Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum

The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum stands inside Maidstone Museum & Art Gallery on St Faith’s Street in Maidstone. The building itself is a 19th-century structure that once housed the town’s prison. Inside the museum the regiment’s history is told through uniforms, medals and weapons. Four Victoria Crosses awarded to regiment members are on display. These medals belonged to John Pennington Harman, John Coleman, Charles Lumley and Thomas James Harris. The collection shows how the regiment fought in both world wars and in earlier campaigns. Visitors see the colours carried by the 4th and 5th battalions during the 19th century. Photographs and documents bring to life the lives of ordinary soldiers. The displays explain how the regiment earned its reputation for bravery. The Victoria Crosses are kept in a special case that draws attention. A visitor finds a quiet room inside the larger art gallery. The walls are lined with photographs of soldiers and battle scenes. Glass cases hold rifles, swords and regimental drums. A large map shows the regiment’s movements across the empire. Nearby stands a model of the Crimean War trenches where the regiment served. The atmosphere is calm, allowing time to read the stories behind each object.