▁Exchange , ▁Rest oration ▁House , ▁East gate ▁House , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Ro chester ▁Castle ▁and ▁Ro chester ▁C athedral . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁centre ' s ▁old ▁buildings ▁date ▁from ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁ ▁The ▁chap el ▁of ▁St ▁Bar th ol ome w ' s ▁Hospital ▁dates ▁from ▁the ▁ancient ▁pri ory ▁hospital ' s ▁foundation ▁in ▁ 1 0 7 8 . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁ ▁Thomas ▁A vel ing ▁started ▁a ▁small ▁business ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁producing ▁and ▁repair ing ▁agricult ural ▁plant ▁equipment . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁this ▁became ▁the ▁firm ▁of ▁A vel ing ▁and ▁Por ter , ▁which ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁largest ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁agricult ural ▁mach in ery ▁and ▁steam ▁roll ers ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁A vel ing ▁was ▁elected ▁Admir al ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Med way ▁( i . e . ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Ro chester ) ▁for ▁ 1 8 6 9 - 7 0 . ▁ ▁Culture ▁ ▁S we eps ▁Festival ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁seen ▁the ▁rev ival ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁Ro chester ▁Jack - in - the - Green ▁May ▁Day ▁dan cing ▁chim ney ▁swe eps ▁tradition , ▁which ▁had ▁died ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s . ▁Though ▁not ▁unique ▁to ▁Ro chester ▁( similar ▁swe eps ' ▁gather ings ▁were ▁held