Car Hire Rochester - Mini guide to Rochester

The City of Rochester has grown from a little Saxon Village to a historic city, one of England’s finest. It sits on the River Medway and has long been an important strategic river crossing on the road from London to Canterbury and Dover.

Rochester Castle is one of the best preserved in England. The stone Keep is an excellent example of Norman military building and is the tallest in England. A circular staircase leads up to the battlements from where there is an astounding view of the Kent countryside.

The city has a number of very fine and interesting buildings dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. Rochester Cathedral is the second oldest in England and is a beautiful example of Norman and early English architecture. Other buildings of interest include Eastgate House, home to the Charles Dickens Centre, and Richard Watts Charity - many of Rochester’s buildings feature in the novels and stories of Charles Dickens who lived in Rochester and the surrounding area for most of his life.

Rochester is a lively place with many festivals throughout the year. They start in May with the 'Sweeps Festival' and finish with the 'Dickensian Christmas' and lamp light procession through the streets. There is plenty of shopping with most of the unusual shops along Rochester High Street.

Surrounding Rochester are miles of beautiful countryside, dotted with tiny Kentish villages, ancient churches and castles. Modern Rochester is part of the Medway Towns with Chatham, Gillingham and Strood. It is situated some 20 miles southeast of London. The City of Rochester is also within easy reach of mainland Europe and is only one and half hours from France by train.

Trains leave from Rochester Station every 20 minutes to London Victoria Station (duration one hour). Rochester has a small airport just outside the town.