News Maidstone’s Marvellous Murals celebrate heritage, communities and creativity
Residents and visitors may have noticed a splash of colour appearing across Maidstone as four new murals have been installed at various locations around the town. The free, publicly accessible artworks celebrate Maidstone’s past, present and future in bright and brilliant tributes.
Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, local artist Danielle Williamson has been creating these largescale artworks over recent months, working with residents, schools and community groups to create eye-catching artworks that reflect different aspects of Maidstone’s unique identity.
The first mural, located at Crundale Court, was created in partnership with Golding Homes and local residents. Children from the area were invited to take part in a competition to design their own mural and these ideas were incorporated into the final artwork. This mural is part of the wider refurbishment of Crundale Court and the ongoing revitalisation of the area.
The new mural at Crundale Court. Featuring stylised flowers, trees and rainbow motifs in bright colours
The second mural can be found at the underpass entrance, opposite Drake’s, in Maidstone town centre. Inspired by the wildlife and natural beauty of the River Medway, the artwork illustrates a tranquil river scene which forms part of this year’s celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Maidstone River Park.
The new mural at the entrance to the underpass. A river scene is depicted with a heron, swan and other river wildlife
A third mural, situated underneath St Peter’s Bridge, highlights Maidstone’s rich and industrious heritage. The artwork spells out the name ‘Maidstone’ with each letter representing an important part of the borough’s history. These include hops and a tankard of beer to celebrate the town’s brewing tradition and the former Fremlin Brewery, as well as Kentish cherries, a Spitfire aircraft and sweets as a nod to Sharp’s factory and its ‘Super-Kreem’ toffee. The artwork also includes the iconic Iggy the Iguanodon, whose fossilised skeleton was discovered in a Maidstone quarry in 1834 and kick-started the study of dinosaurs.
The fourth and final mural, being installed between Bank Street and the High Street, celebrates modern Maidstone. The artwork reflects the borough’s diversity, community spirit and the qualities that make it a welcoming place to live, work and visit.
Cllr Stephen Thompson, Cabinet Member for Healthier Stronger Communities, said: “These fantastic murals are a wonderful celebration of Maidstone's heritage, communities and local identity; each artwork tells a different story about our borough. Through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we've been able to support projects that not only enhance our public spaces but also bring people together and encourage local pride. It's been particularly rewarding to see residents, schoolchildren and community groups play a direct role in shaping these artworks, creating a lasting legacy that can be enjoyed for years to come."
The mural project also includes an additional three-dimensional artwork now on display at Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre. Crafted by artist Laura Thomas, this mural is unique through its collaboration with pupils from Archbishop Courtenay Primary School. For this project, the students created a stunning river scene using recycled bottle tops which they had been busy collecting. The mural was unveiled by the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Brian Clark, at a special preview in June.
The Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Brian Clark, poses with children from Archbishop Courtenay Primary School in front of their new mural at Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre
Each of these murals have been designed to champion Maidstone’s history, as well as its future, contributing to the town centre’s vitality and regeneration.