ROC 
158 
tower stands on the north side of the cathedral, between the 
t ansepts. The masonry of this building is extremely solid, 
the walls being ten feet in thickuess, though the entire build¬ 
ing is only 40 feet square. The angles are strengthened by 
pilaster buttresses, and the windows have semicircular arches. 
The precincts of this cathedral appear to have occupied 
nearly half the area contained within the walls of the city. 
There were three gates leading into them, viz. the Cemetery 
gate, St. William’s gate, and the Prior’s gate; the first 
and last of which are still remaining. Only a few traces of 
the offices of the monastery now exist separately, but consi¬ 
derable parts of their walls are. incorporated into other 
buildings. The porter’s lodge consists of a small embattled 
tower, with a pointed archway in the centre. The scite of 
the bishop’s palace, erected by Gundulph, is occupied by a 
range of modern houses; and on that of the prior’s lodge 
stands the present deanery. 
Rochester had formerly four churches, besides the cathe¬ 
dral, which were dedicated to St. Nicholas, St. Margaret, 
St. Clement, and St. Mary, but the last is now totally de¬ 
molished, and St. Clement’s is only to be discovered as 
forming part of some houses on the north side of the High- 
street, near the bridge. The church of St. Nicholas was 
built in 1421, and consists of a nave, aisles, and a chancel, 
with an embattled tower at the north-west angle. The 
windows are large and pointed; each being divided into 
three lights, ,with crockets above. St. Margaret’s church 
is only remarkable for its fine situation, on a lofty eminence, 
to the southward of the High-street. The town-hall stands 
on the north side of the same street, and was erected about 
the year 1687. In the lower division of this structure is the 
city prison; and in the higher, the hall, a large and lofty 
room, containing full length portraits of king William and 
queen Anne, and of several persons of distinction, connected 
with the city. The bridge over the Medway, here, was con¬ 
structed in the reign of Richard II. by sir Robert Knolles, 
and John, third baron de Cobham, who not only defrayed 
the expense of its erection, but also left a considerable 
estate for its repair. For height and strength, this structure 
is allowed to be superior to any in England, with the ex¬ 
ception of the bridges in the metropolis. It measures 560 
feet in length, but is only 14 feet broad between the parapets. 
Its arches are eleven in number, but of these, three have 
been rebuilt in modern times. 
The charitable institutions in this city are, St. Catharine’s 
hospital, a grammar-shool, an alms-house for the relief of 
poor travellers, and a free-school. The hospital was 
founded and endowed in 1316, by Simond Potyn, whore- 
presented this city in seven parliaments, for the maintenance 
of twelve poor people, who have an allowance of coal, 
candle, and money, annually. 
The grammar-school was founded by King Henry VIII., 
for twenty scholars, to be called “ King’s scholars,” with 
an upper and under master; together with four exhibitions 
in the universities. The alms-house, which stands on the 
north side of the High-street, was built in the reign of 
oueen Elizabeth, by the proprietor of Satis, before-mentioned, 
who left estates tor its support. The founder of the free- 
school was sir Joseph Williamson, knt., who died in 1701, 
and bequeathed 5000/. to be expended in the erection of a 
suitable building, and in the purchase of lands and tenements 
to maintain two masters, and defray the incidental expences 
of the establishment. The History and Antiquities of Ro¬ 
chester and its Environs, &c. 8vo. Rochester, 1772. The 
History and Topographical Survey of the county of Kent, 
by Edward Hasted. Beauties of England, &c. by E. W. 
Bravley, vol. viii. 
ROCHESTER, a village of England, in Northumberland, 
near the source of the river Read; 25 miles north-north-west 
Of Hexham. 
ROCHESTER, a township of the United States, in Wind¬ 
sor county, Vermont. Population 911. 
ROCHESTER, a township of the United States, in 
Strafford county, New Hampshire, on the west side of Salmon 
ROC 
Fall river. Near the centre of this township is a-village call¬ 
ed Norway Plains, containing a church, court-house, above 
40 dwelling-houses, and several stores. There is also a 
cotton manufactory in- the township. 
ROCHESTER, a township of the United States, in 
Plymouth county, Massachusetts, on Buzzard’s bay; 48 lqiles 
south of Boston. Here are some iron-works. Rat. 41. 42. 
N. long. 70. 40. W. 
ROCHESTER, a township of the United States, in Ulster 
county, New York; 20 miles south-west of Kingston. Po» 
pulation 1882. 
ROCHESTER, a township of the United States, in On¬ 
tario county. New York. 
ROCHESTER, or Rochesterville, a post village of 
the United States, in Genesse county, New York, at.the falls 
of the Genesse, six or seven miles from the mouth of the 
river. It is a very nourishing village, and a place of consi¬ 
derable trade. The exports of this p'ace are considerable, 
and consist of flour, pot and pearl ashes, pork, whisky, slates, 
butter, lard, &c. A weekly newspaper is published here. 
RQ'CHET, s. [ rochet , Fr. lrom roccus, low Lat. a 
coat. Dr. Johnson. —Mr. Horne Tooke contends, that it 
is the past participle of the Sax. ppigan, to cover, as poce, 
the upper garment, is; of which, he says, rochet is the 
diminutive. Rock, or rokkc, is the Su. Goth, and Germ, 
for a loose outer garment; and pur old word is rokette. 
Todd.] —An outer garment. 
There nis no clothe sitteth bette 
On damosel, that doth roketee. Chaucer. 
Rochet, a frock, loose gaberdine, gown of canvas or 
coarse linen, worne by a labourer over the rest of his clothes; 
also, a prelate’s rochet, &c. Cotgrave. —A linen habit now 
peculiar to a bishop, worn under, the chimere.—Bishops 
were obliged, by the canon law, to wear their rochets 
whenever they appeared in publick; which practice was 
constantly kept up in England till the Reformation. Wheatly. 
— [Ruhe/lio, Lat.] A fish. Usually written rotchet ; the 
red gurnard.—Of rothcets, whitings, or such common fish, 
Browne. See Cucueus. 
ROCHETTA, in the glass trade, another name for pol- 
verine. 
ROCHETTA, a town of the Sardinian states,in Montserrat. 
Population 2600; 3 miles north-east of Cairo, and 16 south- 
south-east of Acqui. 
ROCHETTA, a small town of Italy, in Piedmont; 10 
miles north of Nice. 
ROCHETTA, a town of Italy in the kingdom of Naples; 
province of Terra di Lavoro. Population 4000. 
ROCHFEN, a village of England, in Wiltshire, north of 
Amesbury. 
ROCHFORD, a market town and parish of England, in 
the county of Essex. It is situated on a small rivulet called 
the Broomhill, over which it has two small bridges. Most of 
the houses are irregular and ill built. The parish church, 
which stands about half a mile tp the westard, is a plain 
building, with a lofty brick tower at the west end. Near it 
stands Rochford-hall, the manor-house. It is a large and 
stately building, and has been successively the seat and resi¬ 
dence of the Rochfords, the Botelers, earls of Ormond and 
Wiltshire, sir Thomas Bullen, and Richard lord Riche. The 
market-house is a mean structure of timber. The privilege of 
holding markets was granted to Rochford by king Henry III. 
and confirmed by Edward I. The petty sessionsfor the Rock¬ 
ford division of Essex are held here. A singular custom 
called the lawless court, was till.lately held in this manor. 
It is said to have originated in a conspiracy against the lord 
of the manor, who detecting it, ordained the tenants, as a 
punishment, that they should afterwards assemble, at a 
certain hour of the night, on the spot where the conspirators 
met, which is called King’s hill, and do homage for their 
lands. Population 1214. Market on Thursday; two annual 
fairs; 16 miles south-east of Chelmsford, and 39 east of 
London. 
ROCHFORD, 
