Comprising 450 acres of historic parkland, Mote Park’s wide variety of facilities, attractions and scenery make it an excellent place to go for a day out – and its location means that it’s easily accessible from Maidstone town centre.
Formerly a country estate, the history of Mote Park dates back to the 13th Century. During the late 1700s the grounds were considerably improved, and the mansion that still stands overlooking the lake was built. At its peak in the late 1800s, the estate featured extensive gardens containing exotic plants, orangeries, vineries and peach houses maintained by 25 gardening staff.
Today, despite the loss of the formal gardens, the park can boast an impressive array of more modern features – there’s a cafeteria, BMX track, pitch and putt course, model railway and children’s play area, not to mention the broad expanse of football and rugby pitches next to the nearby Maidstone Leisure Centre. Meanwhile, angling, sailing and model boating clubs all use the main lake. For those seeking a more relaxed way to spend the day, the extensive network of surfaced paths around the park provide countless beautiful views across the parkland and its lakes.
In summer, the park’s open grassland becomes the site of a variety of different events, from funfairs to the annual Maidstone Cultural Mela. Thanks to a recent £2.5m development scheme, from 2011 the park has benefitted from the planting of 140 new parkland trees, while local historic views were restored, and the ecology of the park safeguarded for the future.
Easy access information
This park and open space has well surfaced routes suitable for visitors with pushchairs and/or wheelchairs, and has no width restricting features, such as stiles or non RADAR kissing gates.
