Upnor Castle – A hidden gem on river Medway

ByMagdalena Marsden

Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan fort built in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth I to protect the warships docked at Chatham Dockyard. The castle was build right on the banks of the River Medway, opposite the Historic Dockyard Chatham and constructed using stone from the nearby Rochester Castle that had suffered decline following damage from several sieges.

Despite its initial purpose, the castle was not very effective at defending the naval fleet. In 1667, the Dutch sailed up the Medway and attacked and captured several Royal Naval ships at Chatham. The castle remained in military use until 1945, serving as a naval ammunition depot.

Over the years I have visited Upnor Castle many times and I always thought it was a bit of a hidden gem. Tucked away at the end of quiet street and hidden from any major roads. It’s never too busy there and you can spend an hour or so exploring the castle and the grounds without too many people. It’s great to see that every time I visit, a new part of the castle gets open to the visitors (such as the soldiers house, basement tunnels and the two towers).

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My favourite things about Upnor Castle

The best thing about Upnor Castle is that no rooms are out of bounds, you can walk around the whole castle, including the tunnels in the basement. There are great views from the top of the tower across the river Medway and the history of the castle is pretty fascinating too.

The Upnor Castle street that you walk down to get to the castle from the car park is one of the most beautiful and quirky streets I’ve ever seen in Kent. Every house is like a picture postcard and there are also a couple of pubs with really good food (Tudor Rose and The King’s Arms), where I always take my friends for a lunch out.

My local tip

Whilst visiting the Upnor Castle will probably only take about 60-90 minutes, you can turn your visit into a whole day trip.

I’ve done this many times and I love visiting the castle, then have a lunch in one of the pubs (Tudor Rose has a lovely garden) on the street approaching castle and then take a stroll on the Saxon Shore Way following the coastline. The walk is mainly level flat, but as you walk further away from Upnor village the Saxon Shore Way turns inland. You can follow the coastline by walking on the England Coastal Path all the way to Grain.

You will have a great views over river Medway, the Chatham Dockyard and St.Mary’s Island on the other side as well as small islands with old abandoned forts. I love that by visiting the castle I learn about the history, but walking around the place actually gives me more understanding of what happened, like the when the Dutch fleet attacked the English ships in the 17th century.

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Is Upnor Castle worth visiting?

As someone who has visited Upnor Castle several times, I can definitely say that it is worth the trip, especially if you’re interested in maritime history or prefer to visit the less busy castles in Kent.

The castle’s very special Elizabethan artillery fort design and its role in defending the River Medway and the Royal Navy’s warships during the 16th and 17th centuries make it a fascinating place to explore. I always found the exhibitions to be informative and engaging and the English Heritage have also done a great job of making the fort interesting for children.

I should also mention, that although the Upnor is called ‘castle’ is really a military fort and it’s set up like a one, so don’t expect any lavish castle like decor or furniture.

One thing to keep in mind is that some areas of the castle may not be easily accessible for those with mobility difficulties, as there are many narrow steps and different levels and unfortunately no lift.

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What to see at Upnor Castle

There is quite a lot to explore as over the years, the English Heritage opened more areas of the fort to public. You can explore the castle’s grounds, the main tower with a great views, the officer’s buildings, both side towers, the lower basement tunnels and the little square under the castle at the river Medway level. The main exhibition with a short film is about the main ships siege in 17 century and it’s definitely worth seeing.

Practical Information for Visiting

  • Address: Upper Upnor, Rochester, ME2 4XG
  • Opening Times: Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (April to October) Closed: November to March
  • Ticket Prices: Adults: £6.40, Children (5-17 years): £4.00, Concessions: £4.80, Family (2 Adults + up to 3 Children): £16.80, Under 5s: Free, English Heritage Members: Free

Parking

There is no parking directly at Upnor Castle. The nearest parking is about 500 metres at the end of the main street that takes you to the castle. The parking is free, but it’s a fairly small woodland car park, which can be often busy, as people park here to go for a walk or to the nearby pubs.

Facilities

There is no tearoom at Upnor, but the there is a hot drinks vending machine and ice-cream and snacks at the English Heritage Ticket Office as you walk in. The Upnor Street has two pubs with great food.

How long to allocate for your visit

In my experience, you will need about 60 – 90 minutes for your visit to Upnor Castle. This should give you enough time to tour the castle and its grounds. If you bring a packed lunch, you could easily spend more time enjoying the picturesque surroundings.

But, as I mentioned before, you can extend your visit, by having a lunch in a local pub and spend more time exploring the area by going for a coastal walk.

How to get to Upnor Castle

By Car:
Upnor Castle is located approximately 2 miles (3.22 km) from Strood train station. You can access the castle site via an unclassified road off the A228. Parking is free of charge.

By Train:
The nearest train station to Upnor Castle is Strood. From London, take the train from London St Pancras International to Chatham. From Chatham, you can take a bus or taxi to reach the castle. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 27 minutes and costs between £15 and £24.

By Bus:
The 197 bus service to Upnor runs Mondays to Saturdays and is provided by ASD Coaches. You can call 01634 726419 for timetables. The last 197 bus to Upnor Castle stops nearby at 18:00. Alternatively, the 191 bus also runs to Lower Upnor, with the first bus stopping nearby at 06:33.

Once you arrive in Upnor, you will need to cross a quiet village road to access the High Street, before walking down a cobbled street to reach the castle.

History of Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle was built in 1559 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to protect the Royal Navy’s warships at anchor in the River Medway. The castle was designed as an artillery fort and was constructed using stone from nearby disused religious buildings.

In 1667, during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch launched a surprise attack on the English fleet at Chatham. Despite the castle’s efforts to defend the fleet, the Dutch successfully captured and destroyed several English ships, including the flagship, HMS Royal Charles. This event became known as the Raid on the Medway and was a significant embarrassment for the English.

Following the raid, Upnor Castle was upgraded and continued to serve as a defensive fortification. During the late 17th century, the castle was visited by Samuel Pepys, a famous diarist and naval administrator, who was responsible for overseeing the castle’s repairs and improvements.

In the early 18th century, the castle’s importance began to decline as the Royal Navy’s dockyards were relocated downstream to Chatham. However, Upnor Castle remained in use as a powder magazine, storing gunpowder for the navy’s ships.

During World War I, the castle was used as a naval ammunition depot. In World War II, it served as a base for the Royal Engineers’ Bomb Disposal Squad, who were responsible for defusing unexploded bombs in the area.

This blog post was originally published on 17 February 2025 and last updated on 17 February 2025

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