Comedian Hugh Dennis visits Kent museum to open new gallery

A local Kent museum is not the first place you would expect to run into a legendary comedian, but if you were in Maidstone at the start of the week, you just may have. Renowned TV funny man Hugh Dennis headed over to Maidstone Museum this week to open its new archaeology gallery.

Known for hit TV shows including Outnumbered, Mock the Week and Not Going Out to name but a few, Hugh also hosts The Great British Dig. After finishing three series and investigating nearly 30 sites, the comic has developed quite an interest in archaeology and heritage issues.

Hugh took part in the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the ‘Lives In Our Landscape’ gallery at Maidstone Museum, which is open to the public as of Wednesday, June 5. Hugh said “I’d heard about the progress of the new Lives in our Landscape gallery for some time, through friends at the Kent Archaeological Society. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to officially open the gallery!

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“Maidstone Museum have really achieved something quite outstanding with this immersive and exciting gallery. I would encourage everyone to come and see it and experience the changing landscapes of Kent for themselves.”

This latest exhibit tells the story of how exactly people have lived in Maidstone over a vast amount of time, with an array of fascinating artefacts giving a glimpse into life during these different stages of history. Objects dating back over 60,000 are on display, from the earliest type of humans hunting animals with stone tools in a forested landscape, up to the medieval period, when Maidstone developed as a bustling market town.

Maidstone Museum Manager, Natalie Moor said: “The gallery will transport people through time and allow them to imagine how a person lived thousands of years ago. The skeleton and film of the Eastry woman, buried nearly 1,500 years ago is a great example of this. They tell her story and give clues about her life through scientific analysis of her teeth and bones.”

“Another great example is the recreation of what a man from the 15th century could have looked like after a skull from Trottiscliffe has been scanned and investigated. Visitors to the new gallery will be able to look into the face of someone who lived around 600 years ago. Maidstone Museum is free to visit and we look forward to welcoming you to see all the wonderful artefacts which tell us so much about our past.”

An interactive touchscreen map will guide visitors through the discoveries that have been unearthed in Maidstone over the years. Meanwhile, hands-on activities will give guests a chance to handle objects, try on costumes and interact with the exhibit.

The gallery was funded through a number of donations, including £100,000 from the William and Edith Oldham Charitable Trust, matched by £100,000 raised by Maidstone Museums’ Foundation (MMF), which includes donations from the Gallagher Group and Family, The Cobtree Charity Trust and a former Mayor of Maidstone, Dan Daley, together with £389,000 from the Council. The museum is free to attend, though donations are welcome. Further information about Maidstone Museum and its opening times can be found here.

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