Mote Park: A History by Paul Oldham
Paul gave us a very interesting talk about Mote Park which was mentioned in the Doomsday book.
The estate used to cover the most of Maidstone and has been owned by several influential people including Thomas Wyatt the younger and in 1690 it passed to Sir John Marsham. Marsham Street and Marsham Ward in Maidstone Hospital have been named after him.
The Marsham family also had an influence on other buildings in Maidstone including the Prison and Oakwood Lunatic Asylum. In 1895 the estate was sold to Marcus Samuel 1st Viscount of Bearsted and in 1929 Marcus sold the majority of the estate to the Maidstone corporation for £50,000 and converted the house into an orphanage.
The park was remodelled following its purchase in the 1930s and now contains several recreational facilities including a cricket club, children’s play area and swimming pool.