Friends of Rochester Churchfields & Esplanade

Friends of Rochester Churchfields & Esplanade Helping shape the future of Esplanade and Churchfields, key greenspaces at the centre of Rochester Margaret’s church over a 4 hectare site.

About Rochester Esplanade and Churchfields (aka Backfields)

The Esplanade:
Rochester has a rich history dating back to Roman times when it became an area of great importance due to its location on the main Dover to London road which crosses the Medway river at its lowest point. Over the centuries, the local shoreline was previously home to many local, river-dependent, businesses such as barge bui

lders and marine engineers. In 1829 a pleasure walk was created along the foot of the Castle wall, and the site was expanded to create the present gardens in 1961 for riverside recreation offering a wide and varied scenic views over the river Medway, up to the Castle, Cathedral and Satis House and south to St. Churchfields aka ‘Backfields’:
During the 19th century this 2.4 hectare site, previously known as Church Mead, was used as pasture land for cattle until it was donated to the City of Rochester in 1906 by Councillor Charles Willis, later to become an Alderman, Mayor and freeman of the City, for use as public recreation ground in memory of his parents. Sitting on a hillside above the river Medway, Churchfields offers one of the best panoramic and scenic views in Rochester and has provided recreational space for the local community for over one hundred years.

🌿 Today, in our Friday Wildlife in the City series, we are turning our attention to the wildflowers growing in the regul...
12/06/2026

🌿 Today, in our Friday Wildlife in the City series, we are turning our attention to the wildflowers growing in the regularly mown areas of the Esplanade and Churchfields. 🌼
June brings a wonderful variety of flowering plants, and even in areas where the grass is cut short, many species show remarkable resilience, continuing to flower and set seed despite the challenge of regular mowing. 🌱
Part of their success lies in their ability to adapt. Many plants can produce shorter stems and flower stalks, allowing them to survive and reproduce even in frequently managed grassland.
Why not take a walk with your children and compare the flowers growing in closely mown areas with those in places where the grass has been left to grow longer? 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 You may be surprised by the differences. 🔍🌼

🌊 In our series on the mood of the river Medway, last Sunday we looked at activities connected to the water, which natur...
07/06/2026

🌊 In our series on the mood of the river Medway, last Sunday we looked at activities connected to the water, which naturally led us to a more serious reflection.
As the UK moves into sustained warmer weather, water safety becomes an especially important topic.
📍According to the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) and RLSS UK (Royal Life Saving Society UK), around half of all accidental drownings in the UK occur between May and August — the late spring and summer months. Most of these incidents happen not at the coast, but in inland waters such as rivers, lakes, canals, and reservoirs.
🏞️ The River Medway is not an officially designated bathing water. That said, it is still an open river environment and not without risk. Incidents can and do happen through falls into the river, swimming in unsafe or non-designated areas, boating accidents, or simply underestimating currents, depth, and cold conditions.
⚠️ It is especially important to keep reminding young people and teenagers about safe behaviour on and around the water.
📍In the UK, the national campaign Respect the Water helps raise awareness of these risks and shares life-saving guidance. Detailed safety advice is available through its official resources.
And we would like to remind everyone: wherever you are near water, being aware of the risks can one day save your life — or someone else’s ❤️.
🌊Today, the mood of the River Medway is danger and awareness.

🌿 Volunteers’ Week is drawing to a close.First established over 40 years ago, this national celebration runs from 1–7 Ju...
06/06/2026

🌿 Volunteers’ Week is drawing to a close.
First established over 40 years ago, this national celebration runs from 1–7 June each year. It’s a moment to recognise the contribution of volunteers across Rochester, the UK, and around the world.
💚 A sincere thank you to everyone who has been supporting FoRCE in caring for the Esplanade and Churchfields — your time and effort are genuinely valued.
🌱 If you’ve been thinking about getting involved but haven’t joined us yet, we’d be glad to welcome you. Our volunteer mornings are a simple way to take part and meet others who care about these spaces. 📍The link to our upcoming events is in the first comment below this post.

🌿🌍 Today is World Environment Day, and in our Friday series about wild life in the city, we’re looking at a plant famili...
05/06/2026

🌿🌍 Today is World Environment Day, and in our Friday series about wild life in the city, we’re looking at a plant familiar to almost everyone in Britain: plantains (Plantago species).

There are over 200 species worldwide, with around 15–25 found in the UK. The most common are ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and greater plantain (Plantago major).

💚 Plantains. grow in meadows, along paths, and by roadsides — reflected in old folk names like Waybread and Roadweed.
Their seeds are eaten by birds, and the leaves are edible and have long been used in traditional herbal medicine. But beyond this familiarity, plantains have a surprisingly rich cultural and historical background.
🌿 A sacred Anglo-Saxon herb –
Ribwort plantain is likely the “Waybread” of the Nine Herbs Charm, a 10th-century Old English healing poem in which it is addressed as a powerful living herb and called the “Mother of Herbs”.
🌿 The seeds of Plantago lanceolata produce a sticky mucilage that has been studied as a model for natural bioadhesives.
🌿 This stickiness allows the seeds to cling to fur, feathers, and shoes, helping the plant spread over long distances via animals and people.
🌿 In Britain, children once played “soldiers” with the tall seed heads of ribwort plantain, making them “fight” until one snapped — a simple rural game once common in the countryside.
🌿 In traditional herbal use, plantain leaves were placed on cuts and stings and believed to help draw out irritation and discomfort.

🌱💚 Plantains may look ordinary, but they are deeply woven into Britain’s landscape, language, and history — always underfoot, and yet often overlooked.💚

🌿 Looking for a way to give back to the community?Join FoRCE for a special Community Volunteer Morning on Saturday 20 Ju...
05/06/2026

🌿 Looking for a way to give back to the community?

Join FoRCE for a special Community Volunteer Morning on Saturday 20 June (10am–12 noon) as part of The Great Get Together's 10th anniversary and celebrations.

Help care for the Esplanade Gardens and Churchfields, meet local people, and enjoy a couple of hours outdoors. Tools and gloves are provided – just bring yourself!

👉 Find out more and sign up here: https://fb.me/e/7mfBnqxNr

Please share with friends and local groups.

How was this only a week ago?! to a walk along Rochester Esplanade at Sunset 🌅
04/06/2026

How was this only a week ago?! to a walk along Rochester Esplanade at Sunset 🌅

🌊 In continuation of our Sunday series on the River Medway, we turn to another engaging aspect of rivers — the many ways...
31/05/2026

🌊 In continuation of our Sunday series on the River Medway, we turn to another engaging aspect of rivers — the many ways in which they invite movement.
⛵ Along the river, a rich variety of enjoyable activities has developed over time. What once grew from practical, everyday skills has gradually become forms of leisure and hobby — kayaking, canoeing, sailing, rowing, and motorboating among them, found in different stretches of the river — all widely enjoyed along the Medway.
🏃‍♀️ Beyond the water itself, the riverfront supports a steady flow of activity on land as well: running, walking, and following the line of the river’s edge.
Together, these movements form a shared rhythm between humans and the river, each engaging with it in their own way.
🌊✨ — today: movement.

☀️This morning, Rochester’s Esplanade played host to the start of the Three Castles 50km Ultra.🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Runners set ...
30/05/2026

☀️This morning, Rochester’s Esplanade played host to the start of the Three Castles 50km Ultra.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Runners set off directly opposite Rochester Castle before following the River Medway through the Medway Valley, passing Allington Castle and finishing at Tonbridge Castle.

🏆An impressive achievement for all involved, and a memorable sight for those out enjoying the Esplanade.🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

&churchfields

We continue our Friday series exploring wildlife in the city 🌿🐝 May is coming to an end, and this month we marked Worl...
29/05/2026

We continue our Friday series exploring wildlife in the city 🌿🐝
May is coming to an end, and this month we marked World Bee Day 🐝. All bees are essential pollinators, but bumblebees are increasingly becoming a clear symbol of the biodiversity crisis.
In the UK, there are around 24 species of bumblebees 🐝. Sadly, some have already become locally extinct, while others have seen significant declines. Monitoring and recording bumblebees across the country is carried out by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, and anyone can register to take part in surveys between March and October 📊.
🐝 A few interesting facts about bumblebees:
• they can pollinate in cold, wet, and cloudy weather ☁️
• they are especially good at pollinating “difficult” flowers such as clover 🌸
• the Old English word for bumblebee, “dumbledore”, inspired J.K. Rowling when naming Professor Dumbledore in Harry Potter 📚
• they nest in small colonies, often in old mouse or vole burrows 🐭
• each colony lasts one season, but produces dozens of new queens at the end of summer, which survive winter and start new colonies 🌱
• unlike honeybees, they don’t produce honey — only small nectar stores 🍯
Bumblebees need our help 🤝. Simple actions make a real difference: No Mow May, planting pollinator-friendly flowers 🌼, and leaving wild patches in gardens 🌿 all support their survival.
Together, we can make a difference — even small actions add up 💛🐝



The photo was taken at the Suffrage Sensory Garden Rochester.

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