Head Gardener Graham Huckstepp explores the herbs of use in the Priory Infirmary.

The planting of 100 vines by the Cathedral’s Head Gardener, assisted by Simpson Wine Estate, is recreating the medieval vineyard once within the area now known as King’s Orchard.

In their duty to care and maintain the Gardens the Cathedral Gardeners employ a range of conservation practices to keep the gardens a key part of the biodiversity of Rochester.

Rochester Cathedral has been awarded a Silver Eco Award for our sustainability and conservation efforts.

The Cathedral has a new knot garden designed and created by Head Gardener Graham Huckstepp.

“He who would have beautiful Roses in his garden must have beautiful Roses in his heart”. So wrote Samuel Reynolds Hole, Dean of Rochester from 1877 until his death in 1904.

We are grateful to the Revd Melvyn Matthews, Senior Anglican Chaplain to Bristol University and the BBC World Service to quote extracts from the broadcast when he talked of a postcard the Dean sent him of the statue by John Doubleday in the Garth.

Cathedral Architect W. A. Forsyth reports on the repairs to the Cathedral and claims to the War Damage Commission. Featured in The Eighth Annual Report of the Friends of Rochester Cathedral Annual, published May 1950.

W. A. Forsythe reports on the restoration of the Norman Cloister in advance of its opening as the Cloister Garth gardens in the 1930s, the first project sponsored by the Friends.

Heritage Officer Jacob Scott traces a large stone crucifix featuring prominently in historic photos of the Lapidarium collection, now tentatively identified as the finial once adorning the apex of the South Quire Transept overlooking the High Street.

Jacob Scott investigates five odd stones around the Precinct Gardens that were possibly amongst the earliest features of the site. Part of the physical and cultural landscape from before Roman occupation, Sarsen stones have been reused and reinterpreted for thousands of years and yet still hold many mysteries.

The ruins of a camponile (detached bell tower), to the north of the Cathedral has been known as ‘Gundulf’s Tower’ since the 18th century. Though it actually dates from the early thirteenth century, it may be constructed from reused material from Gundulf’s Tufa Stone transept.

Archaeologist Alan Ward reviews the archaeology of the Cathedral Precinct. Featured in The Hidden Treasures, Fresh Expressions Project Archaeology Report, Keevill Heritage 2021.

Rochester Cathedral Archaeologist Graham Keevill discusses the results of a Ground-Penetrating Radar survey of the Cloister Garth in 2017 revealing what is thought to be the foundations for Bishop Gundulf’s short-lived cloister.

A previously unrecorded thirteenth-century altar slab identified within a garden feature at King’s Orchard.

Archaeological investigations of the fifteenth-century Deanery Gate to the north of the Cathedral were conducted during the conversion of Deanery Gate House from office use into three flats in 2007-8.

Transcription of the Latin of Custumale Roffense folio 66 along with a translation, by Dr Christopher Monk.

Transcript of the Latin of Custumale Roffense, folios 27v-28r, with a translation, by Christopher Monk.

Head Gardener Graham Huckstepp explores the herbs growing in the Infirmary Herb Garden.

The master miller of Rochester Priory received a food gift at Easter for his services to the community of monks there. That gift was a flan. In this video, Dr Christopher Monk recreates a medieval recipe for a sweet creamy flan: silky smooth and delicious!

Recording the responsibilities of the brewers.

Recording the responsibilities of the priory cooks.

The cellarer’s range formed the west range of the priory cloister and was were food, wine and other goods were stored in cool, sunken vaults.

The granger was responsible for receiving and distributing the fodder, for sowing barley and all the seed in Priestfield with the ploughman, watching the hay in the barn at night, and for dividing up the winnowed wheat.

Dr Christopher Monk introduces the ‘Custumal of Rochester’, a thirteenth-century customs book from the Cathedral Priory of St Andrew full of vivid details not just of the lives of the monks but also offering valuable insight into the servants of the priory.

Here is what is owed to the sick brothers of Saint Bartholomew.

Detailing the duties and wages of the millers.

Head Gardener Graham Huckstepp explores the herbs growing in the Infirmary Herb Garden.

Concerning the infirmary attendant: what he ought to do.

Here is what is owed to the sick brothers of Saint Bartholomew.