ROCHESTER, an episcopal city, parliamentary and municipal borough, and river-port of Kent, stands between Chatham (q.v.) on the c., and Strood on the n. w., on the right bank of the Medway, 36 in. e.s.e. of London, by the London, Chatham, and Dover railway. Together with Chatham and Strood, it forms in effect one large town. The city is surrounded on two sides by the river; and its ancient castle and cathedral, the numerous marten() towers along its shores, and the works connected with the Chatham lines of fortification, render its appearance highly striking. The bishopric of Rochester was founded in 604; but the early Saxon cathedral suffered from the ravages of the Danes, and was in a completely ruined condition at the time of the Norman conquest. Gundulf, who was consecrated bishop of Rochester in 1077, began to rebuild the cathe dral and the priory connected with it; the dormitory, chapter-house, and refectory were added under the succeeding bishop; and the new cathedral was dedicated in 1130, in presence of the king and a great company of bishops. The cathedral, the nave and
crypt of which are Norman, and the choir and transepts early English, is 310 ft. long, and the western transept is 123 ft., and the nave and choir 68 ft. broad. Of the ancient Norman priory, only a small fragment remains. The castle, crowning an eminence, and overlooking the cathedral, is a Norman _keep, built in a wonderfully strong and solid style of masonry. Rochester imports coal and exports hops. In 1875, 4,138 vessels, of 493,575 tons, entered the port, and 3,151, of 217,560 tons, cleared. Rochester returns two members to the house of commons. Pop. '61, 16,862; '71, 18,352.
Rochester, which is surmised to have existed prior to the Roman invasion, was called by the Romans Durobrivce, and, according to Bede, derives its present name (ffrofs-ceaster, Hrof's castle) from that of Hrof, a Saxon chieftain.