River Medway River Medway The River Medway is a river in South East England. It rises in the High Weald, Sussex and flows through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway conurbation in Kent, before emptying into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness, a total distance of . About of the river lies in Sussex, with the remainder being in Kent. It has a catchment area of , the second largest in southern England after the Thames. The map opposite shows only the major tributaries: a more detailed map shows the extensive network of smaller streams feeding into the main river. Those tributaries rise from
History of Maidstone near the river. Paper was produced at places such as Turkey Mill and Hayle Mill. Notable enterprises included the Whatman family and W&R Balston beginning in the 18th century and what was to become the Reed group had several paper and cardboard milling plants in Maidstone. History of Maidstone The History of Maidstone and its environs goes as far back as Mesolithic times. It has seen settlement by the Romans and the Normans and played its role in pivotal moments of English history such as the Peasants' Revolt and the English Civil War. It has also hosted a large Army