After William the Conqueror had consolidated his hold over England, he rewarded his lords with great tracts of land on which they quickly built castles to control their territories and unruly populance. Most of these early castles were built of earth and wood in the ubiquitous motte-and-bailey style, but it was not too long before these wooden edifices were replaced by much stronger and more perminant stone structures.
The castle at Rochester ....
Built in 1080 on the site of a Roman camp which was enlarged into a Saxon castles. The Norman keep added in 1130 is the tallest in England at over 100 foot high and has 12 foot thick walls. It was allowed to decay after the 15th century until 1883 when it was opened to the public. Parts of the 14/15th century city walls (which were first constructed in the 3rd century) still stand.
:: Ghosts
The castle ghost dates from this episode - a white lady, said to be Lady Blanche de Warenne, who was killed by an arrow through her heart during the fighting. She has been seen many times, staggering along with the arrow still protruding from her chest. But there is also a more recent ghost - that of Charles Dickens who is said to haunt the moat on Christmas Eve.
I have also heard rumors of a Drummer Boy that can be heard beating his drum from time to time at certain hours throughout the night.
:: References & Research ::
:: Source Information
Thank you to the following sources for supplying Haunted Kent with information regarding Rochester Castle.
:: Reference Books
This Spectred Isle; Simon Marsden (pub. 2005); English Heritage.
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