‘Making Maidstone’ is a three-year project which will publish a book on the history of Maidstone from 1549-1660 with the help of volunteers from the local area. We are funded by The William and Edith Oldham Trust and supported by Victoria County History. The book will cover the incorporation of the town under Edward VI in 1549 to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. This includes, Wyatt’s Rebellion against the crown, the Reformation, and the Battle of Maidstone in 1648.
While this might all sound very dry and academic, our hope is that the research and writing of this volume will be completed as much by volunteers as by historians with multiple degrees. In exchange we will offer skills training, support, and a community of researchers interested in Kentish history.
In addition to the book we hope to support local education, develop exhibitions on Maidstone’s history, and reimagine Maidstone of the 16th and 17th centuries through immersive digital technologies. Additionally, we will be exploring how we can use creative approaches to get a better understanding of Maidstone is the 16th and 17th centuries. This will include performances of poems, songs, and plays.
Right now, we are just setting out on this journey and we hope that you will be patient while things get up and running. If you would like want to help us uncover Maidstone’s story then please get in touch.
This Website
Working with a community of people interested in the history of Maidstone is at the heart of what we want to do. Therefore, annotations are enabled on this site so you can let us know of any problems or additions which you think are required. These can be publicly viewable or kept private. Please see the image below for how to make annotations, highlights, or page notes. Please note You will require a Hypothesis account to post. The below image image omits the login or registration process.
