Maidstone Tourist Attractions

The 16th century house in Maidstone known as the Tithe Barn houses a large carriage and coach museum.

The Friary in the village of Aylesford (1mi/2km north of Maidstone) is one of the first two Carmelite foundations in England.The buildings have been restored and is an important pilgrimage center with lovely grounds and picnic areas.

About 4mi/6km east of Maidstone stands Leeds Castle, in the opinion of Lord Conway "the loveliest castle in the world". The castle gets its name from Led, the prime minister of Ethelbert IV, King of Kent (857). The original Norman fortress was built on two islands in the middle of a lake, now encircled by ducks, Hawaiian geese and black swans. Henry VIII had the D-shaped, two-story building turned into a magnificent palace, which was to be used as a royal residence for over 300 years. The main building was completed at the beginning of the 19th century. At the same time a ring of battlements was added to the Maiden's Tower at the eastern end of the island, which dates from the Tudor period. Of note inside the castle are the Banqueting Hall of Henry VIII, with its wonderful ebony floor and carved oak ceiling; the Yellow Room, the silk damask design of which was created by Boudin in 1936; the Thorpe Hall Room, which is an outstanding example of decorative arts in the middle of the 17th century; and the unique Dog's Collar Museum, with exhibits up to 400 years old. The parkland, extending over an area of some 500acres/200ha, contains woodland, Culpeper Garden (surrounded by beech hedges), a labyrinth of 2,400 oak-trees, a grotto, the aviary, opened in 1988, with over 100 types of birds, greenhouses and a golf course.

The Archbishop's Palace (14th century), which adjoins the church, once belonged to the archbishops of Canterbury, who made Maidstone their residence until 1538. The exterior steps of the palace and the wainscoted banqueting hall are noteworthy.

West Malling is a market town with many historic buildings including the abbey that once housed a leper colony and is now lived in by a group of Anglican Benedictine nuns, Ford House that was completed over 600 years ago and St Leonard's Tower.St Leonard's Tower is an example of a Norman tower keep, built c1080 by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester. The tower stands almost to its original height and takes its name from a chapel dedicated to St Leonard that once stood nearby.

Boughton Monchelsea Place is a 1567 Elizabethan Ragstone Manor, with impressive Regency alterations. It offers spectacular views of a deer park and the Kentish Weald. The guided tour includes: Edwardian Ladies Bedroom, Nursery, Schoolroom and a Dress Room.

The school is located along the Pilgrims' Way, and has almost 50 horses, for riders of all abilities. Facilities include an indoor school, three floodlit sand manèges and a cross-country course that winds through 45 acres of natural woodlands. Week-long camping holidays are also available for children.

The Museum of Kent Life is an award-winning open air museum. On this 40 acre facility visitors can see Great Britain's last working Oast House, a granary, a livestock center, orchards and many other buildings reflecting life in Britain over the last century.

The Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery is housed in the elegant Chillington Elizabethan Manor House. Local and natural history of the area is displayed in a collection of English, European and Oriental fine and applied art, archeological artifacts and costumes. It is considered to be one of the finest Kent museums.

Tudor Park Country Club Resort is made up of 150 acres of parkland. The 18-hole course is 6041 yards long and is designed to challenge both professionals and amateurs.The resort also has an indoor pool, snooker tables, squash and tennis courts and other sporting facilities.

The parish church of All Saints (1381-96), near the river, has elaborate misericords and superb glass windows (18th century).

Kit's Coty House and Little Kit's Coty House in maidstone are the remains of two prehistoric burial sites.

A notable display of documents, photos and uniforms is to be found alongside a rare Fieseler Fi 103R-IV anda two-seat Super Sabre.

Stoneacre is a National Trust property in Maidstone. It is a late 15th C yeoman's house that is surrounded by a recently-restored, traditional cottage garden.

Remains of a stone castle built in the 12th C to monitor the route from Maidstone to Rye.