Rochester Castle

About

Rochester Castle's Norman tower keep, built of Kentish ragstone from about 1127 by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury, still rises 113 feet above the old London Road crossing of the River Medway. In 1215 King John besieged rebel barons here for two months, burning the fat of 40 pigs to fire a mine that brought down the keep's southern corner, which is why one corner tower is round and the other three are square. Inside, a 144-step spiral stair climbs to the top of the keep, and the grassy bailey inside the curtain wall is a favourite picnic spot. Reviewers single out the audio guide included with entry for bringing the keep to life. The castle is run by Medway Council for English Heritage, and its Visit Medway website carries the opening times. There is no parking on site, so use the pay and display car parks nearby. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds only.

CastleDog friendlyShopRefreshmentsToiletsPicnic areaGardensAudio guideDogs on leads

Check today’s timesFrom English Heritage's calendar

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Opening times will be updated shortly

From English Heritage's published calendar, updated 1 October 2026, with dates up to 16 March 2027. Prices are without the optional donation.

Opening times may change at short notice.

PricingFree with English Heritage membershipEH memberFree entryNon-member£9.50

Free entry with English Heritage membership

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult£9.50

Child (5-17)£4.50

Concession£6.50

Family (2 adults and up to 3 children)£22.50

Pricing details

Walk-up price without voluntary donation. The catalogue lists only a peak gate band, and advance tickets cost the same. Under-5s free. Medway Council's Visit Medway page lists the same prices.

ParkingNo car park

Arrive on foot, by bike or by public transport.

Parking details

No parking directly on site; several coin-operated pay and display car parks nearby, not run by English Heritage.

Driving arrival: Boley Hill Car Park (short stay), beside the castle on Boley Hill. Disabled spaces at the bottom of Epaul Lane; free coach park in Corporation Street.

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Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, and on Bank Holiday Mondays; closed on other Mondays. Last admission 45 minutes before closing (5.15pm).

Run by Medway Council on behalf of English Heritage; its Visit Medway website carries opening times, events and the access statement. English Heritage membership cannot be bought on site.

Standard admission is free for English Heritage members. National Trust membership alone does not grant free entry. Under-5s are free.

Accessibility: no wheelchair access and no lift; a 144-step spiral staircase leads to the top of the keep, a 50-step climb to the shop and 215 steps across the site. Benches around the keep; audio tours available; induction loop in the shop.

Parking: none on site; pay and display car parks nearby, including Boley Hill beside the castle.

Photo: Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent. CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rochester_Castle_Keep_and_Bailey_0038stcp.JPG. Resized for display.

Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads are welcome in the castle grounds only, not inside the keep.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads may walk in the castle grounds; the grounds are open without a ticket but the keep is ticketed.

Leads: Leads required in the grounds.

Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.