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Home , Maidstone, Medway Valley Walk, River Len, River Medway, Wealdway

and Albert Embankment gardens. gardens. Embankment Albert and in Chillingdon Manor (1577) an Elizabethan Elizabethan an (1577) Manor Chillingdon in

Palace gardens, Finsbury Park and the Victoria Victoria the and Park Finsbury gardens, Palace Museum and Art Galley is based based is Galley Art and Museum Maidstone

first public park. MacKenzie designed Alexandra Alexandra designed MacKenzie park. public first

the gardens to Maidstone to become the town’s town’s the become to Maidstone to gardens the ’.

and Apricot. and

MacKenzie to design the gardens. He donated donated He gardens. the design to MacKenzie the markets labelled ‘The Garden of of Garden ‘The Kent labelled markets London the

Swamp Cypress, Tulip Tree, Runner bean, Lilac Lilac bean, Runner Tree, Tulip Cypress, Swamp

international landscape designer Alexander Alexander designer landscape international of London. Abundant fruit and vegetables for for vegetables and fruit Abundant London. of

hundreds of plants into the UK including; Larch, Larch, including; UK the into plants of hundreds

and traveller, Julius Brenchley who commissioned commissioned who Brenchley Julius traveller, and construction of the Roman city walls and Tower Tower and walls city Roman the of construction

Canterbury and between them introduced introduced them between and

of Chillington Manor, were purchased by author author by purchased were Manor, Chillington of ragstone was transported to London for the the for London to transported was ragstone

They lived for a time at both Meopham and and Meopham both at time a for lived They

Brenchley Gardens, originally the orchard gardens gardens orchard the originally Gardens, Brenchley to London via The Thames. Locally quarried quarried Locally Thames. The via London to

founders of English gardening as we know it. it. know we as gardening English of founders

has historically enabled easy transport of goods goods of transport easy enabled historically has

introduction into England. They became the the became They England. into introduction

opened it as a museum. a as it opened due to its position on the River which which Medway River the on position its to due

new species of plant and tree suitable for for suitable tree and plant of species new

acquired Charles’s house, Chillington Manor and and Manor Chillington house, Charles’s acquired with Rochester to the north. It has prospered prospered has It north. the to Rochester with

his son, also John, spearheaded the hunt for for hunt the spearheaded John, also son, his

antiquities to Maidstone Council In 1855 who later later who 1855 In Council Maidstone to antiquities and Wealden iron workings to the south south the to workings iron Wealden and Hastings

During the 17th century, John Tradescant and and Tradescant John century, 17th the During

M

and antiquarian, left his collections of art and and art of collections his left antiquarian, and Roman times with Week Street linking linking Street Week with times Roman

The Tradescants Tradescants The

manor house. Thomas Charles, a local doctor doctor local a Charles, Thomas house. manor aidstone has been an important town since since town important an been has aidstone

Kent Heritage Trees Project The Tree Trail links to other nearby xplore Maidstone’s riverside and green spaces walks: Ethrough a trail of its trees and history. Start in Brenchley Gardens behind the museum for The follows the the shorter trail (30 mins) of the historic garden or Maidstone combine this with the longer (1hr) trail which takes from Rochester in the east to in the west. in historical sites en route to the historical riverside area. At Rochester, The Medway Valley Walk links to the Tree Trail Saxon Shoreway – a long distance path that follows the historic Saxon shore of Kent from to Hastings in East .

At the eastern end of the Medway Viaduct or motorway bridge, The Medway Valley Walk crosses The Way – a long distance path from to Farnham on the North Downs

At , The – a long distance path from in to Hamstreet crosses the Medway Valley Walk. This leaflet was produced as a legacy of the Kent Heritage Trees Project, a five year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund celebrating Kent’s tree heritage. A significant achievement of At , runs from the project was the recording of over 10,000 heritage trees – The trees that are old, wide, rare or have a story to tell. Visit Gravesend in Kent to in and tcv.org.uk/kentheritagetrees to view the tree finds and map. joins the Medway Valley Walk. It also links with the This is one of a series of leaflets created by volunteers to encourage people of all ages to explore the outdoors, learn Eden Valley Walk at Tonbridge. about nature and heritage trees and enjoy the Kentish countryside. The Kent Heritage Trees Project was developed and run by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), a charity that works with thousands of people across the UK, helping them to discover, improve and enjoy their local green spaces and by doing so create happier and healthier communities. www.explorekent.org

Find out more about the continuing work of TCV and how you can become involved, visit www.tcv.org.uk

Kent Heritage Trees Project is managed by The Conservation Volunteers Singleton Environment Centre Wesley School Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 5LW T: 01233 666519 To follow the trail on your phone, scan this QR code TCV The Community Volunteering Charity © 2016. Registered Office: Sedum House, Mallard Way, Doncaster DN4 8DB. Registered Charity in England (261009) and Scotland (SC039302) Registered in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee No 976410 VAT No. 233 888 239 [MTT/JB-rb06.16] Knightrider Street

Maidstone Tree Trail

Palace Avenue College Road Carriage museum

Town All Saints Hall The Market Bank Street Buildings High Street

Fremlins Walk

St Faith’s Earl Street Band Mill Street stand Archbishop’s Palace Pudding Lane 2.5m walk to Brenchley St Faith’s Street Gdns.

Museum & Library

Bishop’s Way Medway Street Medway Fremlins

3m walk to Route back to museum Allington Lock River Medway

1. Himalayan Birch Red Horse Chestnut plaque commemorating Andrew this cross this junction and enter the Redwood notice a low Mulberry Betula utilis Aesculus x carnea Broughton ‘Mayor and ’. grounds of the Archbishop’s Palace. growing propped-up by a post. John Similar to our native Birch but with Horse Chestnut, a native of the Following the battle of Maidstone Tradescant the elder, (see overleaf) bigger leaves and beautiful white Balkan peninsula was introduced 1648, Broughton, as Clerk of the The Carriage Museum and collected Mulberries for Charles I who peeling bark. to Britain by plant hunter John High Court of Justice read out the garden wished to encourage a home-grown Tradescant from his 1621 expedition sentence, declaring that King Charles Opposite the Archbishop’s Palace silk worm industry. 2. Soldier Monument to the Mediterranean. This pink I should be put to death. when the is the Museum of Carriages which This monument is a tribute by the flowered variety is a hybrid between King returned to power Broughton can be visited. This building was 14. All Saints Church town to Maidstone’s 36 Engineer Horse Chestnut and Red Buckeye fled to Switzerland where he found originally a lodging place for horses Through the archway the path will Regiment depicting a soldier from America. This tree, unlike the sanctuary and spent his life in exile. and servants of visitors to the pass All Saints Church, built on the returning home from a mission in white flowered Horse Chestnut, Archbishop’s Palace. site of a 7th century Saxon church. Afghanistan. doesn’t attract the Leaf Miner moth. William Hazlitt All Saints was completed in 1398. Variegated Norway The Hazlitt theatre in Earl Street is 12. Archbishop’s palace, Inside the church there is memorial The caterpillars of the moth feed on Maple leaf 3. Sycamore Horse Chestnut leaves and cause named after William Hazlitt, essayist All Saints Church and The to the great uncle of George Acer pseudoplatanus brown patches in summer. and artist, whose father was a Priest’s College complex Washington which shows the stars A big Sycamore. Notice the winged minister at the church which stands The Archbishop’s Palace was a and stripes on the family coat of seeds which are affectionately called London Planes in the lane. resting place for archbishop’s arms. These symbols became the helicopters because they spin to the Platanus × acerifolia The Royal Star, now a shopping travelling between London and basis for the American flag. ground. London Plane is a cross between the arcade was once Maidstone’s premier Canterbury. In the 14th century, King Oriental Plane and American Plane hotel. Queen Victoria stayed here in Richard II granted permission to From the church, go down steps and 4. Common Lime which were originally from different 1836. William Courtenay, Archbishop of cross over a wide sloping track. Tilia x europea continents. It is thought that the Canterbury to build All Saints Church Common Lime, not to be confused two species crossed accidentally, At the end of the market buildings and The College of Priests on the site The Old Horseway with the citrus fruit, is commonly probably somewhere in Europe cross the High street. of the earlier St Mary’s Church. This track which passes downhill known as Linden; the wood is easy to where they were growing in close from Knightrider Street between work and nowadays it is commonly proximity. Some people think this 11. The High Street and John Ball – a Hedge Priest All Saints Church and The Priests used to make electric guitars. It could have happened in John Jubilee square John Ball was imprisoned in the College to the Millenium Bridge was is the tallest deciduous tree that Tradescant the Younger’s garden in In 1554 Protestant Sir Thomas Wyatt Archbishop’s palace for preaching historically called the Horseway, an commonly occurs in Britain and London where both species were of , Maidstone, ideas about social equality and old fording point on the river. It has has leaves shaped like hearts. Lime growing. The London Plane has started an uprising here to prevent was freed by ’s men in been suggested that Knightrider flower nectar is a valuable source since been planted all over London Queen Mary’s marriage to Catholic The Peasants’ Revolt in 1381. Wat Street is named after the night of food for Honey Bees and can be because it is tolerant to atmospheric Philip of Spain. The uprising failed, Tyler was later killed as he stormed watchman who used to patrol the made into a soothing tea. Nearby is pollution. The bark naturally flakes off Wyatt was executed and Maidstone the Tower of London. Ball went on town after dark to alert the townsfolk an attractive form of the variegated and in doing so removes any dirt. lost its royal charter. The interiors the preach his famous sermon at of invaders. See photo overleaf. Norway Maple (4a). of the two buildings below can be Blackheath which contained the 8. Havoc Square viewed as they are now pubs. words: 15. River Millenium Park 5. Ginkgo A plaque in Havoc Square “When Adam delved and Eve span, To celebrate the new millenium, the Ginkgo biloba commemorates The Battle of The Muggleton Inn who was then the gentleman. From area around the River Medway in Also known as the Maidenhair tree. Maidstone, 1 June 1648, when At 8-9 The High Street is a the beginning all men by nature Maidstone was developed and a new This tree, introduced in 1730, is now parliamentary forces recaptured the magnificent building, built in 1827 as were created alike.” bridge erected. This park runs along only native to China and is found in town from the Royalists who fled to the Kent Fire Brigade’s Head Office, the River Medway 6.6m from Pacifist and song writer Sidney Carter fossils all over the globe from the nearby St Faiths Church where they is now a pub named The Muggleton, downstream to Allington. used the words to compose, a now Jurassic period. It is so different from surrendered. a name Charles Dickens is thought to popular, folk song titled ‘Sing John other plants that exist today that it Towards the top of St Faith’s Street have used for Maidstone in his book Continue on this side of the river Ball’. John Ball was later captured has been classified in its own order. is a row of almshouses donated to The Pickwick Papers. through the college gardens through and hanged, drawn and quartered in the poor of the town by Sir John an archway of Horse Chestnut and the presence of Richard II. 6. Memories of War Banks, a Member of Parliament for The Brenchley Yew trees into the ampitheatre Now a pub, this building was – a pleasant place for a picnic. House of Commons finial Maidstone. formerly the National Westminster Infirmarer’s garden To the front of the palace is walled This finial crowned the main wall of 9. Fremlin’s Walk Bank. Continue downstream back towards the House of Commons debating Apothecary’s Garden containing local maidstone along the river path. Shopping Centre fruit varieties. chamber that was destroyed in the This new shopping street was built The Town Hall German blitz in 1941. It was given on the site of Fremlin’s, one of Kent’s and Bank Street From the palace either head down Cross the river via the ‘Millenium to Maidstone in 1948 by Alfred main breweries. Hops, the ingredient It is believed that the main market the slope to the river to 13 (no steps Bridge’ and turn left to view the C Bossom, MP longest serving that adds bitterness to beer, have was held here from at least as far involved) or through the archway into enormous riverside Planes. The representative of this borough. been grown in Kent since the 16th back as the 1200s until the 1820s. the churchyard to 14 (steps involved). Medway Valley Walk continues century. In Victorian times it was the The Town Hall dates from 1763. upstream through the villages of East War memorial biggest industry in the county. Every In the attic is an old gaol with 18th 13. Mulberry Morus nigra Farleigh, Teston, and A memorial pays tribute to ‘The September casual workers from Kent, century graffiti on the wall which can and Giant Redwood Yalding to Tonbridge. Glorious Dead of the Queen’s own London, Sussex and East Anglia be visited. Sequoiadendron giganteum Royal West Kent Regiment’. Designed would come to Kent to pick the hops On the slope towards the river you 16. London Planes by Sir Edward Lutyens, it is a 2/3 which were dried out in oast houses Bank Street and will encounter Giant Redwood Trees. Platanus × acerifolia replica of his Whitehall Cenotaph in which you can still see dotted across Victorian Gin Also known as Wellingtonia’s, this As you can see on the cover of this London. There has been a permanent the countryside. The best preserved medieval street species is the world’s largest tree. leaflet, several enormous bulbous military presence in Maidstone since in Maidstone. In Victorian times Plantsman William Lobb brought London Plane trees sit along the the second half of the 18th century. Walk out of the arch and turn left up 5,000 litres of spirit a week could be seeds to the UK in 1853 and botanist riverside walk set out in 1699. For Earl Street and right into the market produced here. John Lindley named it after the many years the area this side of the 7. Bandstand buildings. Duke of Wellington who defeated river, known as Fairmeadow, was the The bandstand which dates from Continue down Bank Street, turn left Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo site of Maidstone’s livestock market. the time when Brenchley gardens 10. Earl Street and down Mill Street to the traffic lights. in 1815. Today this area is the site of a new was laid out, incorporates the names The Market Buildings You will cross the which has The Americans had wished to cinema complex and continues of composers on the sides. It hosts On Earl Street, on the right before been dammed to make a mill pond name the tree Washingtonia after to hold the Maidstone market on music at weekends in the summer. the market buildings, there is a which you will pass on the left. After their first president. Next to the Giant Tuesdays and Saturdays.