Upnor Castle

Medway Towns

Type:Castle / Fort

High Street, Upper Upnor, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4XG

Tel: +44 01634 718742

Upnor Castle

About

Situated on the banks of the River Medway, this attractive turreted castle is set in a picturesque village area backed by rolling, wooded hills.


Upnor Castle was originally built on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I in 1559 as a gun fort to defend her warships at anchor in the reaches of the Medway and Chatham Dockyard.

Although the castle was an important link in the defence line, it was not well maintained and proved ineffective when the Dutch, under the command of Admiral de Ruyter, sailed up the Medway in June 1667 to attack the dockyard. The enemy fleet met very little resistance and when it left two days later, it had destroyed or captured a large number of the Royal Navy ships anchored at Chatham.

An audio-visual interpretation in English and Dutch tells the story of this raid in graphic manner, showing how the enemy ships breached the river defences, sailing on up the river to destroy much of the British fleet.

The gatehouse and main body of the castle are open for viewing and for a nominal charge. A sound wand interpretation for a personal guided tour of the site is available in English, French and Dutch for a nominal charge of £1.

Book Tickets

Facilities

Audio Commentary in Foreign Languages

  • Dutch audio guide
  • French audio guide

Catering

  • Picnic area
  • Picnic Site
  • Vending Facilities

Establishment Features

  • Event Venue
  • Gift shop
  • Licensed for weddings & ceremonies
  • Open on bank holidays

Parking & Transport

  • Parking (free) - Parking available at village car park
  • Railway station within 5 miles

Payment Methods

  • Groups Accepted
  • Maestro Accepted
  • MasterCard accepted
  • TIC Staff Admitted Free

Provider Preferences

  • Indoor Attraction
  • Outdoor Attraction
  • Village Location

Specialist Features

  • Marketed Towards Families

Tours and Demonstrations

  • Educational Visits Accepted

TripAdvisor

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Upnor Castle is located at the end of the High Street in Upper Upnor. Take the M2 from London or Dover and exit either Junction 1 or Junction 2, sign posted Strood/ Rochester, to Strood. From Strood follow the brown signs to Upnor Caslte.

Public Transport Directions

Nearest rail station is Strood (approximately 2 miles). Taxi will be required to reach this attraction.

What's Nearby

  1. The Historic Dockyard Chatham

    Explore Chatham's shipbuilding legacy at The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Step back to the…

    0.87 miles away
  2. Royal Engineers Museum

    There is something for all the family. Zulu War items, Boer War, World Wars I and II,…

    1.09 miles away
  3. The Brook Theatre

    Formerly Chatham Town Hall, The Brook Theatre is a hive of entertainment, activity and…

    1.47 miles away
  1. Guildhall Museum

    Discover the history of Medway from pre-historic times to the present day at the…

    1.47 miles away
  2. Rochester Cathedral

    Rochester Cathedral is the second oldest cathedral in England having been founded in AD…

    1.54 miles away
  3. Rochester Castle

    One of the finest keeps in England. Also the tallest, partly built on the Roman city wall…

    1.57 miles away
  4. Oare Gunpowder Works County Park

    Oare Gunpowder Works - Gunpowder was manufactured at Oare for several centuries on a site…

    1.58 miles away
  5. Eastgate House

    Situated in the heart of historic Rochester, Eastgate House featured in the work of…

    1.58 miles away
  6. The Central Theatre

    Located in the heart of Chatham town centre, this beautiful 965-seat venue is already…

    1.65 miles away
  7. St Peter's Church Sandwich

    St Peter's Church Sandwich

    1.88 miles away
  8. Temple Manor

    A 13th century great chamber, on a vaulted undercroft, of a manor house of the Knights…

    2.13 miles away
  9. Riverside Country Park

    Riverside Country Park is an excellent site for Winter birdwatching.
    Situated alongside…

    3.36 miles away
  10. St James' Church

    St James' Church dates from the late 13th century. No evidence of an earlier building…

    3.39 miles away
  11. Capstone Farm Country Park

    Capstone Farm Country Park is one of Medway's finest green spaces, offering wonderful…

    3.48 miles away
  12. Chatham Ski & Snowboard Centre

    Chatham Ski Centre has the longest artificial slope in the South East and is the premier…

    3.8 miles away
  13. Cobham Hall

    A large house standing in 150 acres of Repton's landscape garden and dating from 1587. It…

    4.72 miles away
Previous Next