Cooling Castle

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Part of Cooling Castle, 2006

Cooling Castle Coordinates: 51°10′44″N 1°49′34″W / 51.17886, -1.82621 was built in the 1380s by John Cobham on the edge of marshes at Cooling, six miles north of Rochester, Kent, to guard the Thames. It is now about two miles inland. It was besieged by Thomas Wyatt the younger during Wyatt's rebellion in 1554; Lord Cobham surrendered after a brief resistance. Though he claimed to have surrendered to superior force, he had previously sympathized with Wyatt's cause, and he was briefly imprisoned for his role in the affair. The main part of the castle is in ruins with a private house inside. The gatehouse is in good condition and can be seen from the road.

During the 1990s, the property was owned by the Rochester bridge wardens. The more recent residential parts of the castle are still in use — as of 2006 it is owned by musician Jools Holland. The barns at Cooling Castle are mainly used for weddings and civil events.