94-769: Rochester Bridge in Rochester, Medway was for centuries the lowest fixed crossing of the River Medway in South East England . There have been several generations of bridge at this spot, and the current "bridge" is in fact four separate bridges: the Old Bridge and New Bridge carrying the A2 road , Railway Bridge carrying the railway and the Service Bridge carrying service pipes and cables. The bridge links
188-461: A chapel-of-ease . Old St Peter's was demolished in 1974, while St Nicholas' Church has been converted into the diocesan offices but remains consecrated. Continued expansion south has led to the creation of an additional more recent parish of St Justus (1956) covering The Tideway estate and surrounding area. A church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin at Eastgate , which was of Anglo-Saxon foundation,
282-753: A Mayor, instead having the office of Admiral of the River Medway, whose incumbent acted as de facto civic leader. Since Norman times Rochester had always governed land on the other side of the Medway in Strood , which was known as Strood Intra ; before 1835 it was about 100 yards (91 m) wide and stretched to Gun Lane. In the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 the boundaries were extended to include more of Strood and Frindsbury, and part of Chatham known as Chatham Intra . Like many of
376-551: A branch line from its nearby railway line at Strood across the Medway to its own Rochester station, Rochester Common , opened on 20 July 1891, and its own Chatham station, Chatham Central , opened 1 March 1892, for which it built the massive second railway bridge over the Medway. The two rivals merged under a Joint Managing Committee in 1899 to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway , and subsequent rationalisation saw
470-757: A constructor of flying boats with aircraft such as the Singapore , Empire 'C'-Class and Sunderland . During the Second World War , Shorts also designed and manufactured the first four-engined bomber , the Stirling . The UK 's decline in naval power and shipbuilding competitiveness led to the government decommissioning the RN Shipyard at Chatham in 1984, which led to the subsequent demise of much local maritime industry. Rochester and its neighbouring communities were hit hard by this and have experienced
564-590: A cost of £80 million – and was opened by the Princess Royal on 12 June 1996. The trust has also made grants for local good causes ranging from a few thousand pounds to more significant grants. In particular, contributions have been made to the restoration of many important historic buildings in Kent. In the 1880s, the Trust founded Rochester and Maidstone Girls Grammar schools and made large endowments to
658-565: A drawbridge in bay 5, and gothic style stone arches for the other ten. Above these was the bridge deck with parapets. This was paved in Kentish ragstone. The Wardens and Assistants of Rochester Bridge considered three proposals when the Medieval bridge needed to be replaced: a stone bridge, a suspension bridge and the cast iron bridge that was eventually built. The navy required a passage so masted vessels could proceed up stream. The new bridge
752-407: A ferry. In the winter of 1380–81 a large proportion of the bridge was carried away by the combined forces of meltwater and ice. In 1382, the bridge being impassible" a commission was appointed to enquire as to those responsible for its maintenance. The commission included John de Cobham who as supervisor of repairs ensured the bridge was passable by the following year. The building of a stone bridge
846-531: A few miles downstream. The tunnel was operated under a 999-year lease first by Kent County Council and then Medway Council upon its formation. In 2008 the council purchased the freehold of the tunnel. It was the first immersed tube tunnel to be built in England and only the second of this type in the UK, the other being at Conwy , North Wales. The 720 metres (2,360 ft) long tunnel took four years to complete, at
940-700: A new wharf on the Regent's Canal at Camden in London to allow transhipment of goods between the canal, road and railway. The Bute docks at Cardiff, the Middlesbrough docks and the coal drops on the Tees, and the Black Sluice drainage were undertakings which he successfully accomplished. After the introduction of railways Cubitt's evidence was sought in parliamentary contests. As engineer-in-chief he constructed
1034-430: A painful adjustment to a post-industrial economy , with much social deprivation and unemployment resulting. On the closure of Chatham Dockyard the area experienced an unprecedented surge in unemployment to 24%; this had dropped to 2.4% of the local population by 2014. Rochester was recognised as a City from 1211 to 1998. The City of Rochester's ancient status was unique, as it had no formal council or Charter Trustees nor
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#17327718464681128-419: A partner in the firm, a position which he held until he moved to London in 1826. Already Cubitt was concerned with the employment of criminals; and for the purpose of using their labour he invented the treadmill, with the object, for example, of grinding corn, and not at first contemplating the use of the machine as a means of punishment. This invention was brought out about 1818, and was immediately adopted in
1222-613: A thriving youth company and a children's workshop for younger people. Every summer the Duncan Rand One-Act Play Festival (named after one of Medway Little Theatre's founders) attracts groups from far and wide. Local newspapers for Rochester include the Medway Messenger , published by the KM Group , and free papers. The local commercial radio station for Rochester is KMFM Medway , owned by
1316-537: A year, on All Souls' Day (2 November) it is used to hold a commemoration service for the founders of the Rochester Bridge Trust. 51°23′32″N 0°30′03″E / 51.39220°N 0.50080°E / 51.39220; 0.50080 Rochester, Medway Rochester ( / ˈ r ɒ tʃ ɪ s t ər / ROTCH -iss-tər ) is a town in the unitary authority of Medway , in Kent , England. It
1410-682: Is a charity with thirteen trustees, sometimes known locally as the Bridge Wardens. Six are nominated by the local councils and seven are appointed by the trust. The trust in its current form was re-established by an act of Parliament, the Rochester Bridge Act 1908 ( 8 Edw. 7 . c. lvii), and is regulated by the Charity Commission. The trust also contributed to the construction of the Medway Tunnel (1996),
1504-603: Is associated with Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School . Cricket is played in the town, with teams entered in the Kent Cricket League . Holcombe Hockey Club enter teams in both the Men's and Women's England Hockey Leagues . Speedway was staged on a track adjacent to City Way that opened in 1932. Proposals for a revival in the early 1970s did not materialise and the Rochester Bombers became
1598-515: Is at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway , about 30 miles (50 km) from London . The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham , Rainham , Strood and Gillingham . Rochester was a city until losing its status as one in 1998 following the forming of Medway and failing to protect its status as a city, the first city to do so in the history of the United Kingdom. There have been ongoing campaigns to reinstate
1692-421: Is more accurately reflected by these officially recorded figures than by readings taken at Rochester Airport. North and North West Kent continue to record higher temperatures in summer , sometimes being the hottest area of the country, eg. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 degrees. Additionally, it holds at least two records for the year 2010, of 30.9 °C and 31.7 °C. Another record
1786-524: Is recognised as the second oldest continuously running school in the world . Rochester Castle , built by Bishop Gundulf of Rochester , has one of the best-preserved keeps in either England or France. During the First Barons' War (1215–1217) in King John's reign, baronial forces captured the castle from Archbishop Stephen Langton and held it against the king, who then besieged it. As well as
1880-669: Is responsible for the conservancy of the River as enshrined in current legislation. The City Freedom can be obtained by residents after serving a period of "servitude", i.e. apprenticeship (traditionally seven years), before admission as a Freeman. The annual ceremonial Beating of the Bounds by the River Medway takes place after the Admiralty Court, usually on the first Saturday of July. There were three medieval parishes : St Nicholas', St Margaret's and St Clement's. St Clement's
1974-667: Is the Rochester Literature Festival, the brainchild of three local writers. A new public library was built alongside the Adult Education Centre, Eastgate. This enabled the registry office to move from Maidstone Road, Chatham into the Corn Exchange on Rochester High Street (where the library was formerly housed). As mentioned in a report presented to Medway Council's Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28 March 2006,
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#17327718464682068-742: Is understood to have constituted a parish until the Middle Ages, but few records survive. On 1 April 1974, the City Council was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 , and the territory was merged with the District of Medway, Borough of Chatham and most of Strood Rural District , including the parishes of Cuxton , Halling and Cliffe , and the Hoo Peninsula , to form a new a local government district called
2162-464: The 1215 siege of Rochester Castle . There are however areas where the plot differs from accepted historical narrative . William Cubitt Sir William Cubitt FRS (bapt. 9 October 1785 – 13 October 1861) was an English civil engineer and millwright . Born in Norfolk , England, he was employed in many of the great engineering undertakings of his time. He invented a type of windmill sail and
2256-520: The Borough of Medway , within the county of Kent. Medway Borough Council applied to inherit Rochester's city status , but this was refused; instead letters patent were granted constituting the area of the former Rochester local government district to be the City of Rochester, to "perpetuate the ancient name" and to recall "the long history and proud heritage of the said City". The Home Office said that
2350-589: The Romford Bombers . Sailing and rowing are also popular on the River Medway with respective clubs being based in Rochester. The 1959 James Bond novel Goldfinger describes Bond driving along the A2 through the Medway Towns from Strood to Chatham. Of interest is the mention of "inevitable traffic jams" on the Strood side of Rochester Bridge , the novel being written some years prior to
2444-589: The Second Anglo-Dutch War . The Dutch, commanded by Admiral de Ruijter , broke through the chain at Upnor and sailed to Rochester Bridge capturing part of the English fleet and burning it. The Royal Navy Dockyard 's establishment at Chatham witnessed the beginning of the Royal Navy 's long period of supremacy. The town, as part of Medway, is surrounded by two circles of fortresses ;
2538-633: The Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School in Rochester and the Maidstone Boys Grammar School . The Bridge Chapel was built in 1383. It was dissolved under the Charities Act in 1548 and was used as a storeroom for bridge materials, a house, and later a pub and as a fruit shop. Over time it deteriorated and lost its roof. It was restored in the 1930s and used as a meeting room and exhibition space. Once
2632-695: The South Eastern Railway : he adopted the scheme of employing a monster charge of 18,000 lb. of gunpowder for blowing down the face of Round Down Cliff , between Folkestone and Dover (26 January 1843), and then constructing the line of railway along the beach, with a tunnel beneath the Shakespeare Cliff . On the Croydon Railway the atmospheric system was tried by him. On the Great Northern , to which Cubitt
2726-685: The "Awakening of Jack-in-the-Green" ceremony, and continues in Rochester High Street over the May Bank Holiday weekend. There are numerous other festivals in Rochester apart from the Sweeps Festival. The association with Dickens is the theme for Rochester's two Dickens Festivals held annually in June and December. The Medway Fuse Festival usually arranges performances in Rochester and the latest festival to take shape
2820-464: The 14th century up to the 18th century. The chapel of St Bartholomew's Hospital dates from the ancient priory hospital's foundation in 1078. In the 21st century the Riverside area north of the railway line has been redeveloped to provide new housing and a primary school. Thomas Aveling started a small business in 1850 producing and repairing agricultural plant equipment . In 1861 this became
2914-529: The 19th century the parish of St Peter's was created to serve the burgeoning city with the new church being consecrated in 1859. Following demographic shifts, St Peter's and St Margaret's were recombined as a joint benefice in 1953 with the parish of St Nicholas with St Clement being absorbed in 1971. The combined parish is now the "Parish of St Peter with St Margaret", centred at the new (1973) Parish Centre in The Delce (St Peter's) with St Margaret's remaining as
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3008-568: The British word Dourbruf meaning "swiftstream". Durobrivis was pronounced 'Robrivis. Later, the word cæster (=castle, from Latin castrum ) was added to the name, and the city was called Robrivis Cæster . Bede mentions the city in c. 730 and calls it Hrofes cæster , mistaking its meaning as Hrofi's fortified camp. From this came c. 730 Hrofæscæstre, 811 Hrofescester, 1086 Rovescester, 1610 Rochester. The Latinised adjective 'Roffensis' refers to Rochester. Neolithic remains have been found in
3102-603: The KM Group. Medway is also served by community radio station Radio Sunlight which is now an online service. The area also receives broadcasts from county-wide stations BBC Radio Kent , Heart , Gold and Smooth , as well as from various Essex and Greater London radio stations. Rochester is part of the ITV Meridian and BBC South East area, receiving television signals from the Bluebell Hill transmitter on
3196-581: The Mayor of Medway when that unitary authority was created, along with the Admiralty Court for the River which constitutes a committee of the Council. On 1 April 1998, the existing local government districts of Rochester-upon-Medway and Gillingham were abolished and became the new unitary authority of Medway . The Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions informed the city council that since it
3290-599: The Medway, namely Fort Hoo and Fort Darnet . During the First World War the Short Brothers ' aircraft manufacturing company developed the first plane to launch a torpedo, the Short Admiralty Type 184 , at its seaplane factory on the River Medway not far from Rochester Castle. In the intervening period between the 20th century World Wars the company established a world-wide reputation as
3384-523: The New Bridge, was opened immediately next to the first, to increase capacity. It was opened on 15 April 1970, by Princess Margaret . At the same time, the Service Bridge was built between the Old Bridge and the New Bridge, to carry gas, electrical, water, sewage and communication services. All three bridges underwent major maintenance and complete refurbishment, completed in December 2021. As for all
3478-453: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year of 2012. Any future bid to regain formal City status has been recommended to be made under the aegis of Rochester-upon-Medway . The 2011 definition of Rochester includes Strood to the northwest and is defined as an urban subdivision with a 2011 population of 62,982. Strood makes up the majority of Rochester's population on the west bank of the river, making
3572-583: The Rochester Bridge Trust, the modern incarnation of the Wardens and Commonalty of Rochester Bridge, which was established by King Richard II 's letters patent in 1399. The trust still owns some of the land gifted to the wardens and used the income derived from the endowments to pay for the new bridges in 1856 (now the westbound lanes of the A2) and 1970 (eastbound A2) as well as meeting all the costs of maintaining those bridges and part of Rochester Esplanade. The trust
3666-532: The Roman army, as the Romans were the first occupiers to have the necessary technology to bridge such a wide and fierce tidal river. The Roman engineers might have initially built a pontoon bridge to support and supply their invading armies; however this would have needed replacing by a stronger, more permanent bridge to support increased traffic. Victorian engineers discovered the Roman foundations when they were building
3760-545: The SER's Chatham Central branch closed on 1 October 1911, three years before World War I . In 1927 the Chatham Mainline was diverted to use the more substantial second railway bridge, and the original LCDR railway bridge was left unused for decades. The foundations of the bridge were eventually repurposed for the second road bridge which opened in 1970. The road bridges and the services bridge continue to be maintained by
3854-674: The South Eastern and Great Northern railways, James Moore C. E., was appointed Chief Engineer for the Hobson's Bay Railway company and designed the first commercial steam railway in Melbourne . Moore replaced another of Cubitt's assistants, William Snell Chauncy . Cubitt retired from business in 1858, and died at his residence on Clapham Common , Surrey, on 13 October 1861, and was buried in Norwood cemetery on 18 October. Cubitt
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3948-416: The accuracy and finish of his patterns for the iron castings of machines. Self-regulating windmill sails were invented and patented by him in 1807, at which period he settled at Horning , Norfolk, in business as a millwright. He in 1812 sought and obtained an engagement in the works of Messrs. Ransome of Ipswich , where he soon became the chief engineer. For nine years he held this situation, and then became
4042-411: The animals back and Richard "beat the said William". Despite partial rebuilding, the bridge fell into disrepair and collapses occurred with the worrying frequency of about once a year. In 1339 the bridge was down for 24 weeks, then the first and third piers were found to be decayed (repairs estimated at £19 and £8 6s 8d). In 1361 the bridge was in a dangerous state for 3 weeks and a boat had to be hired as
4136-459: The arrival of the Romans. It is a focal point between two routes, being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent and the north-south routes following the course of the Medway connecting Maidstone and the Weald of Kent with the Thames and the North Sea. The Thames Marshes were an important source of salt . Rochester's roads follow north Kent's valleys and ridges of steep-sided chalk bournes . There are four ways out of town to
4230-445: The bridge consisted of nine stone piers supporting a wooden superstructure. Administratively the responsibility for bridge was divided amongst local landowners and institutions. This worked reasonably well, though sometimes those liable refused to co-operate and had goods seized. In 1311 for instance the King's bailiff, William Mot, seized a horse and five cows from the tenants of Westerham, however Richard Trewe and Hamon le Brun "rescued"
4324-421: The bridge relatively low and meant that passing traffic at high tide had to navigate to line up with the top of the arch or risk striking the bridge. Not every ship was successful and many collisions occurred. These took their toll on the bridge and an inspection in 1909 showed fractured ribs and missing bolts. After a relatively short life a new bridge was needed. From around 1908 to 1932 the bridge also carried
4418-430: The building of the current cathedral (1080–1130, 1227 and 1343), the building of two castles and the establishment of a significant town. Rochester Castle saw action in the sieges of 1215 and 1264. Rochester's basic street plan was set out, constrained by the river, Watling Street, Rochester Priory and Rochester Castle. Rochester has produced two martyrs: St John Fisher , executed by Henry VIII for refusing to sanction
4512-406: The city status for Rochester. In 2011 it had a population of 62,982. Rochester was for many years a favourite of Charles Dickens , who owned nearby Gads Hill Place , Higham , basing many of his novels on the area. The Diocese of Rochester , the second oldest in England , is centred on Rochester Cathedral and was responsible for founding a school, now The King's School , in 604 AD, which
4606-449: The city status may be extended to the entire borough if it had "Rochester" in its name, so in 1979, Medway Borough Council renamed the borough to the Borough of Rochester-upon-Medway, and in 1982, Rochester's city status was transferred to the entire borough by letters patent, with the district being called the City of Rochester-upon-Medway . The Admiral of the River Medway was ex-officio Mayor of Rochester and this dignity transferred to
4700-409: The construction of the M2 motorway Medway bypass. Rochester is the setting of the controversial 1965 Peter Watkins television film The War Game , which depicts the town's destruction by a nuclear missile. The opening sequence was shot in Chatham Town Hall , but the credits particularly thank the people of Dover , Gravesend and Tonbridge . The 2011 adventure film Ironclad is based upon
4794-417: The crest of the North Downs to the SE, supplemented by a low power relay transmitter in central Chatham. Football is played with many teams competing in Saturday and Sunday leagues. The local football club is Rochester United F.C . Rochester F.C. was its old football club but has been defunct for many decades. Rugby is also played; Medway RFC play their matches at Priestfields and Old Williamsonians
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#17327718464684888-408: The current Old Bridge, they found that stone foundations had been used, probably to support a wooden deck. The piers of the Roman bridge survived well into the Middle Ages, supporting a timber deck with three beams of cross-planking. In 1264, Simon de Montfort besieged the gate house and set fire to the bridge as part of his successful attempt to take Rochester. In the latter part of the 14th century
4982-400: The divorce of Catherine of Aragon ; and Bishop Nicholas Ridley , executed by Queen Mary for being an English Reformation protestant . Rochester has for centuries been of great strategic importance through its position near the confluence of the Thames and the Medway . Rochester Castle was built to guard the river crossing. In 1667, the city was raided by the Dutch fleet as part of
5076-415: The early 1900s. Though not unique to Rochester (similar sweeps' gatherings were held across southern England, including in Bristol, Deptford, Whitstable and Hastings), its revival was directly inspired by Dickens' description of the celebration in Sketches by Boz . The festival has since grown from a small gathering of local Morris dance sides to one of the largest in the world. The festival begins with
5170-413: The firm of Aveling and Porter , which was to become the largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery and steam rollers in the country. Aveling was elected Admiral of the River Medway (i.e. Mayor of Rochester) for 1869-70. Tourism is now a sector. Since 1980 the city has seen the revival of the historic Rochester Jack-in-the-Green May Day dancing chimney sweeps tradition, which had died out in
5264-454: The former railway station. Converted from a building which in its almost 200-year history had been, amongst other things, a wine merchants, warehouse and printing works the theatre's first season was in 1958. Since then hundreds of plays have been presented ranging from Shakespeare to Ayckbourn, modern classics to timeless farces along with many plays presented for the first time in the Medway Towns and, indeed, Kent. Medway Little Theatre also has
5358-445: The highest temperatures since meteorological records began in the United Kingdom , with a reading of 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit), only beaten by Brogdale , near Faversham , 22 miles (35 km) to the ESE. The weather station at Brogdale is run by a volunteer, only reporting its data once a month, whereas Gravesend , which has an official Met Office site at the PLA pilot station, reports data hourly. Being near
5452-406: The historic centre, the suburbs of Borstal and The Delce are also part of Rochester, forming part of the Medway Towns urban area with a population of about 250,000. The Romano-British name for Rochester was Durobrivae , later Durobrivis c. 730 and Dorobrevis in 844. The two commonly cited origins of this name are that it either came from "stronghold by the bridge(s)" or is the latinisation of
5546-547: The historic medieval city. However, Rochester historically also included the ancient wards of Strood Intra on the river's west bank, and Chatham Intra as well as the three old parishes on the Medway's east bank. The diocese of Rochester is another geographical entity which can be referred to as Rochester. Rochester has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate). On 10 August 2003, neighbouring Gravesend recorded one of
5640-424: The improvement of the port there, and then became the consulting engineer to the Boulogne and Amiens railway. Among his last works were the two large landing-stages at Liverpool , and the bridge for carrying the London turnpike road across the River Medway at Rochester, Kent . Cubitt joined the Institution of Civil Engineers as a member in 1823, became a member of council in 1831, vice-president in 1836, and held
5734-406: The income for the bridge. The Wardens and Commonalty received grants of land from Henry IV and Henry V , as well as money from other benefactors, including Richard Whittington . The trust was able to maintain the bridge using income from property and investments, and materials from its own woods and quarries. A scheme of improvements were carried out from 1792 to widen the roadway of the bridge, to
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#17327718464685828-412: The inner line built during the Napoleonic wars consists of Fort Clarence , Fort Pitt , Fort Amherst and Fort Gillingham . The outer line of Palmerston Forts was built during the 1860s in light of the report by the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom and consists of Fort Borstal , Fort Bridgewood , Fort Luton , and the Twydall Redoubts , with two additional forts on islands in
5922-422: The later Roman period, the settlement was walled in stone. King Æthelberht of Kent (560–616) established a legal system which has been preserved in the 12th-century Textus Roffensis . In AD 604, the bishopric and cathedral were founded. During this period, from the recall of the legions until the Norman conquest , Rochester was sacked at least twice and besieged on another occasion. The medieval period saw
6016-408: The local parishes. Rochester's pre-1537 diocese, under the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome, covered a vast area extending into East Anglia and included all of Essex. As a result of the restructuring of the Church during the Reformation the cathedral was reconsecrated as the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary without parochial responsibilities, being a diocesan church. In
6110-433: The major gaols of the United Kingdom. From 1814 Cubitt had been acting as a civil engineer, and after his move to London he was fully engaged in important works. He was extensively employed in canal engineering, and the Oxford canal and the Liverpool Junction canal are among his works under this head. The improvement of the River Severn was carried out by him, and he made a series of reports on rivers. In 1841 he designed
6204-415: The medieval towns of England, Rochester had civic Freemen whose historic duties and rights were abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. However, the Guild of Free Fishers and Dredgers continues to the present day and retains rights, duties and responsibilities on the Medway, between Sheerness and Hawkwood Stone. This ancient corporate body convenes at the Admiralty Court whose Jury of Freemen
6298-441: The mouth of the Thames Estuary with the North Sea, Rochester is relatively close to continental Europe and enjoys a somewhat less temperate climate than other parts of Kent and most of East Anglia. It is therefore less cloudy, drier and less prone to Atlantic depressions with their associated wind and rain than western regions of Britain, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Rochester city centre's micro-climate
6392-449: The new library opened in late summer (2006). A new Huguenot Museum, which includes items from the collections of the French Hospital , was opened in Rochester on 13 May 2015, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and individual donations. There is a small amateur theatre, Medway Little Theatre, on St Margaret's Banks, Rochester High Street (the part of the High Street that continues from Star Hill towards Chatham) and just opposite
6486-407: The plans of the engineer Daniel Asher Alexander . The two central arches merged into one in 1824 to provide a wider channel for shipping, under the supervision first of John Rennie the Elder , and completed by Thomas Telford . In 1856, when modern river traffic demanded a new structure the medieval bridge was demolished with the help of the Royal Engineers . Sir William Cubitt 's cast iron bridge
6580-461: The post of president in 1850 and 1851. While president in 1851 he had major responsibility for the erection of the Great Exhibition building in Hyde Park . At the expiration of his services he was knighted by the queen at Windsor Castle on 23 December 1851. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society on 1 April 1830, and was also a fellow of the Royal Irish Academy , and a member of other learned societies. One of Cubitt's nephews and his protégé on
6674-428: The prison treadwheel , and was employed as chief engineer, at Ransomes of Ipswich , before moving to London. He worked on canals, docks, and railways, including the South Eastern Railway and the Great Northern Railway . He was the chief engineer of Crystal Palace erected at Hyde Park in 1851. He was president of the Institution of Civil Engineers between 1850 and 1851. Cubitt was born in Dilham, Norfolk ,
6768-540: The riverbed into the bedrock, using an innovative method of pneumatic caissons . On the Strood side of the bridge was the Ship's Passage: a channel 40 feet (12 m) in width. It was spanned by a swing bridge consisting of six wrought iron girders turning on a cast iron roller path, 30 feet (9.1 m) in diameter with 30 cast iron rollers. The centre wrought iron screw was 11 inches (28 cm) in diameter. The swing bridge
6862-587: The son of Joseph Cubitt of Bacton Wood , a miller, and Hannah Lubbock. He attended the village school. His father moved to Southrepps , and William at an early age was employed in the mill, but in 1800 was apprenticed to James Lyon, a cabinet-maker at Stalham , from whom he parted after four years. At Bacton Wood Mills he again worked with his father in 1804, and also constructed a machine for splitting hides. He then joined an agricultural machine maker named Cook, at Swanton , where they constructed horse threshing machines and other implements. Cubitt became known for
6956-527: The south: up Star Hill, via The Delce , along the Maidstone Road or through Borstal . The town is inextricably linked with the neighbouring Medway Towns but separated from Maidstone by a protective ridge known as the Downs , a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . At its most limited geographical size, Rochester is defined as the market town within the city walls , now associated with
7050-567: The tidal River Medway was 560 feet (170 m) long and 14 feet (4.3 m) wide. The piers were built on protective platforms called starlings , each about 40 feet (12 m) wide and 90 feet (27 m) long with cutwaters or pointed ends upstream and downstream to deflect the current. They were constructed from 10,000 piles that were connected by joists. The wooden structure was packed with chalk (the local stone) and then decked in elm planking. On these platforms were constructed 12 stone piers at irregular distances apart. There were connected by
7144-602: The town consists of London Clay , and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers—the Thames and the Medway —whose confluence is in this area. The land rises from the river, and being on the dip slope of the North Downs , this consists of chalk surmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel. As a human settlement , Rochester became established as the lowest river crossing of the River Medway, well before
7238-468: The town of Rochester itself on the east bank actually smaller and less populated than its neighbouring town; should the two towns ever separate Strood would be the larger of the two. Lauren Edwards MP is the current Labour parliamentary representative for the constituency . Rochester lies within the area, known to geologists , as the London Basin . The low-lying Hoo peninsula to the north of
7332-542: The towns of Strood and Rochester in Medway . All except the railway bridge are owned and maintained by the Rochester Bridge Trust . The Romans built a bridge across the River Medway as part of Watling Street , carrying traffic from London to Dover (the port for Continental Europe ). This was almost certainly the first bridge at the site, and probably the earliest major bridge built in Britain by
7426-406: The tracks for the local tram system linking Strood and Frindsbury with Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham. The cast iron arched bridge was partly reconstructed with bowstring-shaped trusses above the deck at a cost of £95,887. During these works the bridge remained open for traffic. The reconstructed bridge was formally opened on 14 May 1914, by Lady Darnley. In 1970 a second road bridge,
7520-561: The vicinity of Rochester; over time, it has been variously occupied by Celts , Romans , Jutes and/or Saxons . During the Celtic period, it was one of the two administrative centres of the Cantiaci tribe. During the Roman conquest of Britain , a decisive battle was fought at the Medway somewhere near Rochester. The first bridge was subsequently constructed early in the Roman period. During
7614-467: The water inside was pumped out to create a dry working area on the riverbed. The main oak piling was then driven deep into the chalk bedrock. The piers were built within a timber framework; they were stone faced and packed with ragstone rubble. Across the piers three oak beams were placed and planks laid over that to form the road-deck. This was a stone bridge of eleven arches. It was built by Henry Yevele between August 1387 September 1391. The bridge over
7708-467: The work to the bridges, this was paid for by the Rochester Bridge Trust with the proceeds from the original endowments and was carried out at no cost to the public taxpayer or bridge users. National Cycle Route 1 passes over the road bridges. There are four extant bridges, and also the Roman bridge, and the Mediaeval bridge that was built 40m upstream, and the first railway bridge. The Roman Bridge
7802-418: Was 40 feet (12 m) wide with a combined span of 485 feet (148 m) over the three arches. The outside arches were each 140 feet (43 m), and the central arch was 170 feet (52 m) long with 18 feet (5.5 m) feet of headroom at high water. It appeared delicate, but the cast iron structure weighed over 2,500 metric tons (2,500 long tons). It rested on foundations of cast iron cylinders sunk through
7896-619: Was advised that Rochester was not on the Lord Chancellor's Office 's list of cities. In 2010, Medway Council started to refer to the "City of Medway" in promotional material, but it was rebuked and instructed not to do so in future by the Advertising Standards Authority . Subsequently, Medway Council has applied for City status for Medway as a whole, rather than merely for Rochester. Medway applied unsuccessfully for City status in 2000 and 2002 and again in
7990-444: Was born at Dilham , Norfolk, on 9 October 1785. His father was Joseph Cubitt (1760–1829), a miller, and his mother was Hannah Lubock (1765–1831). He had two brothers, Benjamin and Joseph. Cubitt married Abigail Sparkhall (1785–1813) on 26 June 1809. The couple had one son, Joseph, and two daughters. Joseph Cubitt (1811–1872) became a civil engineer. Cubitt married Elizabeth Jane Tiley (1791–1863) on 24 January 1821. The couple had
8084-469: Was built circa AD 43 on the instructions of the Emperor Claudius. The flat bridge deck was supported on nine stone piers set on iron tipped oak timbers driven deep into the riverbed. To achieve this, a coffer-dam of two concentric circles of shallow piling was constructed around the site of each pier. The space between the two circles was then packed with clay to make the coffer-dam waterproof, and
8178-400: Was built in 1856 to replace the stone bridge. This bridge was built downstream of the stone bridge, on the alignment of the current bridge and where the Romans had built theirs. It comprised three cast iron arches and a swing bridge span designed to swing open to allow river traffic, but the mechanism was never used and was eventually removed. The cast iron arches were below the road deck, making
8272-414: Was delicately balanced. The total weight of the swing bridge and roadway was over 300 tonnes, it could have been rotated with ease 90 degrees upriver. The East Kent Railway built the first rail bridge (which opened on 29 March 1858) for its line from Strood to Chatham. It was designed and built by Joseph Cubitt , and had four spans, one of which could be opened to allow masted ships through, although this
8366-568: Was in Horsewash Lane until the last vicar died in 1538 when it was joined with St Nicholas' parish; the church's last remaining foundations were finally removed when the railway was being constructed in the 1850s. St Nicholas' Church was built in 1421 beside the cathedral to serve as a parish church for the citizens of Rochester. The ancient cathedral included the Benedictine monastic priory of St Andrew with greater status than
8460-574: Was later found to be unnecessary and so was fixed shut. The bridge was built of iron girders supported on masonry piers, 600 feet in length and weighing 700 tons. The East Kent Railway became the London Chatham and Dover Railway 1 August 1859 and in 1861 the bridge became a part of the newly completed Chatham Main Line from London to Dover . The South Eastern Railway , the LCDR's local rival, built
8554-527: Was organised and funded by Sir John de Cobham and Sir Robert Knolles (or Knollys), finished in 1391. It was located about 100 yards upstream of the Roman bridge and had 11 arches and a total length of 570 feet (170 m) It was 14 feet (4.3 m) wide. To ensure the maintenance of their new bridge, the two men instituted the Wardens and Commonalty of Rochester Bridge . The two elected wardens were appointed under letters patent from Richard II to own land and use
8648-526: Was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 °C, the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October. Rochester comprises numerous important historic buildings, the most prominent of which are the Guildhall , the Corn Exchange , Restoration House , Eastgate House, as well as Rochester Castle and Rochester Cathedral . Many of the town centre's old buildings date from as early as
8742-417: Was the local government district that officially held City status under the 1982 Letters Patent, the council would need to appoint charter trustees to preserve its city status. However, no trustees were appointed and the city status was therefore lost when Rochester-upon-Medway was abolished as a local government district. The incoming Medway Council apparently only became aware of this when, in 2002, it
8836-476: Was the consulting engineer, he introduced the latest innovations. The Hanoverian government asked his advice on the subject of the harbour and docks at Harburg . The works for supplying Berlin with water were carried out under his direction; and he was surveyor for the Paris and Lyon railway. On the completion of the railway to Folkestone, and the establishment of a line of steamers to Boulogne , he superintended
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