The history of Kent is the history of England, due in no small measure to the fact that it is so close to the Continent. As well as being the gateway to Europe, it has also been our first line of defence against invasion: the Romans built forts; medieval monarchs established the Cinque Ports to defend the country against any invasion; Dover and Ramsgate were involved in the Dunkirk evacuation; and RAF Manston was in the vanguard of the Battle of Britain. Add to this Canterbury, Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham, and you have the heart of the history of England over the last 2000 years, all within a day’s drive.

1 Historic Dockyard, Chatham
For more than 400 years, many of the ships of the British Navy, including Nelson’s Victory, were built at Chatham Dockyard. Following the closure of the yard in the mid 1980s, a Trust was set up to preserve the 600-acre site for posterity. As well as buildings such as the Admiral’s Office and the Cashier’s Office – where, incidentally, Charles Dickens’ father, John, was senior cashier – visitors can see the covered slips where ships were built. Elsewhere are several RNLI lifeboats and the Wooden Walls Experience, where visitors can follow the first day of William Crockwell’s apprenticeship in 1758. Another working exhibit is the quarter-mile-long ropery, where rope is still made in the traditional way.

2 Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham
This museum has over two dozen galleries telling the story of the Royal Engineers, popularly known as the Sappers. The galleries are divided into time zones, including each of the two world wars, the Falklands, and both Gulf conflicts. Wellington’s map is on display, together with a bust of Colonel JRM Chard VC, of Rorke’s Drift fame. Next to the bust is a cabinet displaying some of the Zulu shields and other items that Chard brought back from the battle.
3 charles dickens centre The Charles Dickens Centre in Eastgate House, High Street, Rochester, uses state-of-the-art technology to bring to life characters and scenes from many Dickens novels. In the back garden is the Swiss chalet, which was originally at the author’s home at Higham, four miles outside the city. Dickens had the chalet delivered to Higham station in 58 packing cases – like a 19th-century MFI kit – and went on to use the upstairs room as his study. He was working there on The Mystery of Edwin Drood when he died in 1870.
Not far away in Crow Lane is Restoration House and Gardens, which became the home of Miss Havisham, the jilted bride in Great Expectations. Both Charles II and Samuel Pepys stayed at the house, which has recently been restored to its former glory.

4 Rochester Cathedral
Rochester has the second-oldest cathedral in England, which dates from 604AD. It has numerous portions of medieval wall paintings. The best example is in the quire and is known as the Wheel of Fortune. All the brass memorial plaques are polished regularly, making them easy to read. One marble plaque, in particular, is worth reading. It is in memory of Colonel JRM Chard of the Royal Engineers, who as Lieutenant Chard earned the Victoria Cross at Rorke’s Drift in January 1879 when he commanded 150 men who held off 4000 Zulu warriors for two days. Outside the cathedral is a Catalpa tree, also known as the Indian Bean tree. It is not native to Britain, and this particular tree is over 100 years old.

5 Rochester Castle
A short walk from Rochester cathedral is the castle, overlooking the river Medway. The first castle was built soon after 1066 by the half brother of William the Conqueror. The keep is one of the tallest in England, and building work on the 12th-thick walls began in 1127. The castle saw action several times, the most famous being the siege of 1215, but by the 15th century it had ceased to be a stronghold. The keep is open, but there is no lift, so you’ll need a strong pair of legs to reach the upper levels. However, there are excellent views over the Medway from the walls at ground level.

6 Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral is the home of the Church of England. The city dates from Roman times, but the first Archbishop, St Augustine, was appointed much later, in 597, when Christianity became established. Six hundred years later, in 1170, Archbishop Thomas à Beckett was murdered in the cathedral. Since then, the cathedral and Beckett’s shrine have attracted thousands of pilgrims each year.
The city has so many old buildings, museums, and exhibitions that visitors need to set aside several days to do it justice. However, one audio and visual experience stands out: in The Canterbury Tales you can travel with Chaucer and his fellow pilgrims from the Tabard Inn in London to Beckett’s Shrine in Canterbury Cathedral.

7 The Spitfire and Hurricane Museum
There can’t be anyone who lived through WWII who doesn’t know the name RAF Manston. With Biggin Hill and Tangmere, it was in the vanguard of airfields that took part in the Battle of Britain. Because it was only ten minutes flying time from the French coast, Manston was a prime target for many of the Luftwaffe raids in the early part of the war.
The Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Building is on the edge of the airfield, one of the few Battle of Britain airfields still in existence. It was opened in 1981 as the Spitfire Building; the Hurricane section was added in 1988. It houses fully restored examples of each aircraft, plus other memorabilia from the war. Admission to the museum is free, but you are requested to make a donation of £1 per person.