During the Second World War Maidstone was designated a 'nodal point' that is a town that was to be heavily defended in the event of German invasion. Maidstone was a Category 'A' nodal point with the reference 'N.5', also termed a 'fortress' ('F.1') with an officially-designated garrison. It had all-round defences including anti-tank ditches, pillboxes, anti-tank blocks and battle HQs.

The defence area forms part of the Newhaven-Cliffe branch of the GHQ Line [for a description of this Line, see Defence Area 17 - Old Lodge Warren]. The Line had followed the course of the River Medway from Penshurst, and now passed in a loop around Maidstone before entering the Medway Valley to cut through the North Downs on its way to the River Thames. As with other sectors of the GHQ Line, it was defended here by infantry pillboxes interspersed with anti-tank gun emplacements at important crossing points. Bridges were prepared for demolition, and roads and railways set with blocks to be used in the event of an invasion.

Maidstone was a Category 'A' nodal point with the reference 'N.5', also termed a 'fortress' ('F.1') with an officially-designated garrison. It had all-round defences including artificial anti-tank ditches strengthening the perimeter on its eastern side. It lay within its own Maidstone Sub-Area [originally termed a Sector], part of the military Home Counties Area (later, Kent Area). Its garrison came principally from the 11th (Maidstone) Battalion, Kent Home Guard, but with some regular troops in addition to companies drawn from other Home Guard battalions. In June 1941, it consisted of 985 men (860 rifles) with twenty-four Boys anti-tank rifles, two Bren light machine guns, and five Northover Projectors.

Of adjacent areas, Teston and Aylesford were designated 'defended localities', and Larkfield and West Malling, 'defended villages'. Under the Maidstone Garrison Defence Plan, Allington Lock also received special protection.

As part of the fortification of the GHQ Line, infantry type 24 pillboxes were built at regular intervals on the west bank of the river, also being sited against the cuttings and embankments of the railway line behind. A number of pillboxes were constructed around Allington Castle strengthening the defences of Allington Lock a few hundred yards downstream. A type 28A anti-tank gun emplacement to take a 6pdr. gun, with a side chamber for light machine gun fire, defended the Lock itself [UORN 9510], while a further similar emplacement stood at a point close to the railway a little further to the west. (1)

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 2002, Defence Area 67: River Medway, Maidstone (Defence of Britain area reports) (Bibliographic reference). SKE17229.