Allington is an almost entirely modern village situated on either side of the A20 road west of
MaidstoneMaidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
in
KentKent , originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent...
. It is part of the built-up area of Maidstone. It also has 2 primary schools; Allington Primary and Palace Wood. In the centre of Allington is the Mid Kent Shopping Centre.
The name Allington, which is shared by another place of the same name near
LenhamLenham is a market village in Kent situated on the southern edge of the North Downs, halfway between Maidstone and Ashford. The picturesque square in the village has two public houses , a couple of restaurants, and a tea-room....
, is derived from the Old English
tun farmstead; it comes via eleventh-century
Elentun and was connected with a man called Ælla.
Its main claim to history is
Allington CastleAllington Castle is a stone-built moated castle in Allington, just north of Maidstone, Kent. It is a Grade I listed building. Much of the stonework was laid in an intricate herringbone pattern which is still visible today...
, which was originally built in the 11th century. In 1281 the present stone castle was built, which was converted to a mansion in the 15th century. In 1492 the castle came into the possession of the
Wyatt familySir Thomas Wyatt the younger was a rebel leader during the reign of Queen Mary I of England; his rising is traditionally called "Wyatt's rebellion".-Birth and career:...
By the mid-19th century it was derelict, but was restored in 1905; in 1951 it was taken over by the Carmelite order. Today it is owned by Sir
Robert WorcesterSir Robert Worcester, KBE, DL born December 21, 1933, is the founder of the MORI polling and research organisation, and a member and contributor to many voluntary organisations. He is a well known figure in British public opinion research and political circles and as a media commentator, especially...
as a private residence and is not open to the public.
The few dwellings around the castle had a population of 49 in 1841. There was a church dedicated to St Laurence which closed in 1969. In the modern village is a modern parish church dedicated to St Nicholas, the second to be built on the site. Furnishings from St Laurence's are used here.
Down the hill from St Laurences Church is the
River MedwayThe River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
, and Allington Lock and Allington Sluice. There is a footpath over the lock. Below the lock, the Medway becomes tidal. On the other bank is the Malta Inn, and the
Museum of Kent LifeThe Museum of Kent Life is an open air museum located at Sandling, next to Allington Locks on the east bank of the River Medway.- History :Sir Hugh Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake bequeated the Cobtree Manor Estate to Maidstone Borough Council in 1966. A part of the estate was Sandling Farm, on the banks of...
(open March to October). A footpath runs from here to
TestonTeston is a village in the civil parish of Barming in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. It is located on the A26 road out of Maidstone, four miles from the town centre. There is a narrow stone bridge over the River Medway here....
.
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