Maidstone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maidstone
Town and non-metropolitan district
From top left: River Medway with Maidstone's historic All Saints Church, County Hall, Leeds Castle, Mote Park, The Mall Maidstone shopping centre.
Coat of arms
Maidstone
Population	109,490 (2021)
OS grid reference	TQ759556
• London	32 miles (51 km)
District	Maidstone
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MAIDSTONE
Postcode district	ME14–ME18
Dialling code	01622
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Maidstone and Malling Faversham and Mid Kent
List of places UK England Kent 51°16′19″N 0°31′44″E / 51.272°N 0.529°E / 51.272; 0.529

Maidstone is the biggest town in Kent, England. It is the main town for the county. Maidstone is a very old and important place. It is about 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London.

The River Medway flows right through the middle of the town. This river connects Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. In the past, the river was key for trade. Kent is known as the "Garden of England" because of its farming. The river helped move farm goods. People have lived in this area since before the Stone Age. In 2019, about 100,000 people lived in Maidstone. After World War II, the town's jobs changed. It moved from heavy industries to lighter ones and services.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Maidstone

The name Maidstone comes from old Saxon words. Around the year 975, it was called de maeides stana or maegdan stane. This might mean "stone of the maidens" or "stone of the people." The "stone of the people" could refer to a large ancient stone nearby. This stone, called a megalith, was a place where people gathered.

The name changed over time. In 1086, it was medestan or meddestane in the Domesday Book. By 1610, it was known as Maidstone. Some people think the name comes from stones placed in the river. These stones would have helped people wash clothes in cleaner water.

Maidstone's Long History

People have lived in the Maidstone area for a very long time. Tools from the Neolithic period (New Stone Age) have been found here. The Romans also left their mark. They built a road through the town. Evidence of Roman villas, which were large country houses, has been found.

After the Romans, the Normans set up a local court here. Religious groups built an abbey at Boxley. They also built hospitals and a special college for priests. The area known today as Penenden Heath was once a place for executions in medieval times.

Archbishop's Palace

Maidstone Museum

Maidstone played a big part in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. A rebel priest named John Ball was held prisoner here. He was freed by rebels from Kent led by Wat Tyler. Many believe Wat Tyler lived in Maidstone.

Maidstone officially became a town in 1549. It became a borough, which is a town with its own local government, in 1551. This was confirmed in 1619 by King James I. At this time, the town's coat of arms was designed. It shows a golden lion and a wavy blue line for the river. It also has the head of a white horse, which is a symbol of Kent. An iguanodon dinosaur head is also on the coat of arms. This is because fossil remains of an iguanodon were found nearby in the 1800s. These fossils are now in the Natural History Museum in London. Maidstone has had its own prison since 1604.

During the English Civil War in 1648, a battle took place in Maidstone. The Parliamentarians won this battle. Andrew Broughton was the Mayor of Maidstone in 1649. He was also the person who announced the death sentence for King Charles I. Today, a plaque in Maidstone remembers him as 'Mayor and Regicide' (someone who takes part in killing a king).

Many industries have thrived in Maidstone. These include paper mills, stone quarrying, brewing beer, and making cloth. James Whatman and his son, who were paper makers, invented a special kind of paper called wove paper (Whatman paper) in 1740. This was a very important step in the history of printing.

A military base, Invicta Park Barracks, was built in 1798. It is still used today by the 36 Engineer Regiment. Maidstone Prison was finished in 1819. It is located north of the town centre.

In 1897–1898, a large typhoid epidemic hit Maidstone. At least 132 people died. Hundreds of nurses from all over the country came to help. Famous nurse Edith Cavell was among them.

Modern Maidstone's Growth

Maidstone has grown a lot over time. It now includes many smaller villages and areas. The county council offices were built between 1910 and 1913. They are made of Portland stone. In 1975, a pub near the barracks was bombed during an IRA campaign.

Maidstone General Hospital opened in 1983. It replaced an older hospital. Most people in Maidstone work in shops, offices, or service jobs. There are also industrial areas around the town. Some people travel to other towns, including London, for work.

How Maidstone is Governed

Maidstone Town Hall, completed in 1763

Maidstone is split between two areas for Members of Parliament (MPs). These are Maidstone and the Weald and Faversham and Mid Kent. An MP is a person elected to represent their local area in the UK Parliament. The MP for Maidstone and the Weald is Conservative Helen Grant. Famous past MPs for Maidstone include Benjamin Disraeli, who later became Prime Minister. Since 2015, the MP for Faversham and Mid Kent has been Conservative Helen Whately.

Maidstone's Location and Landscape

A former millpond on the River Len, Mill Street/Palace Avenue Maidstone.

Lower Crisbrook Mill mill pond and Upper Crisbrook Mill, on the Loose Stream.

The River Medway flows through Maidstone. Upstream, it is joined by the Rivers Teise and Beult at Yalding. The Medway then changes direction and flows north. It cuts through a ridge of greensand, which means Maidstone sits on two hills. The town centre is on the eastern hill. Higher up from there is Penenden Heath.

The River Len also joins the Medway in Maidstone. Even though it's a short river, it powered many watermills in the past. The Loose Stream, which starts at Langley, also joins the Medway. It once powered over 30 mills. You can still see many mill ponds from these rivers.

Maidstone has continued to grow. It has taken in many smaller villages and areas. These include Allington, Barming, Bearsted, and Tovil. There are also several housing estates like Grove Green and Shepway.

Maidstone was once a big centre for industry. Brewing beer and making paper were very important. Today, smaller industrial businesses are found around the town. The old Fremlin's Brewery site is now the Fremlin Walk shopping centre. The main shopping streets, High Street and King Street, are for pedestrians only.

Maidstone's Weather

Kent has a maritime climate, which means it has cool summers and mild winters. The closest weather station is at East Malling, about three miles west of Maidstone.

The highest temperature recorded in East Malling was 37.4°C (99.3°F) in August 2003. The lowest was -17.8°C (0°F) in January 1947 and 1972. The climate is known as "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate).

Who Lives in Maidstone?

In the 2001 UK census, Maidstone town had a population of 75,070. This meant there were about 28 people per hectare. There were 31,142 households. About 38% were married couples. About 29% were people living alone.

Most people in Maidstone are white (96.6%). The main religion is Christianity (73.9%).

Maidstone's Economy and Jobs

Fremlin Walk

The Stag, by Edward Bainbridge Copnall, outside the Lockmeadow Centre

What Industries are in Maidstone?

Until 1998, a large toffee factory called Sharps was in Maidstone. It provided many jobs. The loudspeaker company KEF started in Maidstone in 1961. It still makes speakers by the river. In the 1990s, KEF even made a speaker called "the Maidstone."

Maidstone has the biggest office centre in Kent. It is also a hub for paper and packaging companies. Many high-tech businesses have set up in nearby business parks.

Maidstone used to have its own power station. It supplied electricity from 1901. It was closed down in 1973.

Shopping in Maidstone

Maidstone is one of the top five shopping areas in the south-east of England. It has over one million square feet of shops. The two main shopping centres are The Mall Maidstone and Fremlin Walk. Fremlin Walk opened in 2005.

The Lockmeadow Centre is by the river. It has a cinema, restaurants, and a market. The entertainment industry brings in a lot of money for the town.

Education in Maidstone

Maidstone has many schools. There are 15 secondary schools, 23 primary schools, and two special schools. Some secondary schools are Cornwallis Academy and Valley Park School. There are also grammar schools like Maidstone Grammar School and Invicta Grammar School.

Maidstone Grammar School was founded in 1549. Famous people who went there include James Burke, a TV presenter. William Golding, who wrote Lord of the Flies, used to teach there.

The University for the Creative Arts has a campus at Maidstone TV Studios. Famous artists like Tracey Emin and Tony Hart studied there.

Getting Around Maidstone

Southeastern runs trains from three stations in Maidstone:

• Maidstone East: for trains to London Victoria and Ashford.
• Maidstone West and Maidstone Barracks: for trains on the Medway Valley Line. These go between Strood and Paddock Wood.

Bus services are provided by several companies. They connect Maidstone to nearby towns like Ashford and Canterbury.

Major roads link Maidstone to other places:

• The A20 and M20 go to London and Ashford.
• The A26 goes to Tonbridge.
• The A229 goes to the Medway Towns and Hastings.
• The A249 goes to Sheerness.

Religion in Maidstone

All Saints' Church

In 2001, most people in Maidstone were Christian (73.9%). Other religions included Muslim (0.8%) and Hindu (0.7%). About 15.8% said they had no religion.

All Saints' Church is in the town centre. It was built in 1395 next to the Archbishop's Palace. The church, palace, and a large old barn nearby are all very important historic buildings. The church has a memorial to Lawrence Washington, a relative of George Washington.

Jubilee Church is a Christian church based in Maidstone. It works with churches in Canada and Ukraine.

Maidstone's Culture and Fun Facts

Town Twinning

Maidstone is twinned with Beauvais in Picardy, France. This means the towns are like sister cities. They have a committee that plans yearly trips. They also hold an annual sports weekend, taking turns to host it.

Radio and TV

BBC Radio Kent broadcasts to Maidstone on 96.7 FM. KMFM Maidstone is a local commercial radio station. Hospital Radio Maidstone broadcasts from Maidstone Hospital.

Local TV news comes from BBC South East and ITV Meridian. The Maidstone Studios is a large independent TV studio complex. It opened in 1982. Many national TV shows have been filmed there. These include Supermarket Sweep and Take Me Out.

Newspapers and Theatre

The local newspaper is the Kent Messenger. It comes out on Fridays.

Maidstone has several theatres. These include the Hazlitt Theatre and The Exchange Studio.

Maidstone in Books

Maidstone is mentioned in Ian Fleming's 1955 James Bond novel, Moonraker. The bad guy, Hugo Drax, travels through the town.

Writer Jack London wrote about his visit to Maidstone in his 1903 book The People of the Abyss. He came to Maidstone looking for work picking hops.

Museums to Explore

Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery

Maidstone Museum & Art Gallery is in the town centre. It's free to enter and open seven days a week. The museum has a huge collection of over 600,000 items. You can see things from ancient Egyptians, archaeology, and Japanese decorative arts. It also has local history items.

The main part of the museum is in an old Elizabethan house from 1577. New parts were added in the 1800s. A modern gold-coloured extension was built in 2012. It added 40% more display space.

Kent Life

Kent Life is an open-air museum. It's located near Allington Locks by the River Medway. The museum shows what rural life in Kent was like. It has old buildings like a chapel and village hall. There are also displays about farming, with farm animals.

Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages

The Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages is in a very old barn. This barn is a Grade I listed building. The museum was started by Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, a former mayor of Maidstone. He collected many horse-drawn vehicles.

Maidstone on Mars?

NASA names craters on Mars after small towns. In 1976, the Maidstone crater was added to the list of features on Mars!

Sports in Maidstone

Football

Maidstone celebrate winning the Kent League title in 2006

Maidstone United football club started in 1897. They reached the Football League in 1989. But the club went bankrupt in 1992. A new club was formed and worked its way up through the leagues. The club moved into the new Gallagher Stadium in 2012. Maidstone United now plays in the National League South. In 2024, Maidstone beat a much higher-ranked team, Ipswich, in the FA Cup. They were the lowest-ranked team to reach the 5th round since 1977.

Hockey

Maidstone Hockey Club is one of the oldest hockey clubs in the country. It was founded in 1878. Both the men's and women's teams play in regional and national leagues.

Rugby Union

Maidstone Rugby Football Club is also very old, started in 1880. The club has several senior men's teams and a junior section. In 2014–15, they won the National RFU Intermediate Cup at Twickenham Stadium.

Cricket

Kent County Cricket Club used Mote Park as a regular cricket ground for about 150 years. Mote Park is the biggest park in Maidstone. It has many sports facilities. The Lashings World XI exhibition cricket team is based in Maidstone. It includes many famous professional cricketers.

Other Sports

Maidstone has many other sports clubs. These include a sailing club, a rowing club, a martial arts school, a tennis club, and an athletics club. There is also an American football team and a basketball club. A baseball team, the Kent Mariners, also plays in Maidstone.

Famous People from Maidstone

Famous Sportspeople

See also

In Spanish: Maidstone para niños