Pictures of England

Search:

Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

ad
ad
ad
ad

Pictures of Archbishops Palace

a Historic Building in the town of Maidstone, in the county of Kent

About Archbishops Palace

Lying in a gorgeous scenic location beside the River Medway is the ancient Palace belonging to the Archbishop's of Canterbury, prior to Henry VIII's day. A great survival of the 14th century, the Archbishop's Palace is one of Maidstone's oldest buildings. It is built of Kentish Ragstone, known also as limey sandstone, a sedimentary rock which formed on the seabed of Maidstone millions of years ago, possibly as far back as when dinosaurs walked the earth.

Interestingly, the new door to the present-day Registry Office on the ground floor of the palace is made of shelly oolitic limestone, also of the Jurassic period, it came from Oxfordshire.

The well preserved palace still retains many of its original features, the Medieval great hall is particularly beautiful, this has exquisite wood panelling and elegant tapestry window dressings. A lovely stone fire-place and walls hung with original oil paintings give a timeless impression of the lavish lifestyle of the early princes of the church. This splendid hall, like many other rooms in the palace is let out for a variety of ceremonial occasions including weddings.

The sighting of the ancient palace, accessible by water makes it a highly desirable wedding venue, allowing the modern bride to arrive in romantic fashion by boat or river bus. The sweetly scented gardens surrounding the front of the palace makes the perfect spot to capture on camera memories of a very special day spent amongst the ambience of buildings that have fortunately managed to transcend the hand of time.

Visitors are welcome to tour any of the rooms not in use. Kent Garden Trust cares for the Apothecary's Garden, this can be enjoyed by members of the public on any Wednesday afternoon between May and August.

Share the beauty of England..

Recommended towns & villages near Archbishops Palace

Aylesford medieval bridge over the River Medway in Kent is overlooked by the parish church.

Aylesford (50 Pictures)

a Picturesque Village in the county of Kent

(3.0 miles, 4.8 km, direction NW)

Aylesford is a large village in Kent, 4 miles NW of the county town of Maidstone. It sits on the river Medway, and has many interesting and historic buildings including the 14th.....

Marle Place Gardens, Brenchley, Kent - TN12 7HS

Brenchley (10 Pictures)

in the county of Kent

(10.0 miles, 16.1 km, direction SW)

Brenchley is a beautiful "showpiece" village full of picturesque Tudor cottages, complimented by houses from the Regency and Victorian periods...

view of Tonbridge from Tonbridge Castle, Kent

Tonbridge (32 Pictures)

a Historic Market Town in the county of Kent

(11.8 miles, 19.0 km, direction SW)

Fine streets show a rich variety of architecture including typical Wealden tile-hung properties, and handsome Georgian and Victorian buildings dominating the river scene...

Cranbrook Mill built in 1814 (Tallest smock mill in England) Cranbrook, Kent

Cranbrook (7 Pictures)

a Historic Market Town in the county of Kent

(12.0 miles, 19.4 km, direction S)

Cranbrook is an old rural town of numerous streets and alleys, all still true to their medieval layout...

St Andrews Church

Gravesend (270 Pictures)

in the county of Kent

(13.5 miles, 21.7 km, direction NW)

Attractive old town overlooking the Thames estuary with walkways and picnic sites ideal for watching the busy water traffic, for this stretch of the river is said to be one of the busiest in the world...

All towns in Kent
Complete A to Z of towns in England

Recommended attractions near Archbishops Palace

Leeds Castle in Kent

Leeds Castle (335 Pictures)

(5.0 miles, 8.0 km, direction E)

Listed in the Domesday Book, this castle has been a Norman stronghold, a royal residence for six of England's medieval queens, a.....

Coldrum Long Barrow - the least-damaged megalithic longbarrow in Kent.

Coldrum Long Barrow (9 Pictures)

(7.2 miles, 11.6 km, direction NW)

..

Rochester Cathedral

Rochester Cathedral (104 Pictures)

(7.8 miles, 12.6 km, direction N)

Rochester Cathedral is awesome in its beauty, matching this is an impressive history stretching back to when the cathedral was.....

Charles Dickens Chalet, Rochester, Kent

Charles Dickens Chalet (4 Pictures)

(8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction N)

Unfortunately due to its fragility, the Dickens Chalet is not open to the public although it can be viewed from outside. The.....

Rochester Castle

Rochester Castle (88 Pictures)

(8.2 miles, 13.2 km, direction N)

The impressive ruins of Rochester Castle at the side of the Medway River make up one of the most spectacular riverside views in.....


All attractions in Kent
Complete A to Z of attractions in England