Maidstone's Status & Charter
Maidstone's charter as a town was first confirmed in 1549 – and, after being briefly revoked, a new charter in 1551 created the town as a borough. In 1619 the town’s charter was ratified under James I, and the coat of arms was designed. This initially displayed a golden lion and an image of the river, but recently received the addition of a white horse’s head, a golden lion and an iguanodon. The horse signifies Invicta, the motto of the county of Kent, and the iguanodon recounts the local 19th century discovery of such a dinosaur fossil, the remains of which can now be viewed in London’s Natural History Museum.
