Rochester Castle is one of the finest surviving examples of Norman military architecture. Its great keep was begun in the early 1120s under Bishop Gundulf, built in a bold Romanesque style that still dominates the skyline. Over the centuries it saw sieges, repairs, and royal visits, but its Tudor story is just as memorable. Henry VIII ordered major works here, and in 1540 Rochester became the setting for Anne of Cleves’ disastrous first meeting with the king - a moment that shaped the fate of th