St John's Chatham

I have memories of visiting this church when I was little with my school. When I tried to go back and visit it, I found that it had been closed for a long time. When I heard that the church was having an open day, I thought I would check it out again. I have to say, it looked very different inside compared to what I remembered from my childhood. Everything has been completely changed, but that’s what happens—things change with time.

This lovely little church is grade II listed and is over 200 years old. It first opened in 1821, closed in 1990, and then reopened in 2021 after undergoing a £4 million renovation project that took about two years.

the six poor travellers house Rochester

I have wanted to revisit the Six Poor Travellers for years, as I visited it when I was a kid. Unfortunately, it closed to the public except for open days. So, when I saw that the Six Poor Travellers was open for Heritage Weekend, I made sure to be in Rochester on that day to explore it.

When we arrived in Rochester, the place was packed with people, making it feel like a can of sardines, but it was still wonderful to see this charming gem. Established by Richard Watts, it served as a free overnight shelter for six travelers until World War II. This building, which dates back to 1579, is also Grade I listed.

In 1615, it provided a home for up to 16 underprivileged local children to learn trades. It closed in 1940 during World War II.