The ancient cathedral town of Rochester, with its Norman Castle was a place cherished by the Victorian novelist, Charles Dickens, who lived in the area as a child and returned as a successful author.

Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and a number outlying villages form a single large urban area known as the Medway Towns with a population of around 250,000.

The town is full of history dating back centuries, there are so many things to do. Explore the stunning Cathedral, founded in 604AD and the second oldest of its kind in England. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the top of one of the tallest keeps in the Country at the magnificent Rochester Castle. Built on the highest part of Rochester’s Roman walls, to defend the crossing of the River Medway.

During the summer months, visitors can explore the city on foot with a local guide or they can follow in the footsteps of Dickens’ on a self-guided walking tour and see the building’s he wrote about in his works.

* Higham 

Higham is a market town and civil parish where Victorian author Charles Dickens lived in his beloved Gad’s Hill Place in the village for many years until his death in 1870, basing many of his novels on the area. The house, a Grade I listed building, is now a part of an independent school and popular tourist destination. Lower Higham is the oldest area, The now redundant St Mary’s Church is open to the public and contains one of the oldest pulpits in Kent, dating back to the 1500s, and Higham retains two pubs and a garage along with many period homes. Upper Higham, the newer and much larger part of the village, has a school, village hall and recreation ground.

* Halling 

Halling is a village on the North Downs in the northern part of Kent, five miles from Rochester, on the south-facing slopes of the Medway Valley. The village has its own railway station, with high speed services to London St Pancras via Strood in around 50 minutes, making Halling a hub for commuters.

* Upnor 

Upnor comprises Lower Upnor and Upper Upnor; they are both small villages in Medway, Kent. They are located in the parish of Frindsbury Extra on the Western bank of the River Medway. Today the two villages are mainly residential and a centre for a small craft moored on the river, but Upnor Castle is a preserved monument part of the river defences from the sixteenth century.

* Aylesford 

Aylesford is a delightful Kent village located seven miles downstream of Rochester that packs tons of Kentish charm. Nestled on the scenic banks of the River Medway visitors and residents alike can stroll among the characterful almshouses and historic buildings.  Here you can visit Kit’s Coty House, a Neolithic monument of significant historical interest. High Speed rail services from the village to London St Pancras via Strood take just under an hour, and Kent’s county town of Maidstone is a few miles away via the A20 or M20 motorway.

* Cuxton 

Cuxton is a small village in the Medway Valley, four miles west of Rochester. It lies on the left bank of the River Medway. It is served by the A228 and Cuxton railway station on the Medway Valley Line between Strood and Maidstone. The settlement dates back 200,000 and has been a site for chalk extraction from the North Downs hills for many centuries. Many local groups and associations ensure a busy social life in the village, with a small parade of shops, popular primary school and church at the heart of village life. Cuxton sits within the Kent Downs AONB. A low valley leads up from the river to the hamlet of Lower Bush.