The Archbishop's Palace

En un regard

Le château en bref

On the east bank of the Medway, in the heart of Maidstone, the Archbishop's Palace is the former residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury on the road between London and their see. Listed Grade I, it forms, together with All Saints Church, the former college and the stables, a remarkable medieval ensemble on the waterfront. The present building combines two periods: a stone palace built from 1348 by Archbishops Ufford and Islip, then enlarged by Morton in 1486, and a house largely rebuilt in the 16th century by Sir John Astley, to whom the Crown had granted it following the exchange agreed between Cranmer and Henry VIII. The river front, with its corbelled oriel window, recalls the ecclesiastical origins of the site, while the interiors retain Renaissance panelling and fireplaces. Owned by Maidstone Borough Council, the palace long served as Kent's register office and as a venue for civil weddings, until this function moved to Oakwood House in 2023. The council has since selected a conversion project combining a hotel, dining, events and public access.