Rochester Guildhall

Rochester Guildhall is a three-story museum building on High Street featuring painted plaster ceilings, decorative oil paintings, and a red-carpeted central staircase. Inside visitors find displays of civic silver, 18th-century craftsmen's tools, and a full-scale prison hulk reconstruction that brings local history to life.

The building was constructed in 1687 and began operating as a museum in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Since then it has served as a keeper of regional history and the town's heritage.

The museum displays civic silver and regalia that reflect Medway's official past, showing how the town valued ceremony and its own importance. Visitors can see these objects arranged to demonstrate the role of civic institutions in the community's life.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday and sits in central Rochester, easily accessible on foot from the High Street. School groups can arrange educational programs, and the interior layout allows visitors to move comfortably through all three floors.

A rare collection of 18th-century tools used by cabinet makers is displayed, representing one of the most complete sets of its kind from that era. These implements reveal the specialized skills and techniques that craftspeople employed in their daily work.

Location: Medway

Address: High Street, Rochester ME1 1PY

Website: https://medway.gov.uk/directory_record/671/the_guildhall_museum

GPS coordinates: 51.39090,0.50280

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:01