Oh yes, much of the whole eastern side of the USA is full of English-sourced town names. I'm sometimes surprised to come across information about a more obscure UK/English place, which has an 'American' name. But, of course, the UK one was the original, just I'd only heard it in the USA context up until that point.
Hi Alanna, If you notice, all castle stairways spiral upwards in a clockwise direction. There's a reason for that, It is so that right-handed men that are invading the castle, have their bodies exposed to the defenders of the castle and are more at risk of being killed. Whereas, the people that are defending the castle from above, have protection from the stone staircase to protect them and only their right arm is exposed. Unless you are left-handed, that is.
Wandering around that huge bookshop, purchasing a good book and then reading it whilst sitting outside on the Castle's greenery and sipping an iced coffee latte on a nice sunny day. It doesn't get much better than that.
Just a note on the steps in castles - they were made uneven on purpose, that purpose being to make it difficult for attackers climbing the steps. They weren't thinking about tourists in those days - short-sighted I know.
@@Stand663 Ooh - a southerner then - in Northumberland we got the the Vikings and the Scots - that's why the county of Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. Sorry for being a bit parochial but we're neerer Edinburgh than London and it shows.
@@AdventuresAndNaps a tip if you ever come Kent way again. Faversham is fabulous. another few stops on the train. and the best time is the Hop Festival in September. ate here entire medieval town centre becomes closed off to traffic. it’s live bands breweries showing their fresh picked ale and cider and loads entertainments. It’s as busy as Piccadilly Circus and best place on earth that weekend especially if the sun shines. Faversham is the home of hop picking. the oldest brewery in Kent Shepherd Neame is in the centre. the Family been brewing their for 500yrs at least.
Charles Dickens was once involved in a railway accident in Kent when a train he was travelling on became derailed whilst crossing a viaduct under maintenance. The train rolled over and down a short embankment into a river. (Usually referred to as the Staplehurst crash of June 1865.)
I lived in Rochester as a photography student at the (soon to be defunct) art college, a stone's throw from the high street. Had my graduation in the cathedral. Used to visit that bookshop regularly too - a lot of cheap books. It looks exactly the same as it did in the early 90s when I was last there! Loved my time in Rochester. And btw, what you refer to as the impressive "homes" that you point out from the top of the castle I think is actually part of Kings School (not sure about the one being renovated).
If you love books and interesting towns with history, then I can whole heartedly recommend Hay-on-Wye. And also Shrewsbury. I absolutely adore castle ruins (I can actually see Dryslwyn castle from my bedroom window) but due to nerve damage I struggle walking and castles are often on top of hills, and that’s before all the stairs. It’s been a few years since I was able to visit one, so getting to see the castle you visited was a real joy. Thank you!
@@andrewstorm8240 To be honest, it’s been several years since I was able to go last. I have a mate that goes a couple of times a year and he says that it’s gone somewhat downhill of late. I don’t know when that started or if it has anything to do with Covid. It never was the prettiest place, but all the book shops made up for it. I think the era of digital books has put the kibosh on the book shops, which is a real shame. I still remember it fondly.
Great combo of a lovely day and a lovely place to look around. I love towns and cities that have managed to hang onto some history and character and Rochester looks like it's done it better than most.
Rochester is somewhere I've always intended to visit, lived most my life in and around Birmingham, now I live in Bournemouth and jumping on the train to nearby towns has long been one of my favourite ways to spend a day. There are so many great towns to visit.
I'm a 46 year old man who did work on the edges of popular media a LONG time ago and I have to say your narrations are very interesting and engaging. It's a real talent.
Thank you for taking us with you to Rochester Alanna, what a beautiful ex-City it is! I really appreciate your courage for filming while ascending the Castle steps and showing us the sights. It's always a joy to go on adventures with you. X
Did you know the Deaf Cat cafe used to be the dead cat, but they got a bit of flak so changed it? I still think Schrodinger’s would have been a better new name, but not sure many people would get it!
Being British, we sometimes take it for granted that we we are surrounded with Castles and unique History. Having a building dating from 604 AD or even earlier such as Roman buildings is something we are used to. I can understand your love of Castles and other historic buildings, coming from a country that puts up a plaque on a building that is older than 1870! Now I notice that you use Apple products so I suggest you have a look at the Pixelj Lavalier Microphone for Iphone connectivity (Amazon) Price £41.99. You should also be able connect it to your J2 Camera.
Hi, Alanna, a really interesting look at Rochester, I've never been but it looks a good place to visit. The castle steps look very unsafe you did well not to fall.
OK, you persuaded me. I've passed through Rochester on the train travelling to London so many times - and even seen Baggins bookshop from the window - but never actually been there. I'll definitely be paying a visit this summer. Thanks for this guide, I'm glad you enjoyed your day.
Thank you for a lovely tour. The way you relate what you’re seeing and feeling is so much more enjoyable than just having unrelatable facts thrown at you.
Great tour, Alanna! I visited Rochester when last in the UK (2017) on a solo trip. I enjoyed exploring - so easy to get around on foot. Was also there many years ago with my family. My 2 boys loved it! Definitely would like to visit again.
Thanks for this. I’m English, living in England, and not only have never been to Rochester i couldn’t tell you where it is! Definitely on my to-do list now!
I live in a little town called Olvera in Spain which similarly has a twelth century castle. I took a guest up there just last week and you know what, crap stairs and zero wheelchair access! It's like the two cultures thousands of miles away had it in for the ambulatory challenged. Who knew?
Ive spent a lot of my life in and around Rochester. Love the museums. Love the esplanade. Love the castle grounds. Love the shops, and cafes, and galleries. Love...Love....the glorious cathedral. Love it always. ❤ Have you seen the film... "IRONCLAD"??? Its all about the seige of Rochester Castle. 😊👍👍👍
Great film (rather gruesome though!). The big historical error in it is in the film, the wrong tower is demolished🤦♂️. The actual one demolished is where the round one you sat by is, it was rebuilt round as that's a stronger configuration.
If you love Rochester, and you're still living down here, make sure you visit when they have the Rochester Sweeps Festival, its very English and Olde Worlde and worth a visit. Also spotted my home town's train station, Faversham at the beginning of the video! The amount of times I've waited at that platform. Glad to see you use the trains, I agree they're a Godsend!
Yes Darren you are right to recommend the Sweeps - been there done that many times - - a really fab weekend which I am sure Alana and everyone else will enjoy immensely 👍✔💯
Think the last time I was in Rochester was for a Dickens Christmas fair lol... been even longer since I've been in the castle, I don't remember that many stairs 😂 Looks like a lovely day, glad you had a good time!
Great video about Rochester. We forget how blessed we are to have these sorts of places on our doorsteps ready to enjoy. The gardens around the Castle and Cathedral look great in the sun. Looking forward to more videos of the South East.
I spent a few years spending a lot of time drinking in The Bull Hotel at the Strood end of the High Street and my brother still lives in Rochester just off Star Hill. Having lived quite close by until my early 20's I guess I take it a bit for granted but as I haven't lived there for 20+ years it's much more impressive when I go back or see it on tv or UA-cam. The new train station is WAY better than the old one.
The Lillies at Weedon in Buckinghamshire used to be the largest 2nd hand bookshop until it closed in the 1990s. I remember going there on a weekend. It is a huge Victorian lived in mansion house with books and collections displayed in all the rooms. I was there one rainy Sunday afternoon just browsing the books in the library (actual room) and was offered a cup of tea like you would visiting anyone's house. Lovely place.
Last time I visited Rochester was in 2001, during my visit to Britain to see old school friends and attend my former junior prep's alumni weekend. Prior to that, I was there in 1962, when the choir in which I was a treble sang at the Cathedral in an exchange with the Abbey where I sang. From your walk around, many things have changed, of course, but the heart of the city, which is the second oldest diocese in England, dating back to the early years of the 7th century. Only Canterbury is older in England, and St David's and Bangor in Wales are older still. 🇨🇦🇰🇪
St David's is a lovely little city - the smallest in the UK, I believe - and well worth putting on the itinerary of anyone touring the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast.
Love a wander round Rochester myself! So many unique shops. You can get lost in Baggins! So many old books. Having a cold cider on rear terrace at George Vaults is another of my favourites. Little fact for you the 2015 ITV series Jekyll and Hyde was filmed in and around the High Street.
Love these outdoors walks Alanna ! Everything looks great when the sun is out, right ? Rochester looks like a great place to visit, very historic 🌞. Did you see any knights at the castle ? you know what they say, once a Knight always a knight, but twice a knight's enough 😂. Hey, I've also gotten prescription sunglasses RayBans - I know, right 😎- which I grab as soon as there's a hint of sunshine
I've been through Rochester many times but never had the time to stop and explore, I must do it next time I come over to visit the kids that live in Kent.
Been to Rochester and those places you are showing here...yes it's an amazing place rich in history and of great importance to Britain, especially back in those days! I'm personally from South Africa so I totally understand what you mean by the network of working trains lol. And I also never once take for granted the freedom to be able to leave your house and go out sightseeing, and have a lunch out in the open without the absolute worry of being murdered or mugged....or something bad happening... It's a privilege, just that ability to be able to freely go and do things in relative safety. That is one of my enjoyments of the UK. Last year, discovered the coastline of Devon, the Jurassic coast, and absolutely fell in love with it, going again this summer and again taking friends out there next year. Swanage and the surrounding areas, and Portland, beautiful, with so much history as well! Thanks for the video, so entertaining and always well made. All the best.
Great job! Your enthusiasm is so infectious that although I haven't even been to Kent for twenty-odd years I now feel as though I know Rochester intimately! It's definitely gone onto my 'Places to see before I die' list!
That was lovely, Alanna. Reminded me of my hometown, Colchester. They have a Norman keep built on top of a Roman temple. It’s easy to take these things for granted when you live there.
I grew up in Chatham and as a teenager we always went to Rochester on the weekends to hang out. We used to sit in the Castle Gardens drinking when we got a bit older. I have a lot of affection for Rochester. It's definitely the nicest part of Medway!
@@AdventuresAndNaps You even went to Rocket! They're a lot more normal/mainstream now, but back in the day that was where all of us emo kids used to buy our band t-shirts and spray-on hair dye. Feeling a lot of nostalgia from the video
@@AdventuresAndNaps It can be really nice to have an outside perspective on a place you took for granted. Because it was always right there, I never really thought about how special Rochester was
Alanna + shades = great look! Two of my relatives have big birthdays coming up within the next month, so I shall have to buy a couple of Edenbridge Frangrances gifts for them and hopefully swell your coffers enough for that desired microphone. Some of Rochester's locals have described the town as having a Dickensian feel, so it is no surprise that book shops abound. Bravo for supporting the independent cafés, bookshops and other shops, Alanna! Foreigners, expats, natives alike have to learn that independents are better, they need our support and will die if we don't give it. (To all those wondering exactly how independents are better, just look at that lunch - Eggs Benedict and Coconut Sponge Cake? - you won't get anything half as good in Starbucks or Nero!) The castle is something I have only seen from the outside, so thanks for the tour of the innards, undertaken at great peril! That delicious looking house in the shadow of the castle looks as if it could be Satis House, which was originally built to host royalty in the 16th century (Queen Elizabeth I named it unofficially by commenting "Satis" - "it is enough" - when asked for her verdict on the house after staying in it) and is now the administrative centre of the King's School, Rochester (including the office of the Principal) as well as housing the school's library. It's a Grade II Listed Building, meaning that it is of special historical or architectural interest, to be protected from destruction and maintained as far as possible in a sympathetic manner, so the owners cannot simply renovate it however they want to. I expect to be in that neck of the country on business this summer - I won't be in Rochester but I anticipate hopping on the train there if free time allows, and thanks to this vlog, I have the bones of a trip already outlined. Maybe I'll spot you on the castle lawn, in passing?!
Hi Alanna, glad to see you're out & about. Rochester looks lovely. I was in Canterbury last July but never got a chance to get to Rochester. I love your "explore a town/city" videos - it's good to get someone else's perspective on a place. May is my favourite time of year with the trees in full blossom & everything green & beautiful. As always Alanna, thanks for sharing this with us. Have a great weekend, BY-EEE.
As many have said, we take these things for granted. I live about 3 miles from Rochester and have NEVER been inside the castle. In and around the grounds yes, never inside...about the same distance from me in opposite direction is Leeds castle (nr Maidstone) which is stunning and well worth a visit. Thank you for highlighting a small part of our beautiful county! 😀👍
What a lovely day, thanks Alanna! I’m going to have to check out those Dickens fairs. I’ve not been to Rochester before even though I’m only about 10 miles away, the trains and estuary make it a bit of a pain
The brickwork pattern in the station - where you have red lines in lighter brick - dates from Roman times. St Albans had it for example and some of it is still visible.
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but towns ending in “Chester” like Rochester, Colchester and Manchester are places that had Roman camps. It comes from the Latin word castrum, meaning encampment.
Alanna if you like bookshops and you ever find yourself on the Welsh border, do visit Hay on Wye. It’s renowned for its bookshops and a hugely beautiful little town.
I visited Rochester about ten years ago,one thing that impressed me was all the independent shops that many other towns have lost to chain stores,deffo worth a visit for tourists.
I live up north. I bought a car off a bloke in Rochester a few years ago. Saw the castle, cathedral and spent three hours waiting for the AA on the side of the A2 in nearby Strood. That's as far as I got in that wretched car. The rest of the 180 mile journey was spent being towed home over the course of 8 hours. I haven't been that far south since.
That looks like a great place for a short break or even a longer holiday. I was too young to appreciate it but I grew up in County Durham and I would highly recommend visiting Durham if you’re able to. I’m sure Google knows more than I about it but it’s a great city. I love seeing what you get up to and I hope you are able to get that microphone so you can narrate as you’re doing things not afterwards. I wish I could recommend one but I am technologically a bit behind everyone else. I hope you have a great weekend, the weather is nice here today so I’m hoping you have been able to use your sunglasses again. I’m going to go and enjoy sitting on my little patio and listening to a book. Thanks for showing us the highlights of Rochester, I imagine there would be lots to discover if I was able to visit but I would spend loads of money as those shops look fun. I hope you’re able to share other places in your area, thanks for the video.
Agreed about Durham! I've lived up here, just a few minutes away from the cathedral, for about 15 years now. I came here to do a PhD and, when that was finished, I stayed here because I love the place so much.
The Days of the week sometimes feel like Places on a Monopoly Board. Mondays can feel like "Mayfair" owned by someone else, with a Hotel. It sucks. Sundays feel like "Old Kent Road" and you already own it. Tuesdays and Fridays now feel like "Free Parking" and "Go". Thank you Alanna for all the Free Parking and for all the Cash.
I am a Man of Kent and must have been through Rochester on the train and past it on the motorway hundreds of times. But I've never actually stopped to have a look round. Until today!!! On your recommendation! So thank you for that. I really enjoyed it. (And took in the cathedral, the castle AND Baggins! 🙂)
Lovely stuff as usual Alanna, thank you. Just a little historical note - The spiral staircase is for the benefit of the sword-armed defenders. The invaders (coming in at ground level) will be (mostly) right-handed, and hampered. The defenders will be (mostly) right-handed and much more free to swing, hack and ... I won't go on. But a spiral staircase is almost always this way round. Cheers !
Those houses are part of the kings school. My mum worked there and they are just offices for the school which owns most of the buildings there in that part of Rochester x
Well clever girl, thank you for recommending Rochester Yesterday (Saturday 21st) me and my better half paid a visit to the castle and the High Street yes it’s lovely 😊 we even managed to buy some toys for the grandchildren in a charity shop. Did you know that Pizza Express in Rochester have signs saying restrooms is this in honour of former Canadian visitors to the town?
Great video, Alanna! I remember coming across that bookshop by accident the first time I went to Rochester and only finding out later that it's famous. I love it!
Inception was filmed down the road from me, well the weightless scenes anyway. Cardington Hangars. They are massive! Tom Scott is a legend. Glad to know you watch him.
I can very vaguely remember the first family camping holiday back in the late 40s was in Kent, in particular a weir on the Medway. Incidentally I wear bifocals and since I go fishing, I get a second pair with polarising lenses.
Hi Alana, Aah I’m upset now you walked right by my flat in Rochester high road and I missed you. It’s a lovely place to live I’ve been here since January and there’s so much to see and do. ❤️
I used to live in Medway growing up. The last place being near Strood over the river. The best view of Rochester, I always thought was from the recreation ground near All Saints Church not far from Strood Station. You could see for miles from there. It really showed how tall the castle is. I believe it's the tallest Norman keep/donjon in Europe, or at least the UK. Best preserved for original features remaining, even though there are no floors. The arches in the interior are excellent examples of Norman arcading.
I used to go to Hever Castle and Leeds Castle (both in Kent) a lot as a kid. I recommend them if you haven't been. Leeds Castle has a fantastic maze where you go into an underground cave when you get to the middle.
Nice town. I grew up in Strood, and could see the Castle across the river from my bedroom window. Interesting to see it from an outsiders point of view. I can recognise almost every plastic bag on your train ride. Books, ah yes that bookshop looks amazing. Is Rochester getting a name for bookshops? There's another one by the station.
I have lived here in England all my life and my fave place is Lincoln in Lincolnshire and it has a stunning cathedral and castle and there is a cute little hill called steep hill and it has shops that you can go into and a vintage sweet shop near the beginning of steep hill and you can find different sweets from the uk that you might not see anymore but you can still purchase there.
Hey Alanna. Finally you said it - there is further ado. Been waiting for that for ages and you reference Tom Scott. Woo-hoo! Outside? You do like to live dangerously. Great name for a bookshop and I love searching places like that, one where you can get lost all day. Excellent video and just imagine if someone did contact you. :-)
Thanks, Rochester looks beautiful. In the castle, the semi-circular arches decorated with zigzag patterns are typical Norman arches of the 12th century ( before the invention of "Gothic" pointed arches).
Here in the US, there are many towns named after Rochester, England. It's pretty amazing how many British town names we have in the US!
That's so cool!
I visited Maine and Massachusetts years ago and it seemed that almost every town and city was named after a British (mainly English) town or city!
As a Brit, I remember thinking the town names on and near Cape Cod seemed very British-sounding. (Chatham, Falmouth, Sandwich, Plymouth etc.)
Oh yes, much of the whole eastern side of the USA is full of English-sourced town names.
I'm sometimes surprised to come across information about a more obscure UK/English place, which has an 'American' name. But, of course, the UK one was the original, just I'd only heard it in the USA context up until that point.
No doubt courtesy of the many Bris. who settled in America inthe days of the Pilgrim fathers.
Hi Alanna, If you notice, all castle stairways spiral upwards in a clockwise direction. There's a reason for that, It is so that right-handed men that are invading the castle, have their bodies exposed to the defenders of the castle and are more at risk of being killed. Whereas, the people that are defending the castle from above, have protection from the stone staircase to protect them and only their right arm is exposed.
Unless you are left-handed, that is.
There is one castle where everyone in the family who owned it was left handed, they had the staircases going the other way round :-)!
@@tomriley5790 That would be the Scottish, mostly ;)
Wandering around that huge bookshop, purchasing a good book and then reading it whilst sitting outside on the Castle's greenery and sipping an iced coffee latte on a nice sunny day. It doesn't get much better than that.
Right?? I agree!
Just a note on the steps in castles - they were made uneven on purpose, that purpose being to make it difficult for attackers climbing the steps. They weren't thinking about tourists in those days - short-sighted I know.
Correct, I believe they are known as trip steps
And always clockwise to limit swinging space for right handed weapons on attackers, but defenders have more swinging space.
@@PHDarren never knew that, cool fact 👍
And most castles face the sea. It’s where invaders came from.
@@Stand663 Ooh - a southerner then - in Northumberland we got the the Vikings and the Scots - that's why the county of Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. Sorry for being a bit parochial but we're neerer Edinburgh than London and it shows.
was in Rochester same view last week. love the Spanish Tapas place in High St. All new. Loads of new places. not been 5years to Rochester.
Very cool!
@@AdventuresAndNaps a tip if you ever come Kent way again. Faversham is fabulous. another few stops on the train. and the best time is the Hop Festival in September. ate here entire medieval town centre becomes closed off to traffic. it’s live bands breweries showing their fresh picked ale and cider and loads entertainments. It’s as busy as Piccadilly Circus and best place on earth that weekend especially if the sun shines.
Faversham is the home of hop picking. the oldest brewery in Kent Shepherd Neame is in the centre. the Family been brewing their for 500yrs at least.
Charles Dickens was once involved in a railway accident in Kent when a train he was travelling on became derailed whilst crossing a viaduct under maintenance. The train rolled over and down a short embankment into a river. (Usually referred to as the Staplehurst crash of June 1865.)
5 out of 5 medieval cesspits. A nice little tour with commentary. Adventures and naps hidden treasures series- cafes, shops, castles.
I lived in Rochester as a photography student at the (soon to be defunct) art college, a stone's throw from the high street. Had my graduation in the cathedral. Used to visit that bookshop regularly too - a lot of cheap books. It looks exactly the same as it did in the early 90s when I was last there! Loved my time in Rochester.
And btw, what you refer to as the impressive "homes" that you point out from the top of the castle I think is actually part of Kings School (not sure about the one being renovated).
If you love books and interesting towns with history, then I can whole heartedly recommend Hay-on-Wye. And also Shrewsbury.
I absolutely adore castle ruins (I can actually see Dryslwyn castle from my bedroom window) but due to nerve damage I struggle walking and castles are often on top of hills, and that’s before all the stairs. It’s been a few years since I was able to visit one, so getting to see the castle you visited was a real joy. Thank you!
I agree! Hay on Wye is a booklovers paradise!❤️🏴
Hay was really disappointing
@@andrewstorm8240
To be honest, it’s been several years since I was able to go last. I have a mate that goes a couple of times a year and he says that it’s gone somewhat downhill of late. I don’t know when that started or if it has anything to do with Covid. It never was the prettiest place, but all the book shops made up for it. I think the era of digital books has put the kibosh on the book shops, which is a real shame. I still remember it fondly.
@@KingBollock that’s nice, yes there are book shops.
Great combo of a lovely day and a lovely place to look around. I love towns and cities that have managed to hang onto some history and character and Rochester looks like it's done it better than most.
Thanks so much!
Rochester is somewhere I've always intended to visit, lived most my life in and around Birmingham, now I live in Bournemouth and jumping on the train to nearby towns has long been one of my favourite ways to spend a day.
There are so many great towns to visit.
I'm a 46 year old man who did work on the edges of popular media a LONG time ago and I have to say your narrations are very interesting and engaging. It's a real talent.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for taking us with you to Rochester Alanna, what a beautiful ex-City it is! I really appreciate your courage for filming while ascending the Castle steps and showing us the sights. It's always a joy to go on adventures with you. X
Thank you so much!
Did you know the Deaf Cat cafe used to be the dead cat, but they got a bit of flak so changed it?
I still think Schrodinger’s would have been a better new name, but not sure many people would get it!
Alanna, Thank you for sharing your day trip to Rochester. I think the castle and scenery is stunning...🇬🇧
Glad you enjoyed it!
Being British, we sometimes take it for granted that we we are surrounded with Castles and unique History. Having a building dating from 604 AD or even earlier such as Roman buildings is something we are used to. I can understand your love of Castles and other historic buildings, coming from a country that puts up a plaque on a building that is older than 1870! Now I notice that you use Apple products so I suggest you have a look at the Pixelj Lavalier Microphone for Iphone connectivity (Amazon) Price £41.99. You should also be able connect it to your J2 Camera.
I have to ask... do you repair computers on/over a counter or do you break computers to counter the repairs others make to them?
Hi, Alanna, a really interesting look at Rochester, I've never been but it looks a good place to visit. The castle steps look very unsafe you did well not to fall.
Thank you so much!
OK, you persuaded me. I've passed through Rochester on the train travelling to London so many times - and even seen Baggins bookshop from the window - but never actually been there. I'll definitely be paying a visit this summer. Thanks for this guide, I'm glad you enjoyed your day.
Thank you for a lovely tour. The way you relate what you’re seeing and feeling is so much more enjoyable than just having unrelatable facts thrown at you.
Thanks so much for watching!
Great tour, Alanna! I visited Rochester when last in the UK (2017) on a solo trip. I enjoyed exploring - so easy to get around on foot. Was also there many years ago with my family. My 2 boys loved it! Definitely would like to visit again.
That's awesome!
You do a great job showing and explaining places to someone (me) who’s never been there!
Thanks for watching!!
If you like Rochester then I recommend checking out York. It's very similar, as in, it's an old town with castles and stuff. I think you'll love it.
Thanks for this. I’m English, living in England, and not only have never been to Rochester i couldn’t tell you where it is! Definitely on my to-do list now!
I live in a little town called Olvera in Spain which similarly has a twelth century castle. I took a guest up there just last week and you know what, crap stairs and zero wheelchair access! It's like the two cultures thousands of miles away had it in for the ambulatory challenged. Who knew?
Is it the same all over the village, the country? No access to wheelchairs?
This has hints of the oft repeated tale of US visitors to Windsor Castle complaining that it had been built on the flight path into London Heathrow...
Ive spent a lot of my life in and around Rochester.
Love the museums.
Love the esplanade.
Love the castle grounds.
Love the shops, and cafes, and galleries.
Love...Love....the glorious cathedral.
Love it always. ❤
Have you seen the film...
"IRONCLAD"???
Its all about the seige of Rochester Castle. 😊👍👍👍
Thanks so much!
Great film (rather gruesome though!). The big historical error in it is in the film, the wrong tower is demolished🤦♂️. The actual one demolished is where the round one you sat by is, it was rebuilt round as that's a stronger configuration.
If you love Rochester, and you're still living down here, make sure you visit when they have the Rochester Sweeps Festival, its very English and Olde Worlde and worth a visit. Also spotted my home town's train station, Faversham at the beginning of the video! The amount of times I've waited at that platform. Glad to see you use the trains, I agree they're a Godsend!
Yes Darren you are right to recommend the Sweeps - been there done that many times - - a really fab weekend which I am sure Alana and everyone else will enjoy immensely 👍✔💯
Think the last time I was in Rochester was for a Dickens Christmas fair lol... been even longer since I've been in the castle, I don't remember that many stairs 😂
Looks like a lovely day, glad you had a good time!
Cheers Gem!!
Rochester, my home town 😊. Love to see other people enjoying this town and all it has to offer.
Love the cesspit and no poo window. What a relief 😌
I don’t know how you do it, but you manage to make your videos chill, funny and educational. Good on you!
Thank you so much!!
Great video about Rochester. We forget how blessed we are to have these sorts of places on our doorsteps ready to enjoy. The gardens around the Castle and Cathedral look great in the sun.
Looking forward to more videos of the South East.
Thanks for watching!!
I’ve never been to Rochester. Fascinating that it is big and small at the same time. Love your descriptions.
That was lovely to see and the castle is magnificent too! The cathedral, is amercing! Thank you for that wonderful tour as well!! ;)
Thanks so much!
The Dickens Christmas festival on the first weekend of December is always really good and atmospheric 😀
Don't worry, you are good at what you do. Your Confidence really shows through.
Thank you!
I spent a few years spending a lot of time drinking in The Bull Hotel at the Strood end of the High Street and my brother still lives in Rochester just off Star Hill.
Having lived quite close by until my early 20's I guess I take it a bit for granted but as I haven't lived there for 20+ years it's much more impressive when I go back or see it on tv or UA-cam.
The new train station is WAY better than the old one.
Love the travelogue videos! That looks like a great bookstore, used books are the best!
Thank you!!
The Lillies at Weedon in Buckinghamshire used to be the largest 2nd hand bookshop until it closed in the 1990s. I remember going there on a weekend. It is a huge Victorian lived in mansion house with books and collections displayed in all the rooms. I was there one rainy Sunday afternoon just browsing the books in the library (actual room) and was offered a cup of tea like you would visiting anyone's house. Lovely place.
Excellent tourism advert, many thanks for posting this.
Thanks for watching!!
I really like your complex, full-bodied and smooth style. Keep up the good work!
😂
Playopolis board game cafe is a great. Excellent quiz nights 👍🏻
great video
Last time I visited Rochester was in 2001, during my visit to Britain to see old school friends and attend my former junior prep's alumni weekend. Prior to that, I was there in 1962, when the choir in which I was a treble sang at the Cathedral in an exchange with the Abbey where I sang. From your walk around, many things have changed, of course, but the heart of the city, which is the second oldest diocese in England, dating back to the early years of the 7th century. Only Canterbury is older in England, and St David's and Bangor in Wales are older still. 🇨🇦🇰🇪
Very cool!!
St David's is a lovely little city - the smallest in the UK, I believe - and well worth putting on the itinerary of anyone touring the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast.
Thanks for the tour Alanna. That bookshop looks amazing!
Thank you so much!
I lived in Gillingham '78 to '84, and visited Rochester many times. It's cleaned up enormously since then.
My favourite shot closed down which has a old lady running it. It sold any old stuff like a pawn shop.
Love a wander round Rochester myself! So many unique shops. You can get lost in Baggins! So many old books. Having a cold cider on rear terrace at George Vaults is another of my favourites. Little fact for you the 2015 ITV series Jekyll and Hyde was filmed in and around the High Street.
Thanks for watching!
Love these outdoors walks Alanna ! Everything looks great when the sun is out, right ? Rochester looks like a great place to visit, very historic 🌞. Did you see any knights at the castle ? you know what they say, once a Knight always a knight, but twice a knight's enough 😂. Hey, I've also gotten prescription sunglasses RayBans - I know, right 😎- which I grab as soon as there's a hint of sunshine
Thanks for watching!!
What a great video!
Thank you!
I love Rochester too. Have been there many times. Often sit in the beer garden of "The Arrow" alongside the castle
I was born and grew up I. Rochester and I still live here now it is a nice I tend to take it fir granted, glad you like Alana 😊
So cool!
I've been through Rochester many times but never had the time to stop and explore, I must do it next time I come over to visit the kids that live in Kent.
I love it! Very calm (other than on a Friday night lol)
Been to Rochester and those places you are showing here...yes it's an amazing place rich in history and of great importance to Britain, especially back in those days! I'm personally from South Africa so I totally understand what you mean by the network of working trains lol. And I also never once take for granted the freedom to be able to leave your house and go out sightseeing, and have a lunch out in the open without the absolute worry of being murdered or mugged....or something bad happening...
It's a privilege, just that ability to be able to freely go and do things in relative safety. That is one of my enjoyments of the UK.
Last year, discovered the coastline of Devon, the Jurassic coast, and absolutely fell in love with it, going again this summer and again taking friends out there next year. Swanage and the surrounding areas, and Portland, beautiful, with so much history as well!
Thanks for the video, so entertaining and always well made. All the best.
Great job! Your enthusiasm is so infectious that although I haven't even been to Kent for twenty-odd years I now feel as though I know Rochester intimately! It's definitely gone onto my 'Places to see before I die' list!
Thank you!!
A fun upload with easy narration and educational points. Many thanks for producing/sharing - liked.
Thanks so much!
that book shop looks fantastic would wander round there for ages
Me, too!
I just saw you can do this on another channel! Thanks for your videos, i appreciate them!
Thanks so much Aaron!
That was lovely, Alanna. Reminded me of my hometown, Colchester. They have a Norman keep built on top of a Roman temple. It’s easy to take these things for granted when you live there.
Thanks so much!
Nice video Alanna, Rochester looks a great place to visit!
Thanks so much!
I grew up in Chatham and as a teenager we always went to Rochester on the weekends to hang out. We used to sit in the Castle Gardens drinking when we got a bit older. I have a lot of affection for Rochester. It's definitely the nicest part of Medway!
It's a really cool place!
@@AdventuresAndNaps You even went to Rocket! They're a lot more normal/mainstream now, but back in the day that was where all of us emo kids used to buy our band t-shirts and spray-on hair dye. Feeling a lot of nostalgia from the video
@@AdventuresAndNaps It can be really nice to have an outside perspective on a place you took for granted. Because it was always right there, I never really thought about how special Rochester was
Alanna + shades = great look!
Two of my relatives have big birthdays coming up within the next month, so I shall have to buy a couple of Edenbridge Frangrances gifts for them and hopefully swell your coffers enough for that desired microphone.
Some of Rochester's locals have described the town as having a Dickensian feel, so it is no surprise that book shops abound. Bravo for supporting the independent cafés, bookshops and other shops, Alanna! Foreigners, expats, natives alike have to learn that independents are better, they need our support and will die if we don't give it. (To all those wondering exactly how independents are better, just look at that lunch - Eggs Benedict and Coconut Sponge Cake? - you won't get anything half as good in Starbucks or Nero!)
The castle is something I have only seen from the outside, so thanks for the tour of the innards, undertaken at great peril!
That delicious looking house in the shadow of the castle looks as if it could be Satis House, which was originally built to host royalty in the 16th century (Queen Elizabeth I named it unofficially by commenting "Satis" - "it is enough" - when asked for her verdict on the house after staying in it) and is now the administrative centre of the King's School, Rochester (including the office of the Principal) as well as housing the school's library. It's a Grade II Listed Building, meaning that it is of special historical or architectural interest, to be protected from destruction and maintained as far as possible in a sympathetic manner, so the owners cannot simply renovate it however they want to.
I expect to be in that neck of the country on business this summer - I won't be in Rochester but I anticipate hopping on the train there if free time allows, and thanks to this vlog, I have the bones of a trip already outlined. Maybe I'll spot you on the castle lawn, in passing?!
That is a beautiful place to live, I agree.
Thanks so much for watching!
Hi Alanna, glad to see you're out & about. Rochester looks lovely. I was in Canterbury last July but never got a chance to get to Rochester. I love your "explore a town/city" videos - it's good to get someone else's perspective on a place.
May is my favourite time of year with the trees in full blossom & everything green & beautiful.
As always Alanna, thanks for sharing this with us. Have a great weekend, BY-EEE.
As many have said, we take these things for granted. I live about 3 miles from Rochester and have NEVER been inside the castle. In and around the grounds yes, never inside...about the same distance from me in opposite direction is Leeds castle (nr Maidstone) which is stunning and well worth a visit. Thank you for highlighting a small part of our beautiful county! 😀👍
Thanks so much for watching!
What a lovely day, thanks Alanna! I’m going to have to check out those Dickens fairs. I’ve not been to Rochester before even though I’m only about 10 miles away, the trains and estuary make it a bit of a pain
I hope you can visit sometime!!
The brickwork pattern in the station - where you have red lines in lighter brick - dates from Roman times. St Albans had it for example and some of it is still visible.
You have to love our English market towns.
I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but towns ending in “Chester” like Rochester, Colchester and Manchester are places that had Roman camps. It comes from the Latin word castrum, meaning encampment.
Didn't know that - thank-you.
It can apply to any ancient fort/camp, not just Roman ones, eg Iron Age forts. :)
Alanna if you like bookshops and you ever find yourself on the Welsh border, do visit Hay on Wye. It’s renowned for its bookshops and a hugely beautiful little town.
I'll add it to the list, thank you!
I visited Rochester about ten years ago,one thing that impressed me was all the independent shops that many other towns have lost to chain stores,deffo worth a visit for tourists.
That's so true!
Hey you captured the visit really well. Thanks for the tour of the castle. Have a great weekend ✌️
Thanks, you too!
@@AdventuresAndNaps 🎉🍻
Hi I was in Rochester yesterday, charity shops & lunch , had a great time
I only live about 15 minutes away in Strood and don't visit Rochester much these days but after watching your video it makes me want to now.
I hope that you can someday soon!
I live up north. I bought a car off a bloke in Rochester a few years ago. Saw the castle, cathedral and spent three hours waiting for the AA on the side of the A2 in nearby Strood. That's as far as I got in that wretched car. The rest of the 180 mile journey was spent being towed home over the course of 8 hours. I haven't been that far south since.
That looks like a great place for a short break or even a longer holiday. I was too young to appreciate it but I grew up in County Durham and I would highly recommend visiting Durham if you’re able to. I’m sure Google knows more than I about it but it’s a great city. I love seeing what you get up to and I hope you are able to get that microphone so you can narrate as you’re doing things not afterwards. I wish I could recommend one but I am technologically a bit behind everyone else.
I hope you have a great weekend, the weather is nice here today so I’m hoping you have been able to use your sunglasses again. I’m going to go and enjoy sitting on my little patio and listening to a book. Thanks for showing us the highlights of Rochester, I imagine there would be lots to discover if I was able to visit but I would spend loads of money as those shops look fun. I hope you’re able to share other places in your area, thanks for the video.
Agreed about Durham! I've lived up here, just a few minutes away from the cathedral, for about 15 years now. I came here to do a PhD and, when that was finished, I stayed here because I love the place so much.
The Days of the week sometimes feel like Places on a Monopoly Board. Mondays can feel like "Mayfair" owned by someone else, with a Hotel. It sucks. Sundays feel like "Old Kent Road" and you already own it. Tuesdays and Fridays now feel like "Free Parking" and "Go". Thank you Alanna for all the Free Parking and for all the Cash.
😂 Thank you so much for watching!!
I am a Man of Kent and must have been through Rochester on the train and past it on the motorway hundreds of times. But I've never actually stopped to have a look round. Until today!!! On your recommendation! So thank you for that. I really enjoyed it. (And took in the cathedral, the castle AND Baggins! 🙂)
Ahh I'm so glad! It's such a lovely place!
Amazing. It must be so cool to have places like that to go to. The castle and cathedral are totally awesome
Thanks for watching!
Lovely stuff as usual Alanna, thank you. Just a little historical note - The spiral staircase is for the benefit of the sword-armed defenders. The invaders (coming in at ground level) will be (mostly) right-handed, and hampered. The defenders will be (mostly) right-handed and much more free to swing, hack and ... I won't go on. But a spiral staircase is almost always this way round. Cheers !
Very cool!
Those houses are part of the kings school. My mum worked there and they are just offices for the school which owns most of the buildings there in that part of Rochester x
Nice Day trip video Alanna..... :-))) xxx
Great video Alana. Please visit Corfe Castle ruins in Dorset or Warwick Castle in yes you've guessed it Warwickshire. Amazing places.
Thanks for the tour Alanna
Thanks for watching!
@@AdventuresAndNaps
I watch your videos for improving my listening skill, I like your pronunciation and accent, you are the best one. I'm from Iran
We all loved Dickens! 👍
Well clever girl, thank you for recommending Rochester Yesterday (Saturday 21st) me and my better half paid a visit to the castle and the High Street yes it’s lovely 😊 we even managed to buy some toys for the grandchildren in a charity shop. Did you know that Pizza Express in Rochester have signs saying restrooms is this in honour of former Canadian visitors to the town?
Great video, Alanna! I remember coming across that bookshop by accident the first time I went to Rochester and only finding out later that it's famous. I love it!
Ahh so cool!!
Inception was filmed down the road from me, well the weightless scenes anyway. Cardington Hangars. They are massive! Tom Scott is a legend. Glad to know you watch him.
I can very vaguely remember the first family camping holiday back in the late 40s was in Kent, in particular a weir on the Medway.
Incidentally I wear bifocals and since I go fishing, I get a second pair with polarising lenses.
Hi Alana, Aah I’m upset now you walked right by my flat in Rochester high road and I missed you. It’s a lovely place to live I’ve been here since January and there’s so much to see and do. ❤️
Loving the sound of this one can't wait to get this work lark over so I can enjoy ya vid 👍 really looking forward to this one
🥳
It also has a nice little Museum near to Baggies well worth a visit
I used to live in Medway growing up. The last place being near Strood over the river. The best view of Rochester, I always thought was from the recreation ground near All Saints Church not far from Strood Station. You could see for miles from there. It really showed how tall the castle is. I believe it's the tallest Norman keep/donjon in Europe, or at least the UK. Best preserved for original features remaining, even though there are no floors. The arches in the interior are excellent examples of Norman arcading.
I used to go to Hever Castle and Leeds Castle (both in Kent) a lot as a kid. I recommend them if you haven't been. Leeds Castle has a fantastic maze where you go into an underground cave when you get to the middle.
I totally agree!
That cake at the end looked delicious!
Coconut and lime!! So good
Nice town. I grew up in Strood, and could see the Castle across the river from my bedroom window. Interesting to see it from an outsiders point of view. I can recognise almost every plastic bag on your train ride.
Books, ah yes that bookshop looks amazing. Is Rochester getting a name for bookshops? There's another one by the station.
I’ve never heard of Strood, but I’ve been to Stroud! LOL
Ah, St Rood! 😂
Durobrivae! Nice town and castle. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
I have lived here in England all my life and my fave place is Lincoln in Lincolnshire and it has a stunning cathedral and castle and there is a cute little hill called steep hill and it has shops that you can go into and a vintage sweet shop near the beginning of steep hill and you can find different sweets from the uk that you might not see anymore but you can still purchase there.
So cool!
Hey Alanna. Finally you said it - there is further ado. Been waiting for that for ages and you reference Tom Scott. Woo-hoo!
Outside? You do like to live dangerously. Great name for a bookshop and I love searching places like that, one where you can get lost all day. Excellent video and just imagine if someone did contact you. :-)
Thank you so much for watching!!
I've never been there, but it's now on my list! Cheers Alanna!
Ahh that's awesome!
Thanks, Rochester looks beautiful. In the castle, the semi-circular arches decorated with zigzag patterns are typical Norman arches of the 12th century ( before the invention of "Gothic" pointed arches).
Thank you so much for watching!!