Last chance to see historic house

© Copyright Malc McDonald and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Eastgate House, a treasured 16th century townhouse in the heart of historic Rochester will be open to the public throughout Heritage Open Days, from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 September.

This will be the final opportunity for visitors to see the whole house before work begins on a heritage lottery funded project to transform the house into an exhibition and community space.

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Summer fun at the museum

There are lots to discover this summer holiday at The Guildhall Museum, Rochester and the Old Brook Pumping Station, Chatham.

Kites and bikes fun despite the rain

Competition runner up Tea Wilson (age 6) from Hempstead Infant School meets the MAD bikes display team who judged her helmet design.

Visitors to this year’s Kites & Bikes festival at Capstone Country Park were undeterred by Sunday’s rain.
Around 350 people attended the event and were treated to amazing mountain bike stunts by the fantastic MAD mountain bike display team. Children also made the most of 25 crazy bikes, bike powered carousel and spin art run by the APE Project.
Families enjoyed the craft and museum tent where they made bird feeders and had the chance to view a range of historic bikes from the Guildhall Museum’s collection.
Four regional kite organisations also braved the elements and were able to fly more than 20 large kites until rain finally stopped play at 2pm.

This year the event included a pre-festival primary schools competition to promote cycle safety by designing a cycle helmet.
And the MAD bikes team were more than happy to judge the 170 entries on display in the craft tent.
Pupils from St Margaret’s at Troy Town School and Hempstead Infants schools won prizes to see the Christmas shows at The Brook Theatre – The Little Lost Frog – and The Central Theatre panto – Cinderella. Runners up received kites.

Event organiser Allison Young said: “We were thrilled that people made the most of the free event and came to enjoy the many attractions on offer, as well as enjoy the lovely surroundings of Capstone Park and its great cycle trails. A huge thanks to all involved.”

Picture caption: Competition runner up Tea Wilson (age 6) from Hempstead Infant School meets the MAD bikes display team who judged her helmet design.

Historic buildings open their doors

There’s a chance to explore some of Medway’s most interesting buildings for free during Heritage Open Days, running from Thursday, 6 to Sunday 9 September.
Celebrating England’s fantastic architecture and culture, Heritage Open Days is a national scheme offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission.

Step back in time at new Dickens exhibition

A colourful and exciting exhibition celebrating the life and times of Charles Dickens has opened at the Guildhall Museum.
A World Made Real: Dickens and Victorian Life charts some of the key themes that occur in Charles Dickens’ novels including travel, entertainment, education, crime and poverty, food and drink, death and mourning.

City walks to re-start

The City of Rochester Society’s popular guided walking tours of the historic city will begin again on Good Friday, 6 April and continue, every Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, public holiday and festival day until the end of October. The tours begin at the Visitor Information Centre in the High Street at 2.15 p.m. and take about an hour and a half. They are an ideal way for both visitors and residents to get to know something of Rochester’s fascinating heritage, during the course of a gentle afternoon stroll. These tours are free of charge, but donations to Society funds are always welcome.