Allington, Kent

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Allington
population = 7,100 (2005) [cite web | title = 2005 Ward Level Population Estimates | publisher = Kent County Council | url = http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E503169D-C06B-498F-BD0A-678EE22B4D37/6841/sae108.pdf |month=September | year=2006| accessdate = 2007-08-20 |format=PDF]
shire_district= Maidstone
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Maidstone and The Weald
post_town= MAIDSTONE
postcode_district= ME16
postcode_area=ME
dial_code= 01622
os_grid_reference= TQ745575
latitude= 51.2903
longitude= 0.5019
static_

static_image_caption=Allington Castle from the opposite bank of the Medway, in February 2007.

Allington is an almost entirely modern village situated on either side of the A20 road west of Maidstone in Kent. It is part of the built-up area of Maidstone. It also has 2 primary schools; Allington Primary and Palace Wood. In the centre of Allington is the Mid Kent Shopping Centre.

The name Allington, which is shared by another place of the same name near Lenham, is derived from the Old English "tun" farmstead; it comes via eleventh-century "Elentun" and was connected with a man called Ælla.

Its main claim to history is Allington Castle, which was originally built in the 11th century. In 1281 the present stone castle was built, which was converted to a mansion in the 15th century. In 1492 the castle came into the possession of the Wyatt family By the mid-19th century it was derelict, but was restored in 1905; in 1951 it was taken over by the Carmelite order. Today it is owned by Sir Robert Worcester as a private residence and is not open to the public.

The few dwellings around the castle had a population of 49 in 1841. There was a church dedicated to St Laurence which closed in 1969. In the modern village is a modern parish church dedicated to St Nicholas, the second to be built on the site. Furnishings from St Lawrence's are used here.

Down the hill from St Laurences Church is the River Medway, and Allington Lock and Allington Sluice. There is a footpath over the lock. Below the lock, the Medway becomes tidal. On the other bank is the Malta Inn, and the Museum of Kent Life (open March to October). A footpath runs from here to Teston.

References

External links

* [http://www.touruk.co.uk/castles/castle_allington.htm Allington Castle]
* [http://stnicholas.me16.com/ St Nicholas Church]
* [http://www.allingtonmarina.com/ Allington Marina]
* [http://kent.gov.uk/LibrariespublicUI/OpeningTimes/LibraryDetails.aspx?id=134 Allington Library]
* [http://uk.local.yahoo.com/Kent/Aylesford/Community_Centres/1002160483-e-11492.html Allington Community Association]
* [http://www.museum-kentlife.co.uk/CMS/webpages_public.asp?strID=Guest&strPageID=123 Museum of Kent Life]