Maidstone is the county town of Kent, in southeast England, about 30 miles from London. It is also the administrative centre for the Borough of Maidstone. It stands on the River Medway at a point where the tributaries of the combined Rivers Beult and Teise enter the main stream.
Maidstone is the County Town of Kent and a thriving commercial centre with excellent shopping, sports and leisure facilities. A walk around the town reveals treasures such as the 14th century Archbishop's Palace, which was a residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury until 1538.
The Church of All Saints, is thought to be the widest and one of the largest in the country. At one time there were no seats in the church except those along the walls, reserved for the old and infirm; it is thought that the saying 'the weakest go to the wall' originates from this arrangement.The Museum of Kent Life at Cobtree gives an excellent idea of rural Kentish life. Visit Leeds Castle for a wonderful day out, where there is a long list of splendid attractions and it is open all year
The town's charter was finally ratified in 1619 under James I, and the coat of arms, bearing a golden lion and a representation of the river, was designed. Recently these arms were added to by the head of a white horse (representing Invicta, the motto of the county of Kent), a golden lion and an iguanodon. The iguanodon relates to the discovery in the 19th century of the fossilised remains of such a dinosaur locally. These remains are now displayed in the Natural History Museum in London.
