IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Lower Road, MAIDSTONE, ME17 3BL

A Shepherd Neame pub on Lower Road.

Until recently (2020), this building in Lower Road was The Clothworkers' Arms. Built in the mid 19th century, of roughcast brick under a tile roof. The Clothworkers' Arms celebrated the village's connection with William Lambe, Master of the Clothworkers' Company in the 16th century. He used his fortune in many charitable works, including the founding of Sutton Valence School. Sutton Valence is a village 5¼ miles southeast of Maidstone and about 13 miles northwest of Ashford. The area was settled in the Iron Age and a Roman road passes through. Known as Sutton until the manor became the property of William de Valence, The village is home to a castle, now ruinous, built in the late 12th century and one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1576 as a Free Grammar School.

In Lower Road, Motto Cottages, seen here, and Motto House Image, were built in the 17th century with mid or late 19th century alterations. Constructed of brick with the first floor tile hung, all under a tile roof. The biblical texts set into the hung tiles probably date from the time when there was a strong non-conformist presence in the village. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1060911 Sutton Valence is a village 5¼ miles southeast of Maidstone and about 13 miles northwest of Ashford. The area was settled in the Iron Age and a Roman road passes through. Known as Sutton until the manor became the property of William de Valence, The village is home to a castle, now ruinous, built in the late 12th century and one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1576 as a Free Grammar School.

The steps up from just west of the Swan, to 'Bloody Mountain'...the School Playing fields, where reputedly, Roman soldiers fought a battle with Britons and their ghosts can still be seen on a misty winter's night. (On the way home from the Swan, more often than not!)

In Lower Road, Motto House, seen here, and Motto Cottages Image, were built in the 17th century with mid or late 19th century alterations. Constructed of brick with the first floor tile hung, all under a tile roof. The biblical texts set into the hung tiles probably date from the time when there was a strong non-conformist presence in the village. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1060911 Sutton Valence is a village 5¼ miles southeast of Maidstone and about 13 miles northwest of Ashford. The area was settled in the Iron Age and a Roman road passes through. Known as Sutton until the manor became the property of William de Valence, The village is home to a castle, now ruinous, built in the late 12th century and one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1576 as a Free Grammar School.

A Shepherd Neame pub on Lower Road.

In Lower Road, Candy Cottage, left, and Townwell Cottage, occupy an early 17th century house divided into two. Constructed of painted brick on a stone plinth with the first floor tile hung, all under a tile roof. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1060870 Sutton Valence is a village 5¼ miles southeast of Maidstone and about 13 miles northwest of Ashford. The area was settled in the Iron Age and a Roman road passes through. Known as Sutton until the manor became the property of William de Valence, The village is home to a castle, now ruinous, built in the late 12th century and one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1576 as a Free Grammar School.