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.

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