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Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester (Formerly Priory of St Andrew Was Included)Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester (Formerly Priory of St Andrew Was Included) · Photo: Tilman2007 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A−History Grade
History of Rochester · Historic England

279 listed buildings, 21 of them Grade I

On the Historic England list, all of them stand inside Rochester’s built-up area, 41 for every 10,000 residents. It also has 8 scheduled monuments. We have photos of 46 of its listed buildings and 1 old view of the town. 19% of its homes were built before 1919. Rochester grades A− for history: #23 of 87 in Kent.

21Grade I26Grade II*1882old map8scheduled monuments59on High Street
Listed buildings
279
41 per 10,000 residents
Grade I
21
exceptional interest
Grade II*
26
more than special interest
Scheduled monuments
8
nationally important sites
Homes built before 1919
19%
typical UK town 15%
In pictures

Rochester in 51 photos and old views

Nearly every Grade I and II* building, photographed, and the town before 1950. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.

Rochester CastleRochester CastleGrade I listedThe Guildhall Including Ranges Running Parallel to Bull LaneThe Guildhall Including Ranges Running Parallel to Bull LaneGrade I listedThe Dickens HotelThe Dickens HotelGrade II listedBridge ChapelBridge ChapelScheduled monumentWatts' AlmshousesWatts' AlmshousesGrade II listed+46See all photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the building’s page or its official list entry.

Through time

Rochester from 1882 to 1890

An old map and 1 old photo or postcard, in date order. All public domain, made before 1950.

Map of the town of Rochester, England during the reign of King William II of England, c1882
Old mapMap of the town of Rochester, England during the reign of King William II of En…Public domain
The cathedral, Rochester, Englandc. 1890
VictorianThe cathedral, Rochester, EnglandPhoto: Photochrom Print Collection · Public domain

Public domain, from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server. Each credit opens the image’s page with its full description and history.

The map

Where Rochester’s history is

Every Grade I and II* building, monument and historic park, over the age of each neighbourhood’s homes.

Bridge Chapel, scheduled monumentFort Borstal, scheduled monumentFort Clarence, scheduled monumentOpen areas within Roman, Saxon and medieval town, scheduled monumentRemains of Rochester Priory cloister, scheduled monumentRochester Castle, scheduled monumentRochester city wall, scheduled monumentTemple Manor, Strood, scheduled monumentBerkeley House, Grade II*Bishop's Court with Bishop's Court Flat and Rear Flat Attached, Grade II*Cloudesley House, With Walls Attached at Rear, Grade II*College Green and Southgate and Garden Wall to Front, Grade II*Foord Almshouses, Grade II*Foord Almshouses Nos 1-47 with Gate and Forecourt Walls Attached, Grade II*George Vaults, Grade II*Gordon Hotel, Grade II*Milton Cottage, Grade II*No 60 (Including Those Parts at Rear Facing College Green) Rear Part of 60 High Street, Grade II*No 82 with No 82A to Rear No 82 with Philip Lodge to Rear, Grade II*Nos 1-47, Cupola in Centre Court, Foord Almshouses Nos 48-64, 1-47, Grade II*Old Hall and Old Vicarage, Grade II*Old St Margaret's the King's School, Grade II*Parish Church of All Saints, Grade II*Parish Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Grade II*Parish Church of St Mary, Grade II*Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel, Grade II*Star Hill House with Railings to Front, Grade II*The Gleanings with Railings to Rear West, Grade II*The Limes and Garden Wall to North Attached, Grade II*The Vines, Grade II*12 and 14, High Street, Grade II*156, Eastgate, Grade II*168, High Street, Grade II*83, High Street, Grade II*Barn 30 Yards South West of the Manor House, Grade ICathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester (Formerly Priory of St Andrew Was Included), Grade ICathedral Cloister Buildings, Grade IChertsey's Gate, Grade ICloister Gate, Grade IDeanery Gate and Gatehouse, Grade IDickens Chalet to Rear of Eastgate House, Grade IEastgate House, Grade IKings School and Cathedral Visitors Centre, Grade IMinor Canons' Row, Grade IParish Church of St Nicholas, Grade IPoor Travellers House Richard Watts Charity, Grade IPriors Gate, Grade IPublic Library (Former Corn Exchange) to Rear of High Street, The Corn Exchange the Corn Exchange, Grade IRestoration House Including Wall and Gatepiers Attached to Front, Grade IRochester Castle, Grade IRochester City Walls, Grade ISection of Roman Wall 20 Metres South of Former Deanery Section of Roman Wall 20 Metres South of Kings School Sixth Form Centre, Grade ITemple Manor, Grade IThe Guildhall Including Ranges Running Parallel to Bull Lane, Grade I150, 152 and 154, High Street, Grade I
Grade IGrade II*Scheduled monument400 m from Rochester Cathedral
Homes built before 1919, by neighbourhoodunder 10%10–25%25–50%50%+
19 of 21Grade I buildings stand within 400 m of Rochester Cathedral, a five-minute walk. So do 170 of the 279 listed buildings.
6 of 41neighbourhoods have mostly pre-1919 homes; in the oldest, 84% were built before 1919.

Hover a dot for its name; tap one with a photo to open it.

279 listed buildings by grade
21 Grade I26 Grade II*232 Grade II

Historic England lists buildings in three grades: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest (about 2.5% of all listed buildings), Grade II* for particularly important buildings of more than special interest (about 5.8%), and Grade II for buildings of special interest (about 91.7%). Listing protects the whole building, inside and out.

Every entry on the National Heritage List for England whose point lies inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. One list entry can cover a terrace or a group of buildings. Neighbourhood dots: the population-weighted centre of each Census 2021 output area, coloured by its neighbourhood’s (LSOA’s) share of homes built before 1919 (Valuation Office Agency, March 2025).

Grade I

The 21 Grade I listed buildings in Rochester

Buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of all listed buildings; 19 of these stand within 400 m of Rochester Cathedral. 19 are photographed. Each opens its own page, with the official list entry.

Cathedral · listed 1950Rochester CathedralOn the list as Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester (Formerly Priory of St Andrew Was Included)Photo: Tilman2007 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Public · listed 1950Guildhall MuseumOn the list as The Guildhall Including Ranges Running Parallel to Bull LanePhoto: ClemRutter at en · CC BY 2.5
Walls & gates · listed 1991Cloister GatePhoto: Dhowes9 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Church · listed 1950Church of St NicholasOn the list as Parish Church of St NicholasPhoto: Ethan Doyle White · CC BY-SA 4.0
Walls & gates · listed 1950Prior's GateOn the list as Priors GatePhoto: ClemRutter · CC BY-SA 4.0
Walls & gates · listed 1950Restoration HouseOn the list as Restoration House Including Wall and Gatepiers Attached to FrontPhoto: SilkTork · CC BY-SA 3.0
House · listed 1950Temple ManorPhoto: Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent · CC BY 2.5
Grade II*

The 26 Grade II* listed buildings in Rochester

Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. 25 are photographed.

Show the other 14
Church · listed 1950St. Margaret's ChurchOn the list as Parish Church of St Margaret of AntiochPhoto: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0
House · listed 1950The VinesPhoto: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0
Historic streets

High Street has the most listed buildings

Streets by the listed entries with an address on them. One entry can be a whole terrace, so long rows count once.

High Street59 listed · 1 Grade I · 3 II*
12 and 14, High Street150, 152 and 154, High Street168, High Street
Eastgate11 listed · 1 II*
156, Eastgate
St Margaret's Street9 listed
Star Hill8 listed
New Road5 listed
St Margaret's Banks5 listed
Maidstone Road4 listed
Victoria Street4 listed
Frindsbury Road3 listed

Of the 279 entries, 121 are named by a street address; the rest are named buildings such as churches, halls and bridges.

What’s protected

Most of Rochester’s listed buildings are homes

Every listed building sorted by what its list name says it is.

Houses, terraces & villas186
Walls, gates & bridges33
Churches, chapels & priories20
Public & civic buildings15
Inns, shops & warehouses15
Street furniture9
Memorials, crosses & tombs1

186 entries (67%) are houses, terraces and villas. 20 are churches, chapels and priories, including 3 of the 21 Grade I buildings.

Buildings are sorted by words in each entry’s name (church, gate, inn, memorial…): the list’s open data has no building type. An entry named only by its address counts as a house.

Grade II

232 Grade II listed buildings

Most listed buildings are in this grade, which covers buildings of special interest. Open any building to read its official list entry.

The first 150 of 232 Grade II listed buildings, A to Z
Anchor HouseBoley Hill HouseBridge Chambers Bridge ChapelBryant HouseBuilding to Rear of Nos 48A and 48BCandlemas HouseCloister HouseCrispin and Crispianus Public HouseCrutches Gate Cottage and FarmhouseCypress HouseDiocesan Registry Including Part of Precinct Wall to Boley HillFlint and diapered brick wall at rear of Nos 1 and 3, East RowForecourt Wall to Old St Margaret's Forecourt Wall to the King's SchoolFormer Barclays BankFormer County Court with Gatepiers AttachedFormer National Westminster BankFormer Parish Church of St Nicholas, With Day CentreFormer Stable 15 Metres North of Oriel HouseFort ClarenceFunerary Monument 10 Metres North West of St Nicholas ChurchGandulph HouseGarth HouseGates and Railings to South of Eastgate HouseGazebo at Foot of Garden to Rear of No 30Gazebo at Foot of Garden to Rear of No 52 Gazebo at Foot of Garden to Rear of the LimesGrafton HouseGrayling HouseGroup of 12 Headstones South of South Aisle of All Saints ChurchGroup of Four Bollards at East Entrance to the VinesGroup of Four Tomb Chests Immediately East of St Margaret's ChurchHalpern Conservancy Board BuildingHayward HouseHouse at Rear of No 321 High StreetIvy HouseK6 Telephone Kiosk Outside the GuildhallKing's Head HotelKing's School with Walls Attached Maclean House with Walls AttachedLa ProvidenceLa Providence No 105 with Railings to FrontagesLinden HouseLloyds BankLongley HouseManor Farm OastMedway Adult Education CentreMedway Conservative Constituency Association Headquarters and ClubMill HouseMiller Monument 15 Metres South of All Saints ChurchMorden TerraceMoulding Tomb 20 Metres East of All Saints ChurchNo 1 Including RailingsNo 13 with Garden Walls and Gate AttachedNo 30, Incuding Railings to Basement Area at FrontNo 48 with Low Range to RearNo 50 with Front Garden Walls and Gatepiers AttachedNos 100 and 102, Including Stretch of Walling to Rear of No 102Nos 143,143A and 145 Including Ranges to RearOld ParsonageOriel House with Forecourt and Garden Walls AttachedPair of Gatepiers 15 Metres North East of Satis HousePair of gatepiers and gates between College Yard and Cathedral CemeteryPrior's Gate House with Garden WallPump 10 Metres East of Eastgate HouseRailings to North East of Eastgate HouseRed HouseRemains of Summer House in Garden 25 Metres East of Restoration HouseRochester BridgeRochester Head Post OfficeRochester Quaker Meeting HouseRochester War MemorialRoman Catholic Church of the English MartyrsRoyal Crown HotelRoyal Oak public houseSalisbury Villa with Attached Wall to FrontSatis HouseSole Street Farm HouseSt Catherine's Hospital with Wall and Railings to FrontSt Margaret's Cemetery ChapelsSt Margaret's House and Building Adjacent to North EastSt RonansStar Hill Elim Pentecostal ChurchStretch of Precinct Wall Forming Part of the Diocesan Registry Stretch of Precinct Walling Extending Along East Side of Boley Hill from a Point Immediately South West of the Diocesan Registry (The Precinct Qv) to (And Including) the King's School Craft CentreStrood Conservative ClubThe ArchdeaconryThe Boghurst Tomb 2 Metres South of South Aisle of All Saints ChurchThe Castle ClubThe Coopers ArmsThe Dickens HotelThe Eagle TavernThe Former Three Gardners Public HouseThe FriarsThe Gleanings the Old Coach HouseThe Good Companions Club Including Wall to Left Part of FrontageThe Manor HouseThe Nag's HeadThe North Foreland Public HouseThe Rochester BarThorndikes and Former Stable and Coach House AdjoiningTomb Chest 15 Metres North West of St Margaret's ChurchTomb Chest North of Nave of St Margaret's ChurchTrevine, With Garden Walls to Boley HillTroy HouseTudor CottageTwo Bollards at South East Entrance to the VinesTwo Tomb Chests 8 Metres North of Nave of St Margaret's ChurchVictoria HouseVictoria StreetVine CottageVines CroftWall Extending 15 Metres North East from the Front Entrance to No 58Wall to South Entrance and South West Garden of Bishop's Court Wall to South Entrance and South West Garden of No 24Wall with Gates Enclosing Churchyard of St Margaret's Parish Church with Headstones AttachedWalls Enclosing Archdeaconry GardensWatts' AlmshousesWellesley HouseWhitefriarsWingham Lodge1, 2 and 3, College Yard10, High Street10, Star Hill10,12 and 14, London Road103, High Street104, High Street106, High Street107 and 109, High Street11, Crow Lane11,13,15 and 17, Victoria Street111 and 113, High Street115, High Street12,14,16,18 and 20, St Margaret's Street126, High Street127, Eastgate13,14,15 and 16, New Road130, High Street14, Star Hill142, High Street144, Eastgate146 and 148, High Street147, Eastgate149, High Street151, High Street153,155 and 157, Eastgate158, 160 and 162, Eastgate16 and 18, London Road16, Star Hill163 and 165, Eastgate164, Eastgate166, High Street17 High Street17-39, Star Hill170, Eastgate

Search the rest on Historic England’s list →

Conservation areas

6 conservation areas cover 4.4% of Rochester

Areas the council protects as a whole: demolition and changes to how buildings look need consent, and trees are protected.

Historic Rochester 197232 ha
Watts Avenue and Roebuck Road 199413 ha
Frindsbury and Manor Farm 19969 ha
Star Hill to Sun Pier 19946 ha
New Road Rochester 19954 ha
Star Hill, Rochester 19742 ha
66 hain conservation areas, of 1,496 ha inside the built-up area.

The first, Historic Rochester, was designated in 1972; the newest, Frindsbury and Manor Farm, in 1996. 251 of the 279 listed buildings stand in one.

Historic England’s conservation areas layer, supplied by councils (incomplete in places, so a page fact, never graded). Hectares are the part of each area inside the built-up area.

How the list grew

105 of Rochester’s 279 listed buildings were added in 1950

The year each building now on the list was first listed.

1950 · 1051991 · 711974 · 51
19501960197019801990200020102020

The first 105 entries were listed in 1950, 17 of the 21 Grade I buildings among them. Only 4 have been added in the last 15 years.

Monuments & landscapes

Monuments, parks and gardens

Designations that overlap the town by a tenth of their area or half a hectare.

8 scheduled monuments

Nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, protected by law; work on them needs consent from the Secretary of State, advised by Historic England.

Bridge Chapel
Fort Borstal
Fort Clarence
Open areas within Roman, Saxon and medieval town
Rochester Castle
Rochester city wall
Temple Manor, Strood
History Grade

Rochester grades A− for history

Protected heritage and the age of the town’s homes, against all UK towns.

Protected heritage, for its size and in all (363 points, 54 per 10,000 residents)More than 76% of UK towns
Homes built before 1919 (19%)More than 58% of UK towns

Two measures, each ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, with protected heritage counting twice as much as the age of homes. Protected heritage counts each listed building by its grade (Grade I three points, II* two, II one), each scheduled monument and battlefield two, and each registered park or garden by its grade; it is ranked both per 10,000 residents and as a total, so a village with one fine church doesn’t outrank a historic city. The second measure is the share of homes built before 1919, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records. History is a character grade: it describes the town and isn’t part of the overall grade.

Born here

36 notable people born in Rochester before 1900

The 20 best known on one timeline, earliest first.

James Temple
Charles Wager
Charles Longley
John Stevens Henslow
Anne Pratt
George Matson
Ellen Ternan
James Fletcher
Isaac Newell
Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington
James William Tutt
Charles William Jefferys
Thomas Perkins
Phyllis Bottome
John Edensor Littlewood
John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey
Russell Thorndike
Enid Bagnold
Charlie Wright
Sidney Boucher
16001650170017501800185019001950
John Edensor Littlewood
John Edensor Littlewood1885–1977 · English mathematician (1885–1977)
John Stevens Henslow
John Stevens Henslow1796–1861 · British botanist, priest and geologist (1796-1861)
John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey
John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey1885–1971 · Royal Navy admiral of the fleet (1885-1971)
Ellen Ternan
Ellen Ternan1839–1914 · British actress (1839-1914)
Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington
Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington1856–1937 · British politician (1856-1937)
Anne Pratt
Anne Pratt1806–1893 · British artist, author and botanist (1806-1893)
Enid Bagnold
Enid Bagnold1889–1981 · English dramatist, playwright, memoirist (1889-1981)
Charles Longley
Charles Longley1794–1868 · Archbishop of Canterbury; Archbishop of York; Bishop of Durham; Bisho…

Everyone born in Rochester → Birthplaces from Wikidata; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.

Towns its size

Rochester has the 10th most Grade I buildings of 164 towns its size

Places of 40,000–108,000 people outside London, by Grade I listed buildings.

Bath102
Chester54
Lincoln43
Winchester41
Durham40
Salisbury37
Canterbury36
Bury St Edmunds26
Carlisle22
Rochester21
Bridgwater17
Shrewsbury15
#33 of 164for listed buildings per resident (41 per 10,000). Bath, Bury St Edmunds and Canterbury lead.

Only Bath, Chester, Lincoln, Winchester, Durham, Salisbury, Canterbury, Bury St Edmunds and Carlisle have more. The typical town its size has 1.

Neighbours

Listed buildings in the places around Rochester

TownPeopleListedGrade IHistory
Rochester67,27927921A−
Cuxton3,03951C−
Chatham76,95610311B+
Higham2,64241C
Chattenden2,41700D−
Halling2,92641B−
Shorne1,038190A−
Cliffe Woods2,68900D−
In brief

Rochester in brief

Rochester has 279 listed buildings, 21 of them Grade I. For its size, it has more listed heritage than 76% of UK towns. Rochester Cathedral sits at the heart of it all, with 19 of the town’s Grade I buildings within 400 m. Only 9 of the 164 towns nearest its size have more Grade I buildings.

On High Street alone there are 59 listed buildings. Its older streets lie in 6 conservation areas, the first designated in 1972. Of the whole list, 67% are houses, terraces and villas. Beyond that, 19% of its homes were built before 1919, close to the 15% in the typical UK town.

Questions about Rochester’s history

How many listed buildings are there in Rochester?

Historic England lists 279 buildings inside Rochester’s built-up area: 21 Grade I, 26 Grade II* and 232 Grade II.

What are the Grade I listed buildings in Rochester?

21, including Barn 30 Yards South West of the Manor House, Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Rochester (Formerly Priory of St Andrew Was Included), Cathedral Cloister Buildings, Chertsey's Gate, Cloister Gate and Deanery Gate and Gatehouse.

Which street in Rochester has the most listed buildings?

High Street (59), Eastgate (11) and St Margaret's Street (9) have the most listed entries named by an address. One entry can be a whole terrace.

Are there scheduled monuments in Rochester?

Yes, 8 scheduled monuments, including Bridge Chapel, Fort Borstal, Fort Clarence and Open areas within Roman, Saxon and medieval town.

How many conservation areas are there in Rochester?

6, covering about 66 hectares of the town. The largest are Historic Rochester and Watts Avenue and Roebuck Road.

When were Rochester’s buildings listed?

The first in 1950; the most, 105, in 1950.

Are there old photos of Rochester?

Yes: 1 public-domain photo or postcard from 1890 to 1890, and an old map from 1882, all on this page.

Who was born in Rochester?

Among people born before 1900: John Edensor Littlewood (1885), John Stevens Henslow (1796), John Tovey, 1st Baron Tovey (1885), Ellen Ternan (1839) and Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington (1856).

How old are the homes in Rochester?

19% of homes were built before 1919 and 37% before 1940, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records (March 2025).

© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The National Heritage List for England is the official, up-to-date register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England; check an entry on Historic England’s website before relying on it.

Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · Historic England conservation areas (supplied by local planning authorities; October 2026). All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.