Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/345

Rh ROCHESTER. 333 ROCHESTOWN. habitants are engaged in the general trade and in the oyster fisheries. Rochester owes much of its prosperity to being contiguous to tho large naval and military station of Chatham. The borough returns two members to parliament, the parliamentary bounds being co-exten- sive with the municipal. It was first chartered by Henry II. , and under the new Act is divided into three wards, and is governed by a mayor, who is also tho re- turning officer, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors, with the style of "mayor and citizens of the city of Rochester." Tho corporation revenue is about 5,500, partly derived from rents of tho manor. There is a largo manufactory of patent steam-engines, for agricul- tural and other purposes. The bridge over the Medway was designed by Sir William Cubitt; it is of iron, with three arches, and was completed in 1858 at a cost of 200,000, defrayed in part from the bridge estate, the remainder being borrowed on mortgage. In the course of tho building the wooden piles of the firat bridge of the time of Henry I. were discovered. Tho second bridge, of stone, was built in the reign of Richard II., and was only destroyed when the present one, of iron, was begun. The London, Chatham, and Dover railway bridge is close to the new bridge, and entirely destroys the view on one side. The approach from the London side is striking. Rochester Castle, from its great anti- quity, is an interesting ruin, though only the outer walls and towers remain. Bishop Gundulph's keep, which is yet standing, was in the south-eastern angle of the court ; it ia 104 feet high, 70 feet square, and about 12 feet thick, with four towers at tho corners 20 feet higher three square, and the one at the south-eastern angle round. All the walls are very thick, consisting of Kentish ragstono, bound together by Roman mortar or cement. The principal parts of the building remain- ing are tho ruins of a gateway, the winding staircase, dungeon, fireplaces and galleries. The city has several public buildings, as the townhall, built in the reign of James II., and containing portraits of William III. and Queen Anne, by Sir Godfrey Kneller ; the gaol, with a clock-house, built by Sir Cloudesley Shovel; and the County Court house, in the Elizabethan style of architec- ture, erected in 1862 ; besides these are the gasworks, customhouse, bank, theatre, assembly rooms, the Med- way union workhouse, floating baths, and several com- mercial ho'.els. The general sick hospital, known as St. Bartholomew's, is situated in the New-road, and only just completed at a cost of above 20,000, a fourth of which was defrayed by the government, and the remainder by the Watt's charity and the St. Bartholomew estates. The revenues of the latter charity are to be in future devoted to its maintenance. Rochester is the seat of a customs port of entry, and of an excise district. It is also a coastguard station, and one of the polling-places for the county elections. There is a separate commission of the peace for the city of Rochester. Quarter sessions are held here, as also a new County Court for the dis- trict, comprising the superintendent registries of Hed- . Hoo, and North Aylesford, with the parishes of Burnham, Hartlip, Rainham, Upchurch, and Would- ham. It is chiefly comprised with Chatham within the lledway poor-law union, but the districts of Strood and Frindsbury are included in tho North Aylesford '. The city of Rochester comprises the two parishes of St. Margaret, and St. Nicholas with St. Clement's annexed. They are both vies. * in the dioc. of Rochester, the former, val. 389, in the patron, of the dean and chapter, and the latter, val. 150, in the patron, of the bishop. St. Margaret's church, with the exception of
 * >wer, was partly rebuilt in 1824 on the site of an

at foundation, and completed with considerable enlargements in 1840, and contains several old monu- St. Nicholas church was originally built in 1 l:!li, l.ut. was partially rebuilt in 1624, and thoroughly restored a few years since. It contains a carved octagonal fnt. Some remains of St. Clement's church, which -tood on the N. side of High-street, near the bridge, recently discovered and removed. Besides the two parish churches and cathedral within the city of Rochester there are several district churches, viz. St. Peter's, a Gothic structure, situated in Troy Town, erected in 1859 at a cost of 6,000; Strood church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, and rebuilt in 1812, with the exception of the tower; also the parish church of Frindabury, an ancient structure, dedicated to All Saints. There are places of worship for Independents, Wesleyans, and Primitive Methodists, a Jewish synagogue, and a meet- ing-house belonging to the Society of Friends. The local charities and bequests produce near 5,000 per annum, exclusive of school endowments. The cathedral grammar school is tho principal of the numerous educa- tional establishments in tho town. It was founded by Henry VIII. in 1542, and is richly endowed, besides having four exhibitions at Oxford or Cambridge, val. 40 yearly, during residence, two restricted to Uni- versity College, Oxford, val. 45, during residence, and one of 5, in the gift of the head master, who is ap- pointed by the dean and chapter, but not removable at their pleasure, as shown by the legal proceedings against the Rev. R. Whiston, M.A., which several years since attracted so much interest. The average number of scholars is about 60, a third of whom are King's scholars, receiving a free education and an annual allowance of 21 13. 4rf. Williamson's free mathematical school waa founded in 1701 by Sir Joseph Williamson, who be- queathed 5,000, in perpetuity, for its support, but the income of which has now increased to above 11,000 per annum. It is free to the sons of freemen of Rochester, and has now about 70 pupils. While Colson was head master Garrick was a pupil. The Poor Travellers' House was founded and endowed by Richard Watts, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, for six poor travellers, who are entitled each to fourpence, a supper, and a night's lodging. It bears an inscription stating that " neither rogues nor proctors will be admitted." The income ia now nearly 4,000 per annum. Tho almshouscs in the Maidstoue-road cost about 10,000. St. Bartholomew's Hospital was founded originally for lepers at the time of the Crusades, but there being fortunately now no special applicants the revenues are appropriated to the general hospital. Besides the foundations above alluded to there are several National, British, and infant schools, a dispensary, savings-thank, and numerous minor chari- ties. Roman coins, and other antiquities have been found. Two newspapers are published in the town, the Rochester and Chatham Journal and the Rochester Gazette, It gave the title of earl to the Wilmots and Hydes, but is now extinct. Market days are Tuesdays and Fridays. Fairs are held on 30th May and llth December, and a large cattle market on the first Monday in each month. Races take place in September on a 1 mile course. ROCHESTER- WARD a tnshp. in the par. of Elsdpn, S. div. of Coquetdalo ward, co. Northumberland, 11 miles N. of Bellingham, and 8 N.W. of Elsdon. The village, called High Rochester, ia situated near the river Reed, and on the line of the Roman way Watling Street. It occupies the brow of a rugged eminence, once the site of tho Roman Sremcniiim, a stipendiary city, and one of the strongest of tho Roman stations in the N. The ruins of a wall 7 feet in thickness, chequered with ashlar-work, are still remaining on the W. and S.W. sides, and were defended by triple ramparts of earth. In excavating the ruins a hypocaust, altars, urns, and numerous Roman antiquities have been found. Horsley chapel-of-ease, built in 1844, is in this tnshp. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. There is a Na- tional school, endowed with a small annuity by Lord Redesdale, and under the inspection of government. ROCHESTOWN, or BALLYWILLIAM, a par. in ihe bar. of Clanwilliam, co. Limerick, prov. of Munster, Ireland, 6 miles 8. of Limerick. Six-mile Bridge is its post town. The surface, which consists generally of road to Bruff passes through the parish. The living ig a vie. in the dioc. of Cashel. It is united to Bally- Dricken in the Roman Catholic division. In this parish are ruins of a castle, built by the Roche family, to whom ,his territory was granted in the reign of Henry VII.
 * ood land, extends along the river Camogue. The