Located in the county of Kent, and around five miles west of Maidstone, is the town of West Malling.

The town's name is derived from Old English 'Meallingas', meaning 'the people of Mealla'. The west prefix distinguishes it from the neighbouring village of East Malling about a mile and a half away.

Between 1077 and 1108 St Leonard's Tower was built by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, although very little is known of its history or intended purpose. In circa 1090, Gundulf founded St Mary's Abbey in West Malling for Benedictine nuns. This was in operation until 1538 when it was dissolved by Henry VIII. Gundulf was also responsible for construction of St Mary's Church, which retains its original Norman tower. The rest of the church dates predominantly from the 13th to 15th centuries. Among West Malling's other architectural highlights are various timber-framed buildings from the Tudor era or earlier on King Street, and several Georgian houses along the High Street.

In circa 1791 J. M. W. Turner painted a watercolour of 'St Mary's Abbey and an ornamental waterfall' on Swan Street. The exact spot that featured in the painting is seen just after the 10-minute mark, and is marked by a blue plaque.

In 1874 the railway arrived in West Malling. The station is situated on the Kent Downs Line which runs between Swanley and Ashford International.

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Filmed: 10th May 2024

Link to the walk on Google Maps: [ Ссылка ]

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 St Leonard's Street
2:12 High Street
5:37 Swan Street
14:09 High Street
15:43 King Street
18:53 High Street
20:06 Town Hill
21:22 St Leonard's Tower

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