Chatham & Rochester Area Guide

Chatham & Rochester snapshot

There’s so much to celebrate in Chatham and Rochester, it’s no wonder movers are making a beeline for this historic part of the Medway. Cobbled streets beloved by Charles Dickens, famous festivals and a rich maritime heritage provide the perfect backdrop for life, while the high speed rail line whisks travelers into London in as little as 34 minutes.

Chatham & Rochester: where?

The towns sit on a sweeping bend of the River Medway looking out across the waters to Strood. To the east sits Gillingham, to the north is St Mary’s Island and Gravesend is located close by in a north westerly direction. While Chatham and Rochester are the main towns, Borstall, Brompton and Wouldham are satellite villages not to be missed.

The BIG 3:

1. Transport:

• Mainline stations at both Chatham and Rochester
• High speed rail services to St Pancras available in both towns
• Stops also include Ebbsfleet International, Charing Cross, Victoria, Bromley South, Canterbury and Margate
• Road connections to the A2/M2, the A229 and the M20

2. Schools:

Chatham and Rochester boast a wealth of nurseries, primary and secondary schools, the latter including prized grammars, academies and comprehensives. There’s a ‘find-a-school’ facility on every one of our online property listings, where you can filter schools by age, type and Ofsted rating.

3. Attractions:

Browse the quaint boutiques that line Rochester’s cobbled streets, enjoy the Sweeps festival, browse the Nucleus Arts Centre and explore the set of Call the Midwife at The Historic Dockyard, Chatham. If you’re still wanting more, visit imposing Rochester Cathedral or the Royal Engineers Museum on the Chatham/Gillingham border. Don’t miss the Dickensian Christmas Festival for a step back in time or Chatham’s Dockside Outlet Centre for big retail brands at cut prices.

Food & Drink

Our Chatham staff recommend:

• Trattoria Marcella, Maltese food in Chatham
• The Quills, for some of the Medway’s best burgers
• Selale, Turkish and Greek food with belly dancing
• Café Nucleus, for cocktails on the terrace
• Rochester Bar, for its LED dance floor
• The Coopers Arms – a traditional Kentish pub

Chatham & Rochester property

Rochester offers riverside living, with extensive houses and apartments along The Esplanade. The majority of the properties are period homes within walking distance of the High Street. Rochester also has a number of large residential estates close to popular schools. Chatham has a property type to suit all circumstances and budgets, from spacious detached properties along Maidstone Road to the ‘Chimney Pots’ – rows of terraced properties found throughout the town. For something special, explore St Mary’s Island - coveted for its waterside location.

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