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Allington
Allington maps
Historic maps of Allington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Allington maps
Allington area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Allington and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Allington
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memories of Allington.
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1970s Allington
I moved to 71 Hildenborough Crescent, Allington, Maidstone, Kent in 1973 aged 10 years old.
In the nine years I lived there I saw many changes. Parts of Allington were still being built. There were no houses built in between the frontage of the Mid Kent shopping centre ... it was just waste land later to become Foyle Close. There were no houses built lower than than Lullistone Road down Castle Road. The Quarry was there but still easily accessable down the path behind Fordwich Close. I collected many fossils there. Before the Community Centre was built during the 70s it was just an orchard we used to play in. I remember the swimming pool being built at Allington County primary school and the sadness we all felt when told by Mr Williams the Headmaster of the school that one of the soldiers helping to build the pool was killed in an accident there.
Allington Castle was still open to the public then between 2pm and 4pm and there was... Read more
Kent memories
Notes From The Frith Files.
Ashby's was a grocery business started by Stephen Ashby in the 1920s. It was then run by his son Aubrey Ashby until the late 1950s when it was sold.
Mote Park. Our Backyard.
From the age of seven Mote Park was almost our backyard. We lived in Plains Avenue, just a few houses from the park keeper's lodge. We could also get to Mote Park by climbing over the fence at the bottom of our garden which led across allotments to Mote Park. I spent weeks wandering there and playing by the lake and later when I was working and had the time I would walk from my house to work at John Collier's menswear and back again in the evening. My partner and I have returned to Maidstone a lot recently and spent a great deal of time in Mote Park. So much has changed now though. The road in Plains Avenue used to be beautiful, lined with cherry blossom trees and with each front garden lovingly tended but now Car is King and most of the front gardens have been concreted over for car parking. It's the same all through Shepway Estate.
Mote Park seems to have improved in many... Read more
Great Great Grandfather
Actually previous to 1860's. My Great Grandfather was born Under-the-Cliffe, Maidstone in 1845. His name was Thomas Ackworth Parker and his parents were Thomas Edward Parker and Susanna Elizabeth Parker, formally Ackworth. I assume this is what is now known as the Undercliffe.
Cream Puff
I remember the"Loco" that took you up the drive. Seeing my first elephant plus seeing and eating my first cream puff in the "Cafe". Mother and I had the last one and I remember seeing the cream ooze out of the pores. That is all I remember of the Zoo. I was born 1936, the war finished 1945. I presume the Zoo closed for the duration so when did I visit?
Ashby's
I remember there being an Ashby's in Tonbridge Road down the road from the old trolley bus depot. My grandfather worked there as a cashier.
BUTTERFLIES
I believe my great uncle Edward Goodwin of Canon Court, Wateringbury, donated his Butterfly and Moth Collection to the Maidstone Museum on his death in 1934. Since that time I think the museum was burnt down, and of course, the butterfly collection too.
