The west front is dominated by the central perpendicular great west window.
Above the window the dripstone terminates in a small carved head at each side.
The line of the nave roof is delineated by a string course above which rises the crenelated parapet.
Below the window is a blind arcade interrupted by the top of the Great West Door.
Some of the niches in the arcade are filled with statuary.
Below the arcade the door is flanked with Norman recesses.
The door itself is of Norman work with concentric patterned arches.
The semicircular tympanum depicts Christ sitting in glory in the centre, with Saints Justus and Ethelbert flanking him on either side of the doorway.
Supporting the saints are angels and surrounding them are the symbols of the Four Evangelists: Ss Matthew (a winged man), Mark (a lion), Luke (an ox) and John (an eagle).
On the lintel below are the Twelve Apostles and on the shafts supporting it King Soloman and the Queen of Sheba.
Within the Great West Door there is a glass porch which allows the doors themselves to be kept open throughout the day.

Either side of the nave end rises a tower which forms the junction of the front and the nave walls.
The towers are decorated with blind arcading and are carried up a further two stories above the roof and surmounted with pyramidal spires.
The aisle ends are Norman.
Each has a large round headed arch containing a window and in the northern recess is a small door.
Above each arch is plain wall surmounted by a blind arcade, string course at the roof line and plain parapet.
The flanking towers are Norman in the lower part with the style being maintained in the later work.
Above the plain bases there are four stories of blind arcading topped with an octagonal spire.

The outside of the nave and its aisles is undistinguished, apart from the walled up north-west door which allowed access from the cathedral to the adjacent St Nicholas' Church.
The north transept is reached from the High Street via Black Boy Alley, a medieval pilgrimage route.
The decoration is Early English, but reworked by Gilbert Scott.
Scott rebuilt the gable ends to the original high pitch from the lower one adopted at the start of the 19th century.
The gable itself is set back from the main wall behind a parapet with walkway.
He also restored the pilgrim entrance and opened up the blind arcade in the northern end of the west wall.

To the east of the north transept is the Sextry Gate.
It dates from Edward III's reign and has wooden domestic premises above.
The area beyond was originally enclosed, but is now open to the High Street through the memorial garden and gates.
Beyond the Sextry Gate is the entrance to Gundulf's Tower, used as a private back door to the cathedral.

The north quire transept and east end are all executed in Early English style, the lower windows light the crypt which is earlier.
Adjoining the east end of the cathedral is the east end of the Chapter Room which is in the same style.
The exact form of the east end is more modern than it appears, being largely due to the work of Scott in the 19th century.
Scott raised the gable ends to the original high pitch, but for lack of funds the roofs have not been raised; writing in 1897 Palmer noted: "they still require roofs of corresponding pitch, a need both great and conspicuous".

On the south side of the cathedral the nave reaches the main transept and beyond a modern porch.
 The aisle between the transepts is itself a buttress to the older wall behind and supported by a flying buttress.
 The unusual position of this wall is best explained when considering the interior, below.
 The southern wall of the presbytery is hidden by the chapter room, an 18th-century structure.
The west front is dominated by the central perpendicular great west window. Above the window the dripstone terminates in a small carved head at each side. The line of the nave roof is delineated by a string course above which rises the crenelated parapet. Below the window is a blind arcade interrupted by the top of the Great West Door. Some of the niches in the arcade are filled with statuary. Below the arcade the door is flanked with Norman recesses. The door itself is of Norman work with concentric patterned arches. The semicircular tympanum depicts Christ sitting in glory in the centre, with Saints Justus and Ethelbert flanking him on either side of the doorway. Supporting the saints are angels and surrounding them are the symbols of the Four Evangelists: Ss Matthew (a winged man), Mark (a lion), Luke (an ox) and John (an eagle). On the lintel below are the Twelve Apostles and on the shafts supporting it King Soloman and the Queen of Sheba. Within the Great West Door there is a glass porch which allows the doors themselves to be kept open throughout the day.
Either side of the nave end rises a tower which forms the junction of the front and the nave walls. The towers are decorated with blind arcading and are carried up a further two stories above the roof and surmounted with pyramidal spires. The aisle ends are Norman. Each has a large round headed arch containing a window and in the northern recess is a small door. Above each arch is plain wall surmounted by a blind arcade, string course at the roof line and plain parapet. The flanking towers are Norman in the lower part with the style being maintained in the later work. Above the plain bases there are four stories of blind arcading topped with an octagonal spire.
The outside of the nave and its aisles is undistinguished, apart from the walled up north-west door which allowed access from the cathedral to the adjacent St Nicholas' Church. The north transept is reached from the High Street via Black Boy Alley, a medieval pilgrimage route. The decoration is Early English, but reworked by Gilbert Scott. Scott rebuilt the gable ends to the original high pitch from the lower one adopted at the start of the 19th century. The gable itself is set back from the main wall behind a parapet with walkway. He also restored the pilgrim entrance and opened up the blind arcade in the northern end of the west wall.
To the east of the north transept is the Sextry Gate. It dates from Edward III's reign and has wooden domestic premises above. The area beyond was originally enclosed, but is now open to the High Street through the memorial garden and gates. Beyond the Sextry Gate is the entrance to Gundulf's Tower, used as a private back door to the cathedral.
The north quire transept and east end are all executed in Early English style, the lower windows light the crypt which is earlier. Adjoining the east end of the cathedral is the east end of the Chapter Room which is in the same style. The exact form of the east end is more modern than it appears, being largely due to the work of Scott in the 19th century. Scott raised the gable ends to the original high pitch, but for lack of funds the roofs have not been raised; writing in 1897 Palmer noted: "they still require roofs of corresponding pitch, a need both great and conspicuous".
On the south side of the cathedral the nave reaches the main transept and beyond a modern porch.  The aisle between the transepts is itself a buttress to the older wall behind and supported by a flying buttress.  The unusual position of this wall is best explained when considering the interior, below.  The southern wall of the presbytery is hidden by the chapter room, an 18th-century structure.
Rochester Cathedral