Hi, why don't you join us as we discover the best of historic Maidstone in Kent?
Perhaps we can even inspire you to visit Maidstone.
Let's see where we're talking about.
We are around 33 miles from London, and Maidstone is served by three railway stations: Maidstone East, Maidstone West & Maidstone Barracks.
We are going to arrive by car, and will be using one of Maidstone's many car parks.
We have chosen the Collage Road option, so our visit will start near All Saint Church and the Archbishop's Palace.
So let's explore Maidstone
And I am literally starting in the car park with The Master's Tower to my left, and the College Gateway in front of us.
And this is the Master's House, built of the same Kentish Ragstone.
These form parts of a Collegiate Church built in the late 14th, so that makes them 600 years old.
Through the arch you can get a glimpse of All Saint Church, but we will return a little later.
I think Maidstone's history get's overlooked because it's a busy town and people see this every day. As they say, 'familiarity breeds contempt'.
We step out onto College Road and discover the Late Victorian All Saints Church of England School and the Cutbush Almshouses.
We've slipped into Collage Avenue to catch another part of the original Collage of All Saints, now known as the Ruined Gateway.
We're now heading back to All Saints via the Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre, as a group practices their dance moves.
There's seating for around 250 here, and normally it's a quieter space where you can just sit back and relax next to the river.
And now we get our first glimpse of the River Medway, which weaves its way through Maidstone before heading onwards to join the River Thames.
And that's the Lockmeadow Millennium Bridge which gives us easy access to Maidstone West station about 5 minutes away.
We're going to head across it but for a different reason.
It gives you some pretty views of the River Medway towards Maidstone.
As well as views back towards the Church of All Saints and the Archbishop's Palace.
And a sight that has got me thinking about exploring the banks of the River Medway.
But the reason we've come to Lockmeadow is to discover 'The Stag',
Created by Edward Bainbridge Copnall in 1963, its home was Stag Place in London. It eventually found its way here in 2004.
I could sit and watch the world go by all day, but we must head back across the bridge to discover the original way to cross the river.
We've arrived at the Horseway, which would have been a natural fording point to the deer park at Lockmeadow on the other side.
As you climb the slope and look back, you get a view of Maidstone that hasn't changed much in those 600 years.
It's time to have a look at All Saints church, and I have to be honest I am a little disappointed.
When we arrived it wasn't open, it should have been, we checked, but these things happen. Perhaps we'll be back, okay, I know we will.
Around the back of the church, you get views over Lockmeadow and the River Medway.
And there are plenty of ways to enjoy the river.
We now move on to the Archbishop's Palace.
Originally there was a manor house on this site, where bishops would rest on the journey from London to Canterbury.
Then in the 14th-century, a palace was built here, later exchanged with Henry VIII for other properties.
Further additions were made in the 16th-century, creating the white end sections
Now let me introduce you to the Apothecary's Garden, only open on Wednesdays between May and August. A place of peace and tranquillity.
Across Mill Street you'll see the Tithe Barn, that later became the stables for the Archbishop's Palace.
It now houses the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of carriages. I'm told it has a fine collection of over 60 vehicles.
The problem is that since covid, it is only open to pre-booked groups of 10 or more.
Here we have the Modernist 1930 Rootes Building behind the Millpond fed by the River Len. It's due to be converted into luxury apartments.
At Drakes, formerly The Lamb, we have a plaque to the seven people burnt at the stake in 1557 in the nearby Fairmeadow during the reign of Mary I.
History is all around you, like this 19th-century Russian cannon captured during the Crimean war on Maidstone High Street.
But often, that history is hidden in plain sight.
And now a moan
Typical of many towns & cities there is some unsympathetic retailers who shop frontage is just out of sync with its surroundings.
It's hard to believe something can't be done to improve this, anyway rant over.
There are some places that really look like they have made an effort.
Now the Stag look promising, but I'm told we don't have the time.
But as I said before, the secret is to look up, and Bank Street in Maidstone is there to prove that point.
I mean, check out number 78 Bank Street.
And then number 89, but they are not all as old as they appear, 1913 this one, but it's still listed.
Maidstone Town Hall dates from the mid 18th-century, and it has had a few different uses over the years.
Across the road, the Muggleton, a JD Wetherspoons pub, started life as the Royal Insurance Offices in 1827.
There are a few plaques around to the history you can't see, such as the Battle of Maidstone, fought in 1648 during the English Civil war.
This area, now Jubilee Square, was know as High Town from 1261 until the 1820s, and was part of town's market place.
In the 1820's it moved to the nearby Market Buildings and that's where we will be heading to next.
Next to the Muddleton Inn is the entrance to Market Buildings.
Here you'll find yourself in a quirky lane with an eclectic mix of shops, bars & eateries.
The collonaded walkway runs alongside what would have been the old corn exchange.
On the left is the Royal Star Exchange, one of Maidstone little shopping arcades.
and on our right Maidstone Distillery, bringing back a time-honoured tradition back to the town.
Then we stubble upon Frédéric's Cafe & Bistro, and Patisserie, and wine shop. Ulric, sorry Frédéric, is taking over this part of Market Buildings.
It looks like in this part of Maidstone, we've become a little bit French.
Stepping onto Earl Street, we come across the Hazlitt Theatre, which also shares the former Corn Exchange.
Earl Street, which will take you down to the river, is also full of restaurants. These are more the chain variety which you may be familiar with.
This building was the home of Andrew Broughton, who read out the death sentence on Charles I, so there's still plenty of history here.
Further down Earl Street is the 15th-century Corpus Christi Hall, which is now home to La Taberna, a family-run Spanish restaurant.
One of the biggest names on Earl Street was the Fremlins Brewery, long since departed. Fremlin Walk has now occupied that space
Another of Maidstone's Shopping complexes.
But we're passing through to reach St Faith's Street.
St Faith's Street is where you'll find the Maidstone Museum & Art Gallery.
We don't have time today to explore, but we will be back, probably after the school holidays.
Another memorial stone to the Battle of Maidstone can be found at the entrance to Brenchley Gardens, right next to Maidstone Museum.
Brenchley Gardens is a wonderful little park that is also home to a war memorial to the glorious dead
that looks remarkably similar to the cenotaph in London's Whitehall.
At Maidstone East Station we'll find a tribute to Maidstone's oldest resident, an Iguanodon, who was uncovered in 1834.
Across the road, you will come across Old Sessions House The facade is relatively modern 1911-13, but behind the gates is the 1824 original.
It is now home to County Hall, the home of Kent County Council.
We've now taken the footpath beside Maidstone East Station to bring us to the towpath alongside the River Medway
To the north takes us past Aylesford, Rochester and Chatham into the Thames.
A stroll south takes us back towards the Archbishop's Palace.
I hope you like what we've put together here, if you do give us a like, we'd really appreciate it.
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So a thanks to Simon Tandy who asked, 'why not do a video on Maidstone?'
And a big thank you to you for watching.
Stay safe, stay well and happy travels.