A Trivial Trip Around Maidstone Quiz

Answer: Dinosaur

During the excavation of a quarry in the 19th century, the remains of an Iguanodon were found and are now on display the British Natural History Museum in London. In 1946 Maidstone borough council applied to the College of Arms to have the Iguanodon incorporated into their coat of arms.

Answer: River Medway

Rising in the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, the River Medway runs through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway Towns before emptying into the Thames Estuary. In the past it played a major part of transporting goods in and out of Maidstone.

Answer: Neolithic

Kit's Coty House is a group of standing stones that once formed the entrance to an early Neolithic long barrow. Little Kit's Coty are the remains of a collapsed Neolithic barrow. Little Kit's Coty have also been named the 'Countless Stones', due to there being a different number of stones found each time they are counted.

Answer: Allington Castle

Originally built as a fortified manor, Allington Castle was given a license to crenel late by Edward the 1st to it's then owner Stephen de Penchester, who was at that time Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. It was later turned into a mansion in the late 15th century by the Wyatt family. Allington Castle is also the birthplace of Sir Thomas Wyatt, a 16th century ambassador and lyrical poet, and his son Thomas Wyatt who lead an unsuccessful rebellion against Queen Mary 1st.

Answer: Textile Mills

Maidstone at one time had two main breweries situated in the town centre, Courage Ltd and Whitbread Fremlins, the later now part of the Fremiln Wlak shopping centre. Additionally, Maidstone had a number of paper mills situated along the banks of the Rivers Len and Loose, with paper still being made in the town by Whatman. Sharps Toffee had a factory located in the town, which became part of the Cadbury Trebor Bassett group before closing in 1998.

Answer: Regicide

After the execution of Charles I, Andrew Broughton became a member of Parliament. However, after the restoration of the monarchy Andrew Broughton fled Britain to live in Switzerland where he later died and was buried. The location of the house where he lived in Maidstone is marked by a plaque situated in Earl Street.

Answer: William Courteney

Archbishop William Courteney founded the nearby ecclesiastical college in the late 14th century along with All Saints Church. The buildings survive with an impressive gatehouse between the college and the church, and the remains of a second gatehouse the other side of the college. The Archbishop's Palace was once residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury on their journey to and from London. Now it is home to the Maidstone Registry Office and a venue for weddings. Also in the palace grounds are a former water mill and a tithe barn (across the road from the palace) which now house the Tyrwhitt - Drake Carriage Museum, named after a former mayor of Maidstone.

Answer: Body of Christ

Corpus Christi literally translates as "Body of Christ".
Corpus Christi Hall in Maidstone was originally founded by a quasi religious society to control tradesmen and business in the town, as well as care for elderly and the infirm. It later became a grammar school in the mid 16th century for those who could not read or write Latin.

Answer: Mars

NASA added a crater on Mars named the Maidstone Crater to its list of Martian geographical features. However, it is likely that this was named after the town of Maidstone in the USA rather than Maidstone, Kent.

Answer: 2nd English Civil War

The Battle of Maidstone took place on 1st June 1648 during the 2nd English Civil War. Around 10,000 Royalists under the Earl of Norwich fought Parliamentarian forces commanded by General Fairfax. Fairfax's forces managed to drive the Royalists through Maidstone in street to street fighting that saw great bloodshed.

The Royalist forces eventually surrendered near St Marys Church, which is situated beside Brenchley Gardens, next to Maidstone Museum.