Maidstone - Kent - England - CITY TOUR

#maidstone

'Kent's county town, Maidstone, lies at the heart of the Garden of England. Here orchards and hop gardens surround romantic villages and must-see heritage sights.

The Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery has a 2700-year-old Egyptian mummy called Ta-Kush, who lies in state within the excellent Ancient Lives exhibition, which is accessible to all and explains the ancient lives of Egyptians and Greeks. There are also outstanding oil paintings, fine items from the Japanese Edo period, inspiring costume gallery, and the story behind the discovery of Maidstone's millennia-old iguanodon; the town's world-famous dinosaur find. Seasonally changing exhibitions ensure that there is always something new to explore.


Legend of Lady Godiva :


Lady Godiva is a key figure in the history of Coventry. The 900-year-old story was first recorded in Latin by two monks at St Albans Abbey. It was assumed these monks had heard the story from travellers making their way to the capital. So what has made this tale transcend not just space, from the Midlands to London, but time, being part of culture for 900 years? It’s time to look at the truth behind the legend of Lady Godiva.


In the eleventh century, Lady Godiva reportedly rode a horse completely naked through the streets of Coventry on Market Day. According to legend, her husband, Leofric, demanded an oppressive tax from Coventry citizens. Lady Godiva, aiming to help the citizens, pleaded for him to stop. Leofric supposedly said, “You will have to ride naked through Coventry before I change my ways.”


Before beginning this quest to help Coventry, Godiva told everyone to stay in their homes to preserve her modesty. She then rode through the streets, her long hair draped so that it covered almost her whole body, allowing only her legs and eyes to remain visible. However, one man, now known as Peeping Tom, disobeyed her instructions and couldn’t help looking out at Godiva riding through Coventry on the horse. Upon doing so, the legend goes, he was instantly blinded.

Lady Godiva is a legitimate historical figure, born in 990 A.D. It is unknown when she died, although it was assumed to be between 1066 and 1086. The real Godiva was known for being generous to the church. However, despite this historical legitimacy (i.e., the existence of the town and Godiva herself), there is doubt on her ride through Coventry due to a lack of records about it. The story only first appeared approximately one hundred years after her death, and the monk, Roger of Wendover, who recorded it was known for stretching the truth in his writings.

The Peeping Tom character was added to the story in the sixteenth century and later became a common term for a voyeur.