The Archbishop's Palace

The Archbishop's Palace. . The Medieval Palace has developed and changed since the Middle Ages, with parts being removed and rebuilt according to the needs of the time. The initial buildings were built prior to the Domesday Book, and in 1086, were likely to have been a Royal gift. Maidstone formed part of a series of palaces, such as Charing, Otford and Croydon, used by the Archbishops when travelling around the diocese., At the Reformation, the Palace was given up to the Crown, which sold it in the 1580s to Sir John Astley (Master of Queen Elizabeth's Jewels). He was probably responsible for reforming the main Palace buildings in typically Elizabethan style, giving them much of their current appearance. The courtyard, bordered by the River Len, the River Medway, All Saints Church and the stables, provided shelter and rest for those travelling to Canterbury. The latter survive as a fine example of 15th-Century architecture they have housed the Carriage Museum since 1946. The Gatehouse is another fragment of the Medieval Palace, and formed part of a lodgings range where retainers or guests of the Archbishop would have been accommodated., The Palace Chapel was demolished in 1730 and, by the 19th Century, the main building had been divided into two houses. By 1887 it was semi-derelict and due to be demolished for warehouses and cottages. However, it was bought by public subscription and presented to the town to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.