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Maidstone, Kent (England)

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019

Flag description

Flag Description

Maidstone is the seat of Kent County.
Flag: It is a banner of arms. But the “chief” acc. to blazon covers the complete upper half of the banner.
Source: I spotted this flag on 12 September 2019 in front of the local town hall.

Coat of Arms:
Shield Or, a fess wavy Azure between three torteaux, i.e. red roundels, chief Gules charged with a lion passant guardant Or, armed Azure and tongued Gules.

Not represented on the flag are the crest, supporters and motto. Furthermore in blazon neither the red tongue nor the blue armour are mentioned.
Crest: Issuant from a Mural Crown Or a Horse's Head Argent gorged with a Chaplet of Hops fruited proper, Mantled Azure doubled Or.
Supporters: On the dexter side an Iguanodon proper collared Gules and on the sinister side a Lion Or collared Gules.
Motto: 'AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE'.

The wavy fess represents the River Medway and the red roundels are from the arms of Archbishop Courtenay, who built All Saints Church at the end of the 14th century. The lion is that one of England. The mural crown represents municipal government and the horse’s head is taken from the arms of the Kent County Council. The hops is referring to the famous kind, cultivated in the district is. The Iguanodon is referring to the town’s prehistoric background, a complete skeleton of this creature had been found within the borough’s boundaries. The supporting lion is derived from that one on the shield. The supporters originally had scrolls hanging from the collars about their necks bearing the dates 1549, when Maidstone received its first charter of incorporation and 1949, the 400th anniversary.
Sources:
1) I spotted these arms on 12 September 2019 on the door plate of the local town hall.
2) https://heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Maidstone
The Coat of Arms was recorded (without tinctures) at the Heraldic Visitation of 17th August 1619 and was confirmed on 30 June 1949, when crest and supporters were granted. The arms were granted again on 26 November 1987.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019