Exploring History

Smell the gunpowder, experience the heat of the battle, learn about Maidstone’s colourful history and enjoy the musical extravaganza at our Battle of Maidstone festival - commemorating the 360th anniversary of the battle when Lord General Fairfax defeated the Royalist insurgents.

Spanning two months, the festival offers you a series of fascinating talks at the Maidstone Club in Earl Street (the former house of Andrew Broughton, Mayor of Maidstone in 1648 who read out the death sentence for the execution of King Charles I) and plenty of learning opportunities at our family events and activities at Maidstone Museum. The finale to the festival is not only a full-scale re-enactment of the battle up Gabriel’s Hill and Week Street and a blockbusting Proms in the Park, but also a talk by BBC’s history professor Richard Holmes, CBE, at the Hazlitt Theatre. Maidstone Museum is also hosting living history including the recreation of a field hospital. Not to be missed!

Living History

These events have been sponsored by: KM, Palace Estates; Gullands; Mall Chequers; Royal Star Arcade; Maidstone Studios; Gallagher; GForces; The Stone Shop; Town Centre Management; MBC; Maidstone Museum and English Civil War Society.

Events

Talks

Walks