Things to check out in Rochester
on an Open Day

Finished your campus tours and course talks? It’s time to get acquainted with Rochester and all that it has to offer.

23 Aug 2021

Rochester Cathedral

Although this has been a place of worship since 604AD, making Rochester Cathedral the second oldest in England, the current Gothic building dates from a practically youthful 1080. You can take in exhibitions in the atmospheric Crypt or explore the ruins of the monastery (which closed in 1540) in the garden. Allegedly the site of the miracles of William of Perth, Rochester Cathedral is in equal parts breathtaking and fascinating — and definitely worth a spot on your Open Day itinerary.

 

 

 

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Food and Drink

Rochester has a wide range of restaurants, bistros, cafés, and bars, from pancake parlours to gastropubs. A particular favourite is Deaf Cat Coffee Shop, so named after Charles Dickens’ beloved cat. Deaf Cat is a perfect meeting place, geared towards creatives, decorated with murals intended to inspire. There are places to eat on the High Street, at the Dockside shopping outlet, and in the Pentagon Shopping Centre.

Rochester High Street

Rochester has one of the prettiest high streets in the country, and it’s jam-packed with thriving independent shops. There’s Baggins Book Bazaar, which boasts that it is ‘England’s largest rare & secondhand bookshop’. Another favourite is The Candy Bar, a bright pink confection of a traditional sweet shop. There are antiques' shops, such as Havershams, and plenty of art shops and galleries too.

 

 

 

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Copper Rivet Distillery

Set in the historic Victorian Pump House №5 in the old dockyard, Copper Rivet Distillery crafts exceptional gin, vodka, and whiskey. They are the only spirit-maker in Kent and source all their grain from within a 20-mile radius. For £15 you can take a tour of the Distillery, where they perform the entire spirit-making process from "grain to glass" or just pop into their shop to buy a bottle of Dockyard Gin.

Rochester Castle

Opposite the cathedral stands Rochester Castle, 113ft tall and a proud reminder of the town’s long history. If you climb to the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views over the cathedral and the River Medway. The view isn’t all it has to offer though. Visit at certain points in the year to explore the Bavarian food and independent gift stalls at the Christmas Market, or find yourself watching a film under the sky with a hot drink in hand.

Enjoy!

Book on to one of our upcoming Open Days.