Visit to Rochester

At 8 a.m. on 12 June, a group of Hove Civic Society members and friends set off by coach from Hove Town Hall to Rochester in Kent, with a 'breakfast stop' en route to break the journey.
A bonus on arrival was that the coach dropped us off right outside the Medway Visitors'  Information Centre, where we could stock up on leaflets prior to setting off on foot in all directions to visit local attractions:

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL - founded in 604, it is England's second oldest. A superb example of Norman and late Gothic architecture, with one of the finest Romanesque facades in the country.  The huge and intricately decorated cathedral organ is magnificent. It would be worth a return trip to Rochester just to hear it being played.

GUILDHALL MUSEUM - the colourful and fascinating displays spread out over 2 historic buildings cover many aspects of Medway history. Exhibits include a huge stuffed sea-eagle (described as juvenile!), a good oil-painting of local M.P. Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovel, a 3-deck mock-up of a prison-ship (complete with prisoners swinging in their hammocks) and a film about Charles Dickens' life in Rochester both as a child and as an established author. The main chamber of the Guildhall is described in Great Expectations.

THE CASTLE - Built 1087 onwards by Bishop Gundulf at his own expense (all of £60). Partly demolished in 1215 by King John, the castle has one of the tallest keeps in England.

THE SIX POOR TRAVELLERS' HOUSE - a fascinating little glimpse of social history, this Tudor charity house provided free board and lodging for up to six travellers. Immortalised in "The Seven Poor Travellers", the seventh was of course author Charles Dickens.

ABDICATION HOUSE - now Lloyds Bank in the High Street, this is where King James II spent his last night in Britain as he fled from the Glorious Revolution led by William of Orange.

After exploring these and many other places of interest in Rochester, and after lunch at any of the many eating-places around , the group re-assembled at the door of the star attraction:

RESTORATION HOUSE - Miss Haversham's home (Satis House) in Great Expectations, the historical name of the building refers to the stay there of Charles II on the eve of his Restoration to the throne. The current owners of the house have devoted immense effort and resources to turning both the remarkable interior and the gardens into what is now regarded as the finest pre-Civil War town house in the country. Period furniture, old master paintings and meticulous attention to historical authenticity contribute to the stunning overall impression of this sensitively-restored home.

After a full and highly enjoyable day, the coach whisked us back to Hove by early evening.