Rochester Guildhall Museum: Discover Medway’s History
The museum is housed in the historic Rochester Guildhall, a Grade I listed building dating back to 1687. It has impressive architecture featuring a wooden staircase, ornate plasterwork ceilings, and an open-timber roof.
It’s a lovely local museum full of informative displays about Rochester and Medway history as well as Charles Dickens. I always enjoy visiting this museum, it’s inexpensive to get in and the displays are well presented. If you want to see everything on display you could easily spend 90 minutes there.
The museum hosts regular events and activities including reenactments, workshops, talks, and family activity days. The Guildhall Chamber upstairs can be hired out for functions like weddings, corporate events, and concerts.
The museum also has a gift shop selling local history books, souvenirs, and products showcasing Medway’s heritage.
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The Guildhall Building History
The Rochester Guildhall was originally built and used as the meeting place for the City Corporation government.
The Guildhall was constructed in 1687 to serve as an administrative center for the City of Rochester’s local government. It housed the council chambers and civic offices where the business of running the city was conducted. This included council meetings, administration of city laws, collection of taxes, and civic events.
The main hall and other rooms were used for city functions like mayor-making, trials, and coroners’ inquests. The building had prison cells in its basement at one point.
It served as Rochester’s guildhall, where trade guilds in the city would gather. Guilds played an important role in medieval cities like Rochester. The Guildhall was built on the site of an earlier 14th century guildhall that had served the same civic functions previously.
Architecturally, it was designed in the Restoration style with ornate features to signify the status and authority of the city corporation. After Rochester City Council moved to new premises, the Guildhall was converted into a museum in the 20th century. But it still retains its original grandeur and historic civic importance.
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What you can see inside the Guildhall Museum
The museum’s collections focus on the history and archaeology of the Medway area. Highlights include artifacts from Roman Rochester, Anglo-Saxon jewellery, and models of local boats and ships.
Interactive exhibits allow you to explore the story of Rochester through the ages. There are medieval costumes and armour for kids to try on, as well as activities like grinding corn and writing with quills.
The Guildhall Museum also presents an insightful look into the renowned author Charles Dickens’ early days in the Medway region, which profoundly influenced his subsequent works and stature as a world-renowned novelist.
The narrative of Medway, spanning from its Roman roots to contemporary times, is encapsulated within the museum’s collection. You can see a variety of exhibits, from experiencing the epic Rochester Castle siege with its dynamic sounds to stepping onto a full-scale segment of a prison hulk from the 18th century.
Noteworthy is a hands-on relic—a 200,000-year-old axe—which alongside the world’s most comprehensive collection of 18th-century cabinet maker’s tools, offers a tactile connection to the past.
The centrepiece attraction, Charles Dickens’ Journey to Prominence, takes you on a captivating exploratory voyage through the author’s Medway-inspired youth and the myriad influences that moulded his character and creative output. Dickens’ narratives, often rooted in the Medway area, unveil the rich tapestry of experiences that fuelled his imagination resulting in beloved classics from Great Expectations to David Copperfield.
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Practical Information for visiting Rochester Guildhall Museum
- Location: Rochester High Street as you walk towards the river
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.
- Ticket Prices: free for Rochester residents, £2.50 for children, £5 for adults. Annual passes are available.
This blog post was originally published on 22 January 2024 and last updated on 22 January 2024
