Rochester Guildhall


The Guildhall is an historic building located in Rochester, Kent. It is a Grade I listed building.

History

The building was constructed in 1697. A notable feature is a weathervane dating from 1780 in the form of an 18th-century warship. Its staircase and the main hall have magnificent plaster ceilings, which were given in 1695 by Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, who was the Member of Parliament for the city of Rochester at the time.
The Guildhall Chamber is said to feature in the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens published in 1861. The Guildhall has been part of the Guildhall Museum since 1979.