Maidstone

Maidstone district lies in central Kent along the River Medway. The district's administrative centre is Maidstone town, historically the county town of Kent, where civic buildings and a commercial centre sit close to the river. Rail services from Maidstone link to London and routes across Kent, and the town's museum holds collections that reflect local archaeology and natural history. The Medway remains a working river with locks near Allington and a long history of milling and river trade.
Beyond the town the district covers villages and farmland on the North Downs and into the Weald. Leeds Castle sits within the district on islands in a series of lakes, surrounded by parkland that meets farmland and estate woodlands. Much of the district is given over to orchards and market gardening—Marden and its surrounding parishes are noted for fruit and vegetable production—and sections of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty provide pathways and viewpoints above the Medway valley.