insideKENT Magazine Issue 90 - September 2019 | Page 35

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
TOWNSPOTLIGHT
KENT TOWN SPOTLIGHT:
MAIDSTONE
IN THE HEART OF KENT IS THE HISTORIC COUNTY TOWN OF MAIDSTONE WHERE VISITORS HAVE BEEN
WELCOMED SINCE MEDIEVAL TIMES. THE AREA AROUND MAIDSTONE IS SET IN WIDE FERTILE RIVER
VALLEYS AND ANCIENT WOODLANDS, DOTTED WITH PROSPEROUS VILLAGES. THE BUSY COUNTY TOWN
ITSELF – THE SITE OF A FAMOUS BATTLE FROM THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR – STRETCHES ACROSS ONE
OF ENGLAND’S GREAT RIVERS, THE MEDWAY. IT’S A GREAT PLACE FOR EXPLORING – ALONG THE
MEDWAY ON A RIVER CRUISE, HIRING A BOAT OR CANOE, OR WALKING AND CYCLING BESIDE THE RIVER.
MOTE PARK
The thriving town provides the some of the best of
Kent produce in contemporary restaurants and
pavement cafés. There is an excellent selection of
shops in the broad streets and squares of the County
Town, which have recently been transformed due
to an extensive public realm project. Leading off
the High Street is Week Street, the main
pedestrianised shopping street. From here you can
easily wander into Fremlin Walk, a stylish open air
shopping centre where you will find many well-
known high street brands. The Mall Chequers is a
spacious indoor shopping centre with a great variety
of quality stores.
Maidstone also boasts one of the largest selections
of independent retailers in the country. There is an
eclectic mix of businesses from jewellers to
kitchenware, gifts to ladieswear that can be found
in the many ancient streets. Wander through the
Royal Star Arcade, or down historic Ba nk Street,
Gabriel's Hill, or Market Buildings. or find some
unique shops in Pudding Lane or Union Street. cell in the Town Hall are all taking part in this
national event.
Maidstone Museums are among the finest in the
south east and offer more than a solitary museum.
The largest of these can be found in the former
Chillington Manor on St Faith’s Street, which
incorporates the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent
Museum – essentially a museum within a museum!
Maidstone Carriage Museum is open seasonally
from May to September and can be found within
the stables of the Archbishops’ Palace. The main
museum has an eclectic collection from dinosaurs
to an Egyptian mummy, fine art and local history.
There are hands on activities and workshops for
children, and special events and a fascinating
programme of temporary exhibitions for all. Prison Island, Extraction and the Escape Rooms
provide challenging entertainment in the town, and
Gravity trampolines and Hollywood Bowl are in the
Lockmeadow complex alongside the Odeon Cinema.
The Hazlitt Theatre plays host to Beauty & The
Beast as the 2019 Pantomime, with Jake Quickenden
the star of the show this year.
Heritage Open Days in September provides a rare
opportunity to see into some of the town’s most
historic buildings. The Archbishops’ Palace, the
museum’s Victorian observatory tower and the gaol
It’s Kent’s capital for big events too – with tens
of thousands at a time coming here for the South
East’s biggest rock and pop festivals, classical
extravaganzas, and business shows. Leeds Castle,
The Kent Event Centre, Mote Park and Headcorn
Aerodrome host some spectacular events with visitors
coming from as far afield as Australia and Brazil.
Many of these visitors extend Still to come this year
their stay to explore the area, telling us how amazingly
beautiful this place is.
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