How old is maidstone

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Already saved an Itinerary? Site Search. Accommodation Search. Add Room. Things to Do Search. What's On Search. Any date in the future. Shopping Search. History of Maidstone. The cricket ground was build on the West side of the park in and it hosted the first Mote Cricket Club match in At its peak, Mote Park was mentioned in the Gardener's Chronicle in and was described as having extensive gardens, exotic plans and a walled kitchen garden including orangeries, vineries and a peach house staffed by 25 gardeners.

The estate was sold to the 1st Viscount of Bearsted, Marcus Samuel, in who subsequently expanded and improved the cricket facilities to host county cricket. Marcus Samuel went on to found the oil company Royal Dutch Shell. The British Armed Forces commandeered the park in as a headquarters and training facility for the mainland invasion before being used as offices for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The Maidstone Model Engineering Society constructed the original model railway track in before extending it to its current form in Mote House was used as a care home for the disabled before being redeveloped as retirement apartments and cottages. The park itself underwent major construction in to improve the park and return some of its historical views. Hard work was rewarded in when it was awarded a Green Flag recognising the high standards in park management. By the standards of the time, it was a fair-sized market town although its population was devastated by the black death of In a College of Secular Canons was formed secular canons were like monks but they lived by less strict rules.

All Saints Church was erected by the College. The Archbishop obtained a residence in Maidstone in the 13th century. The members of the guild employed a chaplain who said prayers for their souls when they died. The guild also looked after its members in old age and in times of sickness. However, the guild was dissolved at the Reformation. During the 16th century and 17th century Maidstone grew increasingly important.

Its population grew from about 2, in to about 2, in and about 3, in This was despite outbreaks of the plague.

Like all towns, Maidstone suffered epidemics. It struck in , , , , , and The last outbreak of the plague was in Then it died out although afterward, Maidstone suffered from outbreaks of smallpox.

Markets and industries in Maidstone flourished in the 16th century and 17th centuries. Wool was manufactured in the town. In the late 16th century weavers from Holland fleeing persecution settled in Maidstone. However, in the late 17th century the wool industry went into decline. However other industries boomed in Maidstone in the 17th century. Among these were thread making and brewing. In the late 17th century a new industry grew up in Maidstone — paper making.

In the king took control of the town from him. Then in Maidstone was given a new charter, which made it independent. Maidstone was given a mayor and corporation who ran its affairs. The same year the town gained a grammar school. During the civil war of , Maidstone and the rest of Kent were controlled by parliament.

However, in parliament managed to alienate Maidstonians by outlawing traditional ceremonies. There was an uprising in Kent and royalist soldiers were stationed in Maidstone.