Take time to reflect and visit the many places of worship and pilgrimage in Medway.

Rochester Cathedral has been a regular place of pilgrimage for historians and worshippers for centuries.  It is the second oldest cathedral in England, having been founded in 604AD by Bishop Justus and rebuilt in 1080 by Bishop Gundulf, William the Conqueror's finest architect (who also constructed Rochester Castle and the Tower of London).

As you wander around this beautiful and spiritural cathedral you will see a fine collection of medieval wall paintings, spectacular architecture and the first genuine fresco to be painted in an English cathedral for nearly 800 years. Audio tours with visual presentations projected on the cathedral walls, reveal the untold stories of it's ancient stones.

Whatever your faith or interest in religious places may be, Medway has many other historical places of worship to visit, ranging from churches in towns and picturesques villages, mosques and synagogues.  Some have connections to famous people in history, while some commemorate and honour special events that have taken place or have featured in the work of Charles Dickens.

In Gillingham stands St. Mary Magdalene Church.  This Norman Church is where Will Adams, an Elizabethan seafarer and explorer (and the first foreign samurai of Japan) was christened on 24th September 1564.  Recognition of his adventures was made famous in James Clavell's best-selling novel 'Shogun', and today is remembered and celebrated locally at the Will Adams festival held annually in Gillingham.

St. James' Church in Cooling, is more known for its connections with the great British author, Charles Dickens.  Dickens' used the churchyard in his opening chapters of Great Expectations as the place where the escape convict Magwitch meets Pip, a young boy visiting his parents and brothers graves.

The Chatham Memorial Synagogue is a place where different faiths can mark and commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and ensure the other human atrocities are never forgotten.  It's a building of spectacular architecture and the beautiful baroque interior is becoming known to the wider Jewish community and visitors alike. 

St. George's Church in Chatham, for many years served the needs of the Royal Navy Pembroke Barracks. With the Navy's departure in 1984, this fine building changed its name to St George's Centre and opened its doors, inviting all to see its many memorials bearing witness to the heroic deeds of many gallant men and ships.

For more information on churches and places of worship visit the Diocese of Rochester.