Rochester is a port town located in the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, England, positioned at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway, approximately 30 miles east-southeast of London. The town forms part of a larger conurbation with neighbouring settlements including Chatham, Rainham, Strood, and Gillingham.
Historically, Rochester held city status until 1998, when it lost this designation following the formation of Medway unitary authority. It was the first city in United Kingdom history to lose city status in this manner. Since its demotion, various campaigns have been launched to reinstate Rochester's city status. As of the 2011 census, the town had a population of 62,982.