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You are here: Home » About Us » The Bridge Chapel » Step inside the Bridge Chapel

Step inside the Bridge Chapel

Clink on an image to scroll through larger versions of this virtual exhibition.

A conveyance of land in the parish of St Clements, Rochester dated 1 April 1393. It is thought that it is on this land that the chapel was built by Sir John de Cobham, in the same year.

The archives contain a chapel memoranda book dating from the 15th century. On this page reference is made to John de Cobham and Robert Knolles as being the founders of the bridge and the chapel.

(Second paragraph) entry from paymasters account book of 1546 showing amounts paid for the half year wages of the chapel priests, and also reference to purchase of wine, candles and bread. Soon after this the Chantry chapels in England were to close as the Reformation continued to curtail their activities.

An extract from George Russell’s map of Rochester 1717 showing the location of the medieval bridge.

A watercolour of the ‘Bridge House’ from 1778. The chapel forms part of this building includes a frontage to the chapel built in 1735, in which the bridge records are said to have been stored.

Part of a map from a printed history of Rochester, 1772. The map key shows the location of various buildings including the chapel (see ‘z’ within the orange circle).

This plan and elevation of the new porch c.1735, shows where the seven shields, coat of arms and stone plaque would have been positioned on the front of the building. These items can now all be seen inside the chapel itself.

An illustration of the chapel frontage and Bridge Office which appears in John Thorpe’s ‘Custumale Roffense’ published in 1788.

Print showing the medieval bridge and the bridge chapel and office in the background, dating from the early 19th century.

Photograph taken during demolition of the medieval bridge c.1856.

Watercolour showing the bridge and esplanade. The chapel can be seen with its ‘frontage’, forming part of the old Bridge Chamber/office. The painting dates from c.1870.

In November 1912, Harald Brakspear, architect, ARIBA surveyed and wrote a report on the ruined chapel, this plan appears in this report and clearly shows the location of the aumbry, piscinas and where the rood screen would have been located. The structure shown as a ‘vice’ is an architectural term for a medieval spiral staircase. This staircase would have been encased by the clocktower which can be seen on 18th century illustrations of the Bridge House/Chamber. The outline of the doorway that led on to the vice is still apparent in the chapel. The chapel had three altars – Brakspear denotes these with a cross. These were dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints.

Photograph of the remains of the chapel as they appeared in 1928. Note the ivy growing where the floor tiles had been.

The entrance to the chapel as it looks now, subsequent to its restoration in 1937

Chapel Front Door

Main Interior View

The doorway that would have led to the vice in the clocktower.

The tiled floor was reinstated during the 1937 rebuild, and tiles were used which would have been very similar to those used in medieval churches and chapels.

The aumbry, this is a closed cupboard found in wall recesses in churches, used to store candles, wine etc for Mass.

The chapel’s East Window with the crests of de Cobham and Knolles. The glass for the windows was installed in 1937. Above these crests are the coat of arms of the See of Rochester and the City of Rochester. The seven shields beneath the window were previously on the exterior of the building above the doorway to the 18th century porch.

de Cobham east window

Knolles window

The chapel has two piscinas which would have held holy water and was also used for pouring away water after use. Note the photograph of one of the piscinas in 1928.

The chapel has two piscinas which would have held holy water and was also used for pouring away water after use. Note the photograph of one of the piscinas in 1928.

Piscina photo

This Victorian doorway leads from the first floor meeting room of the Bridge Chamber onto the gallery above the chapel.

Note the doorway on the far side of the gallery; this would have led down to the spiral staircase (vice).

The view of the gallery and roof from the floor of the chapel.

The view of the gallery and roof from the floor of the chapel.

View from the gallery.

View from the gallery.

View of the East window from the gallery.

Gallery window

Coat of arms and plaque (which refers to the storage of the records) originally on the front of the 18th century porch. (This plaque is now found on the internal chapel wall, it confirms that the additional frontage was built by the Wardens for the storage of the muniments in 1735.)

Coat of arms and plaque (which refers to the storage of the records) originally on the front of the 18th century porch. (This plaque is now found on the internal chapel wall, it confirms that the additional frontage was built by the Wardens for the storage of the muniments in 1735.)

Chamber & Chapel

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Rochester Bridge @rochesterbridge ·

7 Nov 2023

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