There are two parish churches in Rochester, St. Margaret's, which was rebuilt in 1824, and St. Nicholas', erected in 1624. The Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, Quakers, and Jews have places of worship. The Cathedral Grammar school, founded in 1542, has an income of 593/. 6s. 8d. a year. It has four exhibitions at Oxford or Cambridge, and two restricted to University College, Oxford. The number of oholars in 1854 was 62, including 20 free scholars; each of the free scholars receives 161. 13s. 4d. a year from the endowment. Sir Joseph Williamson'e Free Mathematical school, founded in 1703, is free to the son.1 of freemen of Rochester. It hai an income from endowment of about 6004. a year, sod had 47 scholars in 1S54. There are National and British schools, a dispensary, and a savings bank. Watts' Charity for Poor Travellers provides entertainment and • night's lodging for wayfarers. This charity has an endowment of about 30001. a year, which is applied in part for the benefit of the local poor.
The bridge at Rochester in the time of Henry I. appears to have been of wood, with 10 arches or spaces between the piers, and a total length of about 431 feet. A stone bridge of 11 arches, 560 feet long, with a atone parapet and balustrades, was completed in the reign of Richard II. Near this bridge, but a little lower down the river, is a new bridge, chiefly of iron, constructed by Messrs. Fox and Henderson, from designs by Sir William Cubitt There are three lofty archer ; the centre arch, 50 feet in span, opens at the crown to allow large vowels to pan without lowering masts. The ap proaches to the bridge rest on a series of brick arches. The castle is on the bank of the Medway, just above the old bridge. The outer walls inclosed a quadrangular area nearly 300 feet square, and are, with their towers, now in ruins. The keep, a massive square buildinz, is yet standing, with a tower at each angle rising 12 feet above the rest of the building; three of these towers are square, that at the south-eastern angle is round. On the north side is another tower, through which was the entrance; it joins the keep, and rises about two-thrrds of its height. The walls of the castle are of great thickness, built of Kentish ragstone, and cemented with a grouting or mortar, equal to the stone itself in hardness. The architecture is Norman, except perhaps the round tower at the south-eastern angle.
The other public buildings are, a commodious town-hall, with a market-house beneath, and a small jail adjacent ; a clock-house, built by Sir Cloudeeley Shovel on the site of a former town-hall ; a neat theatre ; and the bridge chamber or record-room, opposite the east end of the bridge. There are some remains of the city walls ; and
part of the fortifications of Chatham are within the city.
Frind.sbury, which forms part. of the borough of Rochester, consists chiefly of one long street. The church is on an eminence commending a very floe proepect, The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel, and there are National schools. Upnor Castle, erected by Queen Elizabeth, on the Medway, is in F'rindsbury parish : it consists of an oblong central building, with a round tower at each end, and is surrounded by a moat ; it has been occasionally used as a powder magazine.
There are no manufactures In Rochester. The chief source of its prosperity is the trade supplied by the government establishments at Chatham and Strood. Trading Teaseis come up to the bridge, where they discharge their cargoes, chiefly coals, which are conveyed up the river in small craft. The oyster-fishery is carried on with great activity under the direction of the corporation. Considerable quantities of oysters are sent to London or exported to Holland ; shrimps also are sent to London. The number of vessels registered as belonging to the port of Rochester on December 31st, 1353, was, under 50 tons, sailing-Teasels, 324, tonnage 10,091; steamers 4, tentage 154: above 50 tons, sailing-Tessels 62, tonnage 7745; and one steam-vessel of 62 tons. During 1853 there eoterod the port, 2453 vessels of 204,791 ton.; and there cleared 974 vestals of 38,137 tons. During the year 41 steam-vessels entered, of 2915 tons. There are two weekly markets, one on Tuesday far corn, arid one on Friday for provisions ; ani there is a monthly cattle-market. Fairs are held on May 30th and December 10th. Quarter oessioue and • couoty court are held in Rochester. The city has returned members to parliament since the reign of Edward I.
The diocese of Rochester Includes the city and deanery of Rochester, the county of Essex except 10 parishes, and the whole of Hertford shire. The number of benefices is 562. The diocese is in the province of Canterbury, and is divided into the archdeaconries of Rochester, Essex, Colchester, and St. Albans. The chapter coueiste of the dean, the four archdeacons, five canons, a chancellor, and live minor canons. The income of the bishop is fixed at 50001.