Rochester castle is located on the East Bank of the river Medway in Rochester, Kent. Castle that stands on the ancient road Watling street, was a strategically important point, protecting the South-Eastern part of England.

First Rochester castle was built after the Norman conquest and was given to Bishop Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror. During the war for the English throne year 1088 Odo supported eldest son William Robert. For that king William II Red laid siege to Rochester castle. After the capitulation of Odo, the castle was abandoned. About the appearance of the first of the castle is unknown, even the exact place for it.

In 1087-89, Bishop of Rochester, Gundulf at the request of king William II built in Rochester new stone castle. Despite various adjustment, the lock remains in its original form and today. In 1127 the Rochester castle passed into the possession of the Archbishop of Canterbury William de Corbeil, at the same time was seen today, built the donjon.

Rochester castle was under siege during the rebellion of the XIII century - the First and the Second Baron's war. The last time the castle was occupied and looted during the Peasants ' revolt of Wat Tyler in 1381. The fire that occurred at sunset of the Middle Ages, destroyed the floors and the roof of the castle. As such it has remained to this day the English revolution of the 17th century did not affect the lock, despite the fact that the city itself was captured by the royalists in 1648.

In the 19th century around the castle broke the gardens. The ruins of Rochester castle was the inspiration for the artist William Turner, and the writer Charles Dickens. Rochester castle and its gardens are open to the public since 1870.

The castle, built on the ruins of the Roman city walls, was surrounded by a wall of the XII century, but in the nineteenth century it was demolished and built a new one. The gate was rebuilt in the XIII century. The castle, its walls and towers built of Kentish limestone.

Despite the fact that the castle is in ruins, its donjon is one of the best preserved buildings of this type XII century. Donjon - square building, the base size 21 × 21 meters, is built in the southern part of the castle wall. This is the highest donjon in England: its height is 38 meters. The upper Windows are large, and decorated with only the top row of Windows. In the North-Eastern part of the castle is a spiral staircase connecting all the floors, and another staircase from the South-West wing leads from the second floor to the third. In the North-West corner of the tower there is a small room, perhaps it was a South-Western tower, rebuilt after the destruction in 1215 during the siege of the castle by the troops of king John.

The fortress of the 11th century were traditionally just a, however, the Rochester castle is the first example of a more complex plan of the fortress, where the rooms of the Lord and his retinue are separated. The first floor was used as storage, upper residential rooms. On the second floor lived the commandant of the fortress, watching over the castle during the absence of the owner. On the third floor were the best rooms of the castle and chapel. The second chapel was located on the fourth floor, there was also the entrance to the tower. The entire fortress was richly decorated with tapestries and various items of furniture.