In England , Wales and Northern Ireland , a town traditionally was a settlement which had a charter to hold a market or fair and therefore became a "market town". In Scotland , the equivalent is known as a burgh . There are two types of burgh: royal burghs and burghs of barony.
42-516: Maidstone is the largest town in Kent , England, of which it is the county town . Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it with Rochester and the Thames Estuary . Historically, the river carried much of the town's trade as the centre of the agricultural county of Kent, which
84-473: A maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is at East Malling , about three miles west of Maidstone. East Malling's highest temperature of 37.4 °C (99.3 °F) was recorded in August 2003. The lowest temperature recorded is −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) during January 1947 and 1972. East Malling also holds
126-453: A borough. The charter was ratified in 1619 under James I , and the coat of arms was designed, bearing a golden lion and a representation of the river (in heraldic terms: Or, a fess wavy Azure between three roundels Gules, on a chief Gules a leopard passant gardant Or ). Recently to these arms were added 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
168-570: A low percentage in agriculture. According to the Office for National Statistics estimates, the average gross income of households between April 2001 and March 2002 was £595 per week (£31,000 per year). The town is served by 15 secondary schools, 23 primary schools, and two special schools. Non-selective secondary schools include Cornwallis Academy , The Maplesden Noakes School , New Line Learning Academy , St Augustine Academy , St. Simon Stock School and Valley Park School . Grammar schools serving
210-509: A trampoline park), and the town's market square. The leisure industry is a key contributor with the night-time economy worth £75m per annum. In the 2001 UK census, 45.2% of residents aged 16–74 were employed full-time, 12.7% part-time, 7.6% self-employed and 2.5% unemployed, while 2.3% were students with jobs, 3.0% without jobs, 12.9% retired, 6.6% looking after home or family, 3.8% permanently sick or disabled and 3.2% economically inactive for other reasons. These figures were roughly in line with
252-585: Is a general support engineer regiment provided force support within 12 (Force Support) Engineer Group . 36 Engineer Regiment's predecessor was 36 Army Engineer Regiment which saw service in World War II . There is not much information written about this unit but it is known it was based in Germany when the war ended. In 1949, the regiment moved to Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone , Kent . In 1951,
294-573: Is also held, with Maidstone and Beauvais taking it in turns to host the event. The BBC Local Radio station which broadcast to the town is BBC Radio Kent , on 96.7 FM. Town status in the United Kingdom The Local Government Act 1972 allows civil parishes in England and Wales to resolve themselves to be Town Councils , under section (245 subsection 6), which also gives the chairman of such parishes
336-510: Is known as the Garden of England . There is evidence of settlement in the area dating back before the Stone Age . The town, part of the borough of Maidstone , had an approximate population of 100,000 in 2019. Since World War II , the town's economy has shifted from heavy industry towards light industry and services. Saxon charters dating back to c. 975 show the first recorded instances of
378-587: Is not an unusual event for towns across the UK to celebrate their charter in an annual Charter Day (normally a fair or medieval market). Ranked by population: 36 Engineer Regiment (United Kingdom) The 36 Engineer Regiment is a regiment of the Corps of Royal Engineers within the British Army . The regiment trace their history back to before World War II as 36 Army Engineer Regiment. The regiment today
420-549: Is six miles downstream from where the River Medway , having flowed in a generally west–east direction, is joined by the Rivers Teise and Beult at Yalding and changes its course to a northerly one. It cuts through the ridge formed by the greensand , so that the town occupies a site on two opposite hills, the easterly one containing the town centre. Beyond that, and higher, is Penenden Heath . The River Len joins
462-508: Is the main town of Maidstone borough , which includes the surrounding rural areas except to the north-west. The town is divided into the 12 local government wards of Allington, Bridge, Downswood and Otham, East, Fant, Heath, High Street, Park Wood, Shepway North, Shepway South, South, and North. These wards have 30 of the 55 seats on Borough Council. Maidstone Borough Council is responsible for services such as recreation, refuse collection, most planning decisions and social housing . The town
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#1732765947099504-601: The Suez Invasion . Upon returning from the Middle East the regiment moved back to Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone. For one year, December 1958 – December 1959 the regiment deployed to Christmas Island after Operation Grapple . In January 1969, the regiment was renamed as 36 Engineer Regiment and by 1974 deployed to Northern Ireland as part of the rebuilding process after the start of Operation Banner . In
546-437: The 1982 Falklands Conflict the regiment sent a detachment assigned to the 5th Infantry Brigade . By 1992, the major Options for Change reforms hit the armed forces. As a result of these major reforms the 11th Engineer Group was disbanded and the regiment joined the 1st (UK) Armoured Division directly as a close support regiment for the 20th Armoured Brigade . In 1994 the regiment deployed on Operation Grapple 4 . In 1995
588-584: The Creative Arts (formerly Kent Institute of Art & Design ) at which Turner Prize nominated artist Tracey Emin , fashion designer Karen Millen and television personality and artist Tony Hart studied, has a campus at the Maidstone TV Studios . In the 2001 census, 15.7% of residents aged 16–74 had a higher education qualification or equivalent, below the national average of 19.9%. 27.5% had no academic qualifications, compared to
630-456: The MP for Faversham and Mid Kent has been Conservative Helen Whately . Prior to the 2015 election, the MP was Conservative Sir Hugh Robertson . Kent County Council is responsible for social services, education, maintenance of and new infrastructure, fire services and minerals. It is elected every four years: Maidstone elects nine representatives, and villages are in the four rural wards. The town
672-691: The Medway at Maidstone. Though a short river, it provided the water to drive numerous watermills . The Loose Stream , which rises at Langley and joins at Tovil , once powered over 30 mills. Mill ponds on these rivers are a prominent feature of the landscape. Maidstone has continued to grow. In doing so it has incorporated hitherto separate settlements , villages and hamlets within its boundaries. These include Allington , Barming , Bearsted , Penenden Heath, Sandling , Tovil and Weavering Street. Housing estates include Grove Green , Harbourland, Ringlestone , Roseacre, Shepway, Senacre and Vinters Park. Maidstone
714-477: The Sharps toffee factory (later part of Cadbury Trebor Basset ), was in central Maidstone and provided a significant source of employment. Loudspeaker manufacturer KEF was founded in 1961 on the premises of the metal-working operation Kent Engineering & Foundry (hence KEF). KEF still occupies the same river-bank site. In the late 1990s KEF manufactured a loudspeaker called "the Maidstone". The town centre has
756-784: The discovery in the 19th century of the fossilised remains of that dinosaur , now in the Natural History Museum in London. Maidstone has had the right to a town gaol since 1604. During the English Civil War , the Battle of Maidstone took place in 1648, resulting in a victory for the Parliamentarians . Andrew Broughton , who was Mayor of Maidstone in 1649 (and also Clerk to the High Court of Justice)
798-675: The electricity industry in 1948 ownership of the station passed to the British Electricity Authority and then to the Central Electricity Generating Board. In 1966 the power station had a generating capacity of 13.125 MW and delivered 6,921 MWh of electricity. The CEGB later closed the station and it was demolished in 1973. The town is ranked in the top five shopping centres in the south-east of England for shopping yields and, with more than one million square feet of retail floor space, in
840-453: The following structure: From October 2007 to April 2008 the regiment deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick VII , during which it was assigned to the 52nd Infantry Brigade . In 2010, the original Army 2020 reforms started and the regiment was re-titled as the 36 Search Engineer Regiment . In 2015, when the Army 2020 Refines were announced the regiment dropped the "search" title and
882-453: The largest office centre in the county and the area is a base for the paper and packaging industry. Many high-technology firms have set up in surrounding business parks. Southern Water and Mid Kent Water operate the Maidstone water system. Maidstone Borough Corporation began construction of Maidstone power station at Fairmeadow in 1900 and supplied electricity from 1901, firstly for street lighting then other uses. Upon nationalisation of
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#1732765947099924-505: The name derives from stones set into the river to allow clothes to be rinsed in the cleaner water away from the banks. Neolithic finds have revealed the earliest occupation of the area, and the Romans have left their mark in the road through the town and evidence of villas. The Normans set up a shire moot , and religious organisations established an abbey at Boxley , hospitals and a college for priests . Today's suburb of Penenden Heath
966-441: The national average. Employment, by industry, was 19% retail; 13% real estate; 11% manufacturing; 9% construction; 7% transport and communications ; 10% health and social work ; 8% public administration ; 7% education; 5% finance; 4% hotels and restaurants; 1% agriculture; 1% energy and water supply; and 5% other. Compared to national figures, Maidstone had a high percentage of workers in construction and public administration, and
1008-569: The national figure of 28.9%. Southeastern operates services at three railway stations: Bus services are provided by Arriva Kent and Surrey , Nu-Venture and Stagecoach South East . Routes connect the town with Ashford, Canterbury, Gillingham and Tunbridge Wells. The following roads connect Maidstone with nearby locations: In 2001, religions were 73.9% Christian, 0.8% Muslim, 0.7% Hindu, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.14% Sikh and 0.11% Jewish. 15.8% had no religion, 0.6% had an alternative religion, while 7.7% did not state their religion. All Saints' Church in
1050-792: The palace's tithe barn are all Grade I listed buildings . Jubilee Church is an independent Maidstone-based Christian church which forms partnerships not only in Kent, but in Canada and Ukraine . In Ukraine, it has held events with Ockert Potgieter of the Light of the World Church. A Twinning Association Committee meets every month. It organises annual trips to the Jeanne Hachette Festival in Beauvais. An annual sporting weekend
1092-425: The patients, and several nurses were sent by Eva Luckes , matron of The London Hospital , including Edith Cavell . Modern Maidstone incorporates a number of outlying villages and settlements (see Geography below). The county council offices to the north of the town centre were built of Portland stone between 1910 and 1913. On 29 September 1975 a local pub serving Invicta Park Barracks, The Hare and Hounds ,
1134-735: The record for the mildest January day in South East England, 17.4 °C (63.3 °F), also set in 2003. The lowest temperature recorded in recent years was −10.7 °C (12.7 °F) on 20 December 2010. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate). In the 2001 UK census , Maidstone town wards had a population of 75,070, a density of 28 residents per hectare . The town had 31,142 households, of which 38% were married couples, 29% were individuals, 10% were cohabiting couples, and 9% were single-parent families. 14% of households had someone living alone of pensionable age. The ethnicity
1176-466: The regiment moved to Ripon and had the following structure: In 1955, the regiment moved to Osnabrück where it joined the 11th Engineer Group. Following their move, the regiment was renamed as the 36 Corps Engineer Regiment as the group, 11 Engineer Group, was tasked with supporting the 1st Corps . In 1956, the regiment saw a deployment to the Middle East with the 2nd (British) Corps during
1218-550: The regiment took part in the camp building for the new 24th Airmobile Brigade . In 1999 the regiment joined the 5th Airborne Brigade and by 2002 supported the 16th Air Assault Infantry Brigade . By the time that the Delivering Security in a Changing World reforms were announced, the regiment was based at Barker Barracks in the Paderborn Area . By this time the regiment still had the same role but had
1260-461: The title 'town mayor'. Many former urban districts and municipal boroughs have such a status, along with other settlements with no prior town status. In more modern times it is often considered that a town becomes a city (or a village becomes a town) as soon as it reaches a certain size or population , although this is an informal definition and no particular numbers are agreed upon. The cultural importance placed on charters remains, and it
1302-468: The top 50 in the UK. Much of this space is located in the two main shopping centres in the town, the 535,000 square feet (49,700 m) The Mall Maidstone (previously known as The Chequers Centre) and the 32,500 square metres (350,000 sq ft) Fremlin Walk which opened in 2005. Other recent developments include the riverside Lockmeadow Centre, with a multiplex cinema , restaurants, nightclubs (now
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1344-589: The town centre was the collegiate church of the College of All Saints built in 1395 next to the Archbishop's Palace . It contains a monument to Sir Jacob Astley , the Royalist Civil War soldier and a memorial to Lawrence Washington, great-uncle of George Washington 's great-great-grandfather, that includes the stars and stripes in the family coat of arms The college, the church, the palace and
1386-537: The town include Maidstone Grammar School , Invicta Grammar School , Maidstone Grammar School for Girls and Oakwood Park Grammar School . Alumni of the oldest school, Maidstone Grammar School (founded 1549), include James Burke , television presenter, and Lord Beeching , of the British railway cuts of the 1960s . William Golding , author of Lord of the Flies was once a teacher at the school. The University for
1428-590: The town providing employment. Some of the workforce commute to other towns, including to London. The town is divided between the constituencies of Maidstone and the Weald and Faversham and Mid Kent . Before 1997 Maidstone was in the county constituency of Maidstone . The Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidstone and the Weald is Conservative Helen Grant . Previous MPs include Ann Widdecombe , Sir John Wells , Sir Alfred Bossom and Benjamin Disraeli . Since 2015
1470-461: The town's name, de maeides stana and maegdan stane , possibly meaning stone of the maidens or stone of the people . The latter meaning may refer to the nearby megalith around which gatherings took place. The name evolved through medestan/meddestane in the Domesday Book of 1086, with possible variation Mayndenstan in 1396. The modern name appeared by 1610. It has been suggested that
1512-480: Was 96.6% white, 0.9% mixed race , 0.3% Chinese, 1.5% other Asian, 0.4% Black and 0.3% other. The place of birth was 94.1% United Kingdom (91.4% England), 0.6% Republic of Ireland, 0.6% Germany, 1.3% other European countries, 1.7% Asia, 0.9% Africa and 0.8% elsewhere. Religion was 73.9% Christian, 0.8% Muslim, 0.7% Hindu, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.14% Sikh and 0.11% Jewish. 15.8% had no religion, 0.6% had an alternative religion, and 7.7% did not state their religion. Until 1998,
1554-463: Was a place of execution in medieval times. Maidstone played a key role during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. The rebel priest, John Ball , had been imprisoned there and was freed by Kentish rebels under the command of Wat Tyler , who is reputed to have been a resident of the town. Maidstone's charter as a town was granted in 1549; although briefly revoked, a new charter in 1551 created the town as
1596-431: Was assigned to the 12 (Force Support) Engineer Group . As part of these reforms, it was announced that the rest of the units based in Germany were to be moved back to England. As a result the regiment moved to Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone. The regiment is scheduled to move again by 2027, but it has not yet been confirmed exactly where. The regiment now has the following structure: In addition to these reforms,
1638-480: Was at one time a centre of industry, brewing and paper making being among the most important. Nowadays smaller industrial units encircle the town. The site of Fremlin's Brewery , once the largest in Kent, is now Fremlin Walk shopping centre. The pedestrianised areas of the High Street and King Street run up from the river crossing at Lockmeadow; Week Street and Gabriel's Hill bisect this route. Kent experiences
1680-585: Was damaged by a bomb during an IRA campaign in England. Maidstone General Hospital opened on the outskirts of the town in 1983, replacing West Kent General Hospital, which opened 150 years earlier in Marsham Street. It is just to the north of Oakwood Hospital (originally the Kent County Asylum), which closed in the mid-1990s. Residents are employed in the retail, administrative or service sectors; there are industrial estates around
1722-420: Was established in the town with the completion of cavalry barracks in 1798. Invicta Park Barracks is now home to the 36 Engineer Regiment . Maidstone Prison is north of the town centre and was completed in 1819. In 1897-1898 the Maidstone typhoid epidemic killed at least 132 people, and was the largest typhoid epidemic at the time. Hundreds of nurses from around the country volunteered to care for
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1764-515: Was responsible for declaring the death sentence on Charles I , and today a plaque in Maidstone Town Centre memorialises Broughton as 'Mayor and Regicide '. Paper mills, stone quarrying, brewing and the cloth industry have all flourished here. The paper maker James Whatman and his son invented wove paper (Whatman paper) at Turkey Mill from 1740, an important development in the history of printing. A permanent military presence
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