Rochester- Location details *

Growing up with an interest in the paranormal and hearing storys about all the haunted locations back home has finally come in handy. Growing up heavily around rochester has allowed me to get to know the locations perfect for this project. the main 'haunts' as it were are the castle and the cathedral. All these locations i have shot before, namely for a commision based around the story of edwin drood. The most famous of ghosts in rochester, said to walk many of the locations including both of those i have shot, is Charles dickens, who lived alot of his life, and wrote alot of his books around the area of rochester. Each year there is a festival in his honar.

Rochester castle
This shell of a norman castle is one of the most well preserved in the country, which is weird as it does look like its going to fall out. many storys surround the ghosts that haunt this castle. There are two more prominant ghosts that are said to be seen. The first is Lady Blanche de Warren. the lady in white who is said to haunt the battlemants at easter. the story goes they were defending the castle against the Black Prince, Simon de Montfort. her husband to be, Ralph de Capo, led the battle against the King's enemies.

One of the rebel's men, Gilbert de Clare, was a rejected suitor of the ladys and he still bore a grudge. During a brief lull in the fighting to mark Easter Sunday, he sneaked into the castle, she fought hard against him and tried to push him away. Ralph saw his fiances plight and, being an excellent bowman, fired an arrow at de Clare. The arrow struck de Clare's armour but bounced off and went straight into lady Blanches heart.and she died instantly. Every Easter she is said to be seen in the castle and grounds with an arrow still through her heart trying to change her fate.

Another ghost that is said to haunt the castle is a roman soldier, even earlier, who is said to be seen walking the now dry moat. Itis assumed that he drowned in the moat during another battle. 

Rochester Cathedral 

Opposit the castle is the cathedral, said to be haunted by the most famous of ghosts, charles dickens. It is said that upon his death he wanted to be burried in rochester cathrals graveyard (which ironicaly stretches into the castles moat), and yet because of his work in literature he was burried among the greats in westminster abbey. Now he in spirit is said to return to rochester. As well as old Charlie, ghosts of monks whom once resided in the cathedral are said to walk the hallways of the cathedral, still in there habits.