roman conquest of Britain a decisive battle was fought at the Medway somewhere near Rochester. The first bridge was subsequently constructed early in the Roman period. During the later Roman period the settlement was walled in stone. King Ethelbert of Kent(560–616) established a legal system which has been preserved in the 12th century Textus Roffensis. In AD 604 the bishopric and cathedral were founded. During this period, from the recall of the legions until the Norman conquest, Rochester was sacked at least twice and besieged on another occasion.
The medieval period saw the building of the current cathedral (1080–1130, 1227 and 1343), the building of two castles and the establishment of a significant town. Rochester Castle saw action in the sieges of 1215 and 1264. Its basic street plan was set out, constrained by the river, Watling Street, Rochester Priory and the castle.
Rochester has produced two martyrs: St John Fisher, executed by Henry VIII for refusing to sanction the divorce of Catherine of Aragon; and Bishop Nicholas Ridley, executed by Queen Mary for being an English Reformation protestant.
The city was raided by the Dutch as part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Dutch, commanded by Admiral de Ruijter, broke through the chain at Upnor[8] and sailed to Rochester Bridge capturing part of the English fleet and burning it.[9]
The ancient City of Rochester merged with the Borough of Chatham and part of the Strood Rural District in 1974 to form the Borough of Medway. It was later renamed Rochester-upon-Medway, and its City status transferred to the entire borough. In 1998 another merger with the rest of the Medway Towns created the Medway Unitary Authority. The outgoing council neglected to appoint ceremonial "Charter Trustees" to continue to represent the historic Rochester area, causing Rochester to lose its City status – an error not even noticed by council officers for four years, until 2002.[10][11]
Military History
Rochester has for centuries been of great strategic importance through its position near the confluence of the Thames and the Medway. Rochester Castle was built to guard the river crossing, and the Royal Dockyard's establishment at Chatham witnessed the beginning of the Royal Navy's long period of supremacy. The town, as part of Medway, is surrounded by two circles of fortresses; the inner line built during the Napoleonic warsconsists of Fort Clarence, Fort Pitt, Fort Amherst and Fort Gillingham. The outer line of Palmerston Forts was built during the 1860s in light of the report by the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdomand consists of Fort Borstal, Fort Bridgewood, Fort Luton, and the Twydall Redoubts, with two additional forts on islands in the Medway, namely Fort Hoo and Fort Darnet.
During the First World War the Short Brothers' aircraft manufacturing company developed the first plane to launch a torpedo, the Short Admiralty Type 184, at its seaplane factory on the River Medway not far from Rochester Castle. In the intervening period between the 20th century World Wars the company established a world-wide reputation as a constructor of flying boats with aircraft such as the Singapore, Empire 'C'-Class and Sunderland. During the Second World War, Shorts also designed and manufactured the first four-engined bomber, the Stirling.
The UK's decline in naval power and shipbuilding competitiveness led to the government decommissioning the RN Shipyard at Chatham in 1984, which led to the subsequent demise of much local maritime industry. Rochester and its neighbouring communities were hit hard by this and have experienced a painful adjustment to a post-industrial economy, with much social deprivation and unemployment resulting. On the closure of Chatham Dockyard the area experienced an unprecedented surge in unemployment to 24%; this had dropped to 2.4% of the local population by 2014.[12]
Former City of Rochester[edit]
Rochester was recognised as a City from 1211 to 1998. The City of Rochester's ancient status was unique, as it had no formal council or Charter Trustees nor a Mayor, instead having the office of Admiral of the River Medway, whose incumbent acted as de facto civic leader.[13] On 1 April 1974, the City Council was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, and the territory was merged with the District of Medway, Borough of Chatham and most of Strood Rural District to form a new a local government district called the Borough of Medway, within the county of Kent. Medway Borough Council applied to inherit Rochester's city status, but this was refused; instead letters patent were granted constituting the area of the former Rochester local government district to be the City of Rochester, to "perpetuate the ancient name" and to recall "the long history and proud heritage of the said City".[14] The Home Officesaid that the city status may be extended to the entire borough if it had "Rochester" in its name, so in 1979, Medway Borough Council renamed the borough to Borough of Rochester-upon-Medway, and in 1982, Rochester's city status was transferred to the entire borough by letters patent, with the district being called the City of Rochester-upon-Medway.[13]
On 1 April 1998, the existing local government districts of Rochester-upon-Medway and Gillingham were abolished and became the new unitary authority of Medway. The Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions informed the city council that since it was the local government district that officially held City status under the 1982 Letters Patent, the council would need to appoint charter trustees to preserve its city status, but the outgoing Labour-run council decided not to appoint charter trustees, so the city status was lost when Rochester-upon-Medway was abolished as a local government district.[15][16][17] The other local government districts with City status that were abolished around this time, Bath and Hereford, decided to appoint Charter Trustees to maintain the existence of their own cities and the mayoralties. The incoming Medway Council apparently only became aware of this when, in 2002, it was advised that Rochester was not on the Lord Chancellor's Office's list of cities.[18][19]
In 2010, Medway Council started to refer to the "City of Medway" in promotional material, but it was rebuked and instructed not to do so in future by the Advertising Standards Authority.[20]
Governance[edit]
Civic history and traditions[edit]
Rochester and its neighbours, Chatham and Gillingham, form a single large urban area known as the Medway Towns with a population of about 250,000. Since Norman times Rochester had always governed land on the other side of the Medway in Strood, which was known as Strood Intra; before 1835 it was about 100 yards (91 m) wide and stretched to Gun Lane. In the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act the boundaries were extended to include more of Strood and Frindsbury, and part of Chatham known as Chatham Intra. In 1974, Rochester City Council was abolished and superseded by Medway Borough Council, which also included the parishes of Cuxton, Halling and Cliffe, and the Hoo Peninsula. In 1979 the borough became Rochester-upon-Medway. The Admiral of the River Medway was ex-officio Mayor of Rochester and this dignity transferred to the Mayor of Medway when that unitary authority was created, along with the Admiralty Court for the River which constitutes a committee of the Council.[21]
Like many of the mediaeval towns of England, Rochester had civic Freemen whose historic duties and rights were abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. However, the Guild of Free Fishers and Dredgers continues to the present day and retains rights, duties and responsibilities on the Medway, between Sheerness and Hawkwood Stone.[22] This ancient corporate body convenes at the Admiralty Court whose Jury of Freemen is responsible for the conservancy of the River as enshrined in current legislation. The City Freedom can be obtained by residents after serving a period of "servitude", i.e. apprenticeship (traditionally seven years), before admission as a Freeman. The annual ceremonial Beating of the Boundsby the River Medway takes place after the Admiralty Court, usually on the first Saturday of July.
Rochester first obtained City status in 1211, but this was lost due to an administrative oversight when Rochester was absorbed by the Medway Unitary Authority.[10] Subsequently, the Medway Unitary Authority has applied for City status for Medway as a whole, rather than merely for Rochester. Medway applied unsuccessfully for City status in 2000 and 2002 and again in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year of 2012.[23] Any future bid to regain formal City status has been recommended to be made under the aegis of Rochester-upon-Medway.
Ecclesiastical parishes[edit]
There were three medieval parishes: St Nicholas', St Margaret's and St Clement's. St Clement's was in Horsewash Lane until the last vicar died in 1538 when it was joined with St Nicholas' parish; the church last remaining foundations were finally removed when the railway was being constructed in the 1850s. St Nicholas' Church was built in 1421 beside the cathedral to serve as a parish church for the citizens of Rochester. The ancient cathedral included the Benedictine monastic priory of St Andrew with greater status than the local parishes.[24] Rochester's pre-1537 diocese, under the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome, covered a vast area extending into East Anglia and included all of Essex.[25]
As a result of the restructuring of the Church during the Reformation the cathedral was reconsecrated as the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary without parochial responsibilities, being a diocesan church.[26] In the 19th century the parish of St Peter's was created to serve the burgeoning city with the new church being consecrated in 1859. Following demographic shifts, St Peter's and St Margaret's were recombined as a joint benefice in 1953 with the parish of St Nicholas with St Clement being absorbed in 1971.[27] The combined parish is now the "Parish of St Peter with St Margaret", centred at the new (1973) Parish Centre in The Delce (St Peter's) with St Margaret's remaining as a chapel-of-ease. Old St Peter's was demolished in 1974, while St Nicholas' Church has been converted into the diocesan offices but remains consecrated. Continued expansion south has led to the creation of an additional more recent parish of St Justus (1956) covering The Tideway estate and surrounding area.[28]
A church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin at Eastgate, which was of Anglo-Saxon foundation, is understood to have constituted a parish until the Middle Ages, but few records survive.[29]
Geography
Rochester lies within the area, known to geologists, as the London Basin. The low-lying Hoo peninsula to the north of the town consists of London Clay, and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers—the Thames and the Medway—whose confluence is in this area. The land rises from the river, and being on the dip slope of the North Downs, this consists of chalksurmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel.
As a human settlement, Rochester became established as the lowest river crossing of the River Medway, well before the arrival of the Romans.
It is a focal point between two routes, being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent and the north-south routes following the course of the Medway connecting Maidstone and the Weald of Kent with the Thames and the North Sea. The Thames Marshes were an important source of salt. Rochester's roads follow north Kent's valleys and ridges of steep-sided chalk bournes. There are four ways out of town to the south: up Star Hill, via The Delce,[30] along the Maidstone Road or through Borstal. The town is inextricably linked with the neighbouring Medway Towns but separate from Maidstone by a protective ridge known as the Downs, a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
At its most limited geographical size, Rochester is defined as the market town within the city walls, now associated with the historic medieval city. However, Rochester historically also included the ancient wards of Strood Intra on the river's west bank, and Chatham Intra as well as the three old parishes on the Medway's east bank.
The diocese of Rochester is another geographical entity which can be referred to as Rochester.
Climate[edit]
Rochester has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate).[31]
On 10 August 2003, neighbouring Gravesend recorded one of the highest temperatures since meteorogical records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit),[32]only beaten by Brogdale, near Faversham, 22 miles (35 km) to the ESE.[33] The weather station at Brogdale is run by a volunteer, only reporting its data once a month, whereas Gravesend, which has an official Met Office site at the PLA pilot station,[34] reports data hourly.
Being near the mouth of the Thames Estuary with the North Sea, Rochester is relatively close to continental Europe and enjoys a somewhat less temperate climate than other parts of Kent and most of East Anglia. It is therefore less cloudy, drier and less prone to Atlanticdepressions with their associated wind and rain than western regions of Britain, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Rochester city centre's micro-climate is more accurately reflected by these officially recorded figures than by readings taken at Rochester Airport.[35]
North and North West Kent continue to record higher temperatures in summer, sometimes being the hottest area of the country, eg. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 degrees.[36]Additionally, it holds at least two records for the year 2010, of 30.9 degrees[37] and 31.7 degrees C.[38] Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 degrees C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October.
North and North West Kent continue to record higher temperatures in summer, sometimes being the hottest area of the country, eg. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 degrees.[36]Additionally, it holds at least two records for the year 2010, of 30.9 degrees[37] and 31.7 degrees C.[38] Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 degrees C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October.
Building
Rochester comprises numerous important historic buildings, the most prominent of which are the Guildhall, the Corn Exchange, Restoration House, Eastgate House, as well as Rochester Castle and Rochester Cathedral. Many of the town centre's old buildings date from as early as the 14th century up to the 18th century. The chapel of St Bartholomew's Hospital dates from the ancient priory hospital's foundation in 1078.
Economy
Thomas Aveling started a small business in 1850 producing and repairing agricultural plant equipment. In 1861 this became the firm of Aveling and Porter, which was to become the largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery and steam rollers in the country.[39] Aveling was elected Admiral of the River Medway (i.e. Mayor of Rochester) for 1869-70.
Culture[edit]
Sweeps Festival[edit]
Since 1980 the city has seen the revival of the historic Rochester Jack-in-the-Green May Day dancing chimney sweeps tradition, which had died out in the early 1900s. Though not unique to Rochester (similar sweeps' gatherings were held across southern England, notably in Bristol, Deptford, Whitstable and Hastings), its revival was directly inspired by Dickens' description of the celebration in Sketches by Boz.
The festival has since grown from a small gathering of local Morris dancesides to one of the largest in the world.[40] The festival begins with the "Awakening of Jack-in-the-Green" ceremony,[41] and continues in Rochester High Street over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
There are numerous other festivals in Rochester apart from the Sweeps Festival. The association with Dickens is the theme for Rochester's two Dickens Festivals held annually in June and December.[42] The Medway Fuse Festival[43] usually arranges performances in Rochester and the latest festival to take shape is the Rochester Literature Festival, the brainchild of three local writers.[44]
Library[edit]
A new public library was built alongside the Adult Education Centre, Eastgate. This enabled the registry office to move from Maidstone Road, Chatham into the Corn Exchange on Rochester High Street (where the library was formerly housed). As mentioned in a report presented to Medway Council's Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28 March 2006, the new library opened in late summer (2006).[45]
Theatre[edit]
There is a small amateur theatre called Medway Little Theatre on St Margaret's Banks next to Rochester High Street near the railway station.[46] The theatre was formed out of a creative alliance with the Medway Theatre Club, managed by Marion Martin, at St Luke's Methodist Church on City Way, Rochester[47] between 1985 and 1988, since when drama and theatre studies have become well established in Rochester owing to the dedication of the Medway Theatre Club.[48]
Media[edit]
Local newspapers for Rochester include the Medway Messenger, published by the KM Group, and free newspapers such as Medway Extra(KM Group) and Yourmedway (KOS Media).
The local commercial radio station for Rochester is KMFM Medway, owned by the KM Group. Medway is also served by community radio station Radio Sunlight. The area also receives broadcasts from county-wide stations BBC Radio Kent, Heart and Gold, as well as from various Essex and Greater London radio stations.[49]
Sport[edit]
Football is played with many teams competing in Saturday and Sunday leagues.[50] The local football club is Rochester United F.C. Rochester F.C. was its old football club but has been defunct for many decades. Rugby is also played; Medway R.F.C. play their matches at Priestfields and Old Williamsonians is associated with Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School.[51]
Cricket is played in the town, with teams entered in the Kent Cricket League. Holcombe Hockey Club is one of the largest in the country,[52]and is based at Holcombe Park. The men's and women's 1st XI are part of the England Hockey League.[53] Speedway was staged on a track adjacent to City Way that opened in 1932. Proposals for a revival in the early 1970s did not materialise and the Rochester Bombers became the Romford Bombers.[54]
Sailing and rowing are also popular on the River Medway with respective clubs being based in Rochester.[55][56]
Film[edit]
The 1959 James Bond Goldfinger describes Bond driving along the A2through the Medway Towns from Strood to Chatham. Of interest is the mention of "inevitable traffic jams" on the Strood side of Rochester Bridge, the novel being written some years prior to the construction of the M2 motorway Medway bypass.
Rochester is the setting of the controversial 1965 Peter Watkins television film The War Game, which depicts the town's destruction by a nuclear missile.[57] The opening sequence was shot in Chatham Town Hall, but the credits particularly thank the people of Dover, Gravesend and Tonbridge.
The 2011 adventure film Ironclad (dir. Jonathan English) is based upon the 1215 siege of Rochester Castle. There are however a few areaswhere the plot differs from accepted historical narrative.
Notable people[edit]
Charles Dickens
The historic city was for many years the favourite of Charles Dickens, who lived within the diocese at nearby Gads Hill Place, Higham, many of his novels being based on the area. Descriptions of the town appear in Pickwick Papers, Great Expectations and (lightly fictionalised as "Cloisterham") in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Elements of two houses in Rochester, Satis House and Restoration House, are used for Miss Havisham's house in Great Expectations, Satis House.[58]
Sybil Thorndike
The actress Dame Sybil Thorndike and her brother Russell were brought up in Minor Canon Row adjacent to the cathedral; the daughter of a canon of Rochester Cathedral, she was educated at Rochester Grammar School for Girls. A local doctors' practice,[59] local dental practice[60] and a hall at Rochester Grammar School are all named after her.[61]
Peter Buck
Sir Peter Buck was Admiral of the Medway in the 17th century; knightedin 1603 he and Bishop Barlow hosted King James, the Stuart royal familyand the King of Denmark in 1606. A civil servant to The Royal Dockyardand Lord High Admiral, Buck lived at Eastgate House, Rochester.
Denis Redman
Major-General Denis Redman, a World War II veteran, was born and raised in Rochester and later became a founder member of REME, head of his Corps and a Major-General in the British Army.
Kelly Brook
The model and actress Kelly Brook went to Delce Junior School in Rochester and later the Thomas Aveling School (formerly Warren Wood Girls School).
The singer and songwriter Tara McDonald now lives in Rochester.
The Prisoners, a rock band from 1980 to 1986, were formed in Rochester. They are part of what is known as the "Medway scene".
Kelly Tolhurst MP is the current parliamentary representative for the constituency.