MEDWAY DISTRICT
STATELY HOMES, CASTLES & TOWERS
Kent is home to various stately homes, country houses, castles, and towers, some of which have intriguing stories of hauntings throughout history. Notable figures like Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Darwin are linked to some of these locations. Additionally, there are lesser-known treasures that hold their own surprises.
Here is what has been found so far in the Medway District
​
​CLICK ON PICTURE FOR THE BUSINESS WEBSITE
​
Please note that not all of these sites are publicly accessible, as some may be located on private property. Be sure to check in advance and obtain permission if necessary. Do not trespass!
​
If you know of any sites that are missing or have heard reports of paranormal activity at any stately homes Castle & Towers not mentioned here, please get in touch. Thank you.
RESTORATION HOUSE
17-19 CROW LANE, ROCHESTER, ME1
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Restoration House is said to be haunted by the ghostly apparition of a man seen walking across the room and passing through the wall in the bedroom where King Charles II slept.
There is also the ghost of a young pregnant woman, possibly a maid, who has been seen fleeing the house in the middle of the night, slamming shut the great door as she heads toward the Vines.
Additionally, the ghostly figure of a Benedictine monk appears next to a fireplace and glides around the house, possibly from the Cathedrel of St Andrews, founded by Ethelbert, King of Kent.
**HISTORY**
Restoration House, just outside the southeast corner of the city wall of Rochester, as we see it today, is an amalgamation of two medieval buildings (one built in 1454 and the other between 1502 and 1522) with a space between them. They were joined together between 1640 and 1660 (as determined by tree ring data from the roof) by inserting a third building between them, creating a large mansion. It takes its name from King Charles II's visit on the eve of the restoration. It is also known as the Satis House from Dickens' "Great Expectations," the home of Miss Havisham.
The first owners of the completed house were Henry Clerke and his son Francis, both ambitious lawyers who were elected several times as Royalist members of Parliament for Rochester.
During the Civil War in the 1640s, this property, central to their political effectiveness and relatively secluded, was occupied by Colonel Gibbon, Cromwell's commander in the southeast. However, following Cromwell's death in 1658 and the subsequent weakness of his son, Royalist forces began plotting to restore the deposed King's son, Charles Stuart, who was in exile in France and Holland, back onto the throne.
By early 1660, plans were advancing, and Rochester, the only Medway crossing on the road from Dover to London, became a strategic consideration. It was crucial as much of the nation's fleet was moored at nearby Chatham Dockyard, which was greatly expanded under Cromwell.
The Mansion, now owned by Henry Clerke's son Francis, a Royalist and likely with Colonel Gibbon's cooperation, was prepared to receive the young Charles and serve as his overnight base in Rochester, an essential stop on his journey to London. Accompanying Charles were his two younger brothers, the Dukes of York and Gloucester.
Charles landed in Dover on May 25, 1660, and by the evening of May 28, he arrived in Rochester. He was received by the Mayor and retired for the night at the Mansion. Charles continued to London the following day, where he was proclaimed King on May 29, his 30th birthday. Although Colonel Gibbon stayed there, the property was still owned by Francis Clerke (who was knighted during the visit), which has led to confusion in the past.
In 1670, Sir Francis Clerke made further renovations, including refacing the entrance facade, completing the Great Staircase, and other internal works.
The house was later bought by William Bockenham and later owned by Stephen T. Aveling in the late 19th century. Aveling wrote a history of the house, which was published in Volume 15 of Archaeologia Cantiana.
In 1986, the English entertainer Rod Hull purchased the house to prevent it from being turned into a car park, investing an additional £500,000 in restoring it. However, the Receiver seized it in 1994 to cover an unpaid tax bill. The restoration seemed to have bankrupted him.
Over the past decade, the owners uncovered decoration schemes from the mid-17th century, revealing the fashionable tastes of the period, which were significantly influenced by continental styles.
Although primarily a private home, owned by Robert Tucker and his partner Jonathan Wilmot, who took on the challenge after Rod, the house and garden are open to the public during the summer. In 2010, the house celebrated its 350th anniversary.
ROCHESTER CASTLE
ROCHESTER ME1
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
The siege by Simon de Montfort gave rise to the legend of 'The White Lady of Rochester Castle', said to be that of Lady Blanche De Warrene, who was watching the skirmish from the southern battlements of the castle. Sir Gilbert de Clare, the rejected suitor of Lady Blanche de Warrene, had donned an identical surcoat to that Sir Ralph wore and could ride unchallenged into the castle and climb to the ramparts where he seized her. Sir Ralph looked up from the fighting and saw his lover struggling against a vicious assault. He seized an archer's bow, took aim, and fired an arrow high. Tragically, it bounced off de Clare's armour and killed Blanche. Since that night, her ghost was seen walking upon the battlements, on the anniversary of her death, the arrow still protruding from her, said to be a sad figure, whose dark hair, streaming in the breeze, provides a vivid contrast to the brilliant white of her dress."
The ghost of a man, thought to be the writer Charles Dickens, has also been seen near the Old Burial Ground in the moat of Rochester Castle on the 24th of December each year. Dickens had expressed a wish that he should be buried there, but after his death, he was deemed too important to have a resting place there, so he is interred in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.
There is also the story of a ghostly Drummer Boy who can be heard beating his drum from time to time at certain hours throughout the night.
During an investigation by ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena), it was reported that the movement-activated security light turned itself on and off many times throughout the night when no one was in range. Metallic Clicks were heard from the Keep, and many other unexplained noises, including footsteps, were heard during the investigation, but nothing was caught on camera or seen.
**HISTORY**
Rochester Castle and its massive Keep are situated in the City of Rochester. One side is the River. Rochester Cathedral stands opposite, and many Victorian and older buildings surround it on all sides. The moat has long since silted up and was used as a graveyard, and it also protected the River Medway, which once served as a vital route to London.
Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, started building the castle in about 1087. The Keep (great tower) was built by William de Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1127, when he was granted custody of the castle.
The Archbishops of Canterbury remained in custody of the castle until 1215, when King John of England launched a two-month siege against baron rebels who took refuge in the castle. During this siege, considerable damage was sustained. Having first undermined the outer wall, John used the fat of 40 pigs to fire a mine under the Keep, bringing its southern corner crashing down. Even then, the defenders held on until they were starved out after resisting for two months.
In 1264, between 17 and 26 April, the castle was attacked by two rebel armies. Gilbert de Clare came up from his castle at Tonbridge, and then the following day (Good Friday), Simon de Montfort came from London to assist. Within a day, they had captured the outer bailey and trapped the defending soldiers, led by Roger de Leybourne, within the Keep. A truce was declared on Easter Sunday, but the following day saw more fighting. Stone-throwing machines extensively damaged the castle, and both sides suffered heavy casualties. After hearing that the King was approaching with a large army, Simon de Montfort gave up his fight.
The castle saw military action for the last time in 1381, when it was captured and ransacked during the Peasants' Revolt.
As Rochester Castle fell out of use, its materials were reused elsewhere, and custodianship was relinquished by the Crown.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, some parts of Rochester Castle were in ruins, yet some towers were still occupied. Some of the stone of the outer wall was sold as building material.
The castle and its grounds were opened to the public in the 1870s as a park.
Repairs were carried out at various points during the 19th and 20th Centuries.
The castle is now protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument.
Today, the ruins are under the guardianship of English Heritage, and Medway Council looks after the property. It is also open to the public as a tourist attraction.
UPNOR CASTLE
UPNOR RD, ROCHESTER ME2
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Upnor Castle visitors have reported seeing a soldier in full uniform, thinking it was someone in costume until told otherwise. They have also been witnesses to strange things themselves. Two Castle Custodians, Dave and Phil, have shared their experiences and stories, and various paranormal investigations have been held there over the years.
At the beginning of 1996, an article appeared in the Chatham Standard by John Plunkett. A ghost was blamed for disturbances at Upnor Castle. Spooked security guards could find no other explanation for a series of goings-on. Alarms kept going off for no apparent reason, and locked doors were mysteriously unlocked. One night, security guards were called out three times in an hour.
One security guard commented: "You can't say you believe in ghosts until you see one. But when you know someone has been in and locked it up, you don't expect to go in and find it unlocked again, do you?"
**HISTORY**
It is rumoured that Queen Elizabeth 1 visited the castle to inspect her fleet, although not recorded anywhere, it seems likely, as it was Her Majesty who commissioned the castle in 1559, when the Privy Council decided that some fortification was required—a gun fort to protect her warships anchored in the Medway.
It was started under the supervision of Richard Watts, MP for Rochester (the Richard Watts of the Six Poor Travellers/Almshouses fame). A chain across the Medway was added in 1585. It was finally completed in 1601 and protected the naval harbour at Chatham.
In 1603, the Warham and Bay sconces were added to the rear for extra protection.
In the Civil War in 1642, Parliament took the Castle and Sconces from the crown and kept them in their hands for the rest of the war, except for a short time during the Kentish uprising, when workers from the Chatham dockyard seized the castle and the ships anchored below it and set free the Royalists imprisoned there. The rising collapsed, and Parliamentary forces gained control again.
In 1667, during the Dutch raid, the Duke of Albemarle was sent to take charge of the English forces. After their defeat at sea, the Dutch delivered a devastating blow to the English fleet, destroying and capturing over 20 members of the fleet, including the flagship 'The Royal Charles'.
The Duke set up an eight-gun battery outside the castle, known as Middleton's Battery. When the Dutch resumed their attack with a bombardment of Upnor Castle, they found they couldn't further their advances, so they returned to Queensborough and set to sea four days later. This was the only military engagement in which the castle was involved.
In 1668, the castle was converted into stores and magazines for the Navy, and barrels of gunpowder were stored there.
In 1718, the Barracks were constructed to accommodate two officers and 64 men.
In 1778, the castle was controlled by a Governor.
The castle remained a magazine fort until 1827, when it became an ordnance laboratory. By 1840, no explosives were stored there.
In 1891, the castle was transferred from the War Office to the Admiralty and used as a Navy Supply Department.
During WWI and WWII, the castle was part of a magazine establishment.
In 1961, the Ministry of Defence handed the castle to the Ministry of Works to be kept as an ancient Monument.
The Council took ownership of it in the 1990s, and it was opened as a tourist attraction.