A bloody period in history when soldiers clashed in town centre streets will be commemorated with an exhibition featuring arms and armour and a range of artefacts.

The display is the first of dozens of events aimed at bringing to life the events of the Battle of Maidstone, which happened 360 years ago in Gabriel’s Hill and throughout the town.

Arms and armour, fine and applied art and exhibits borrowed from major institutions around the country will be brought together to chart the origins of the Civil War, the reactions of local people and how the turmoil affected them.

The centrepiece will be a display about the battle itself, when Lord General Fairfax defeated Royalist insurgents in Maidstone.

The exhibition opens tomorrow at Maidstone Museum in St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, and runs until Sunday, July 6.

A festival organised by Maidstone council and sponsored by a host of local businesses, will include a series of talks, learning opportunities for schoolchildren and families, walks and a living history fayre.

Music will also play a part in the festivities, with Proms in the Park on Saturday, May 31, at the Riverstage in Millennium Park on Saturday, May 31.

The climax of the events will be a re-enactment of the battle when Royalists clashed with Parliamentarians, on Sunday, June 1.

A turning point in the Civil War, the battle ensued when Royalist rebels attempted to defend the town against 8,000 Parliamentarians. After clashing at the junction of Gabriel’s Hill and the High Street, the Royalists were forced to retreat along Week Street and eventually surrendered in the grounds of St Faith’s Church.

The festival has been staged thanks to sponsorship from the Kent Messenger Group and nine other firms: Maidstone Studios, The Stone Shop, Gullands Solicitors, GForces, Palace Estates, The Gallagher Group, The Mall Chequers, The Royal Star Arcade and DHA Planning.