Today's news that Kent Police is planning to vacate its headquarters in Maidstone after eight decades is just the latest chapter in the force's county town story.

With the future looking uncertain, Rhys Griffiths goes into the archives to explore the history of the police in Maidstone.

Prior to 1857, policing in communities across Kent had been the responsibility of smaller, local police forces based in individual towns and villages.

But it was in this year that John Henry Hay Ruxton, the first chief constable of Kent, was given the job of organising and leading the newly-formed Kent County Constabulary.

Ruxton was by all accounts a formidable character. A fearsome former King's Regiment captain, he had previously been in charge of prison ships taking convicts to Australia.

There he was responsible for setting up a penal colony, ensuring there was sufficient accommodation for officers, civilians and finally prison barracks.

This undoubtedly tough experience meant he was thought the ideal man to set up the Kent County Constabulary, and the new force was given its first headquarters at Wrens Cross in Stone Street, Maidstone.

Day-to-day responsibility for law and order in the county town fell to Maidstone Borough Police, which was formed in 1836 and used what has been described a rather ramshackle building off King Street.

The county forces' first home in Wrens Cross - never used as a public-accessible police station - was rented at first, before being bought in 1860 for the sum of £1,200.

Staffed by 222 officers and men under the leadership of Captain Ruxton, life on the constabulary was a tough one for the first Kent bobbies.

There were 12 superintendents in charge of divisions, and each was issued with a horse and a two-wheeled cart. Apart from the obvious supervisory role, they were used for a variety of purposes, including carrying prisoners to the prisons in Canterbury and Maidstone.

Initially the uniform consisted of a frock coat and a high hat. The more recognisable 'bobbies' helmet was not adopted in Kent until 1897.

At the time police officers would work seven days a week, and it was not until 1912 that police officers, sergeants and inspectors were allowed one day off each fortnight.

In 1889 the borough police forces of Deal, Hythe, Faversham, Sandwich, and Tenterden were absorbed into the Kent force, with the remaining nine following in 1943 during the Second World War. This had been expected to be temporary, but the move was never reversed once the conflict ended.

Ruxton - known by many as the Gentleman Chief - brought his 37-year term as chief constable to an end in August 1894. He died on April 20, 1897, and is buried in the parish church cemetery in Hawkhurst.

John Endicott, former curator at the Kent Police Museum, said: "Because of the length of service he gave the county, we believe he is the longest-serving Chief Constable in the country.

"He was known as a fair and just man, more often than not seen in his plus fours and tweed jacket than his uniform. He was fair to wrongdoers in the force, but if you crossed him twice, look out."

Changes to police life continued. Bicycles, ridden by officers in forage cap, knickers and puttees, were introduced in 1896, with 20 bought at a cost of £8 each.

It was not until 1930 that the force stepped up a gear and provided eight rural sergeants with motorbikes. This was followed one year later with one car and 19 motorbikes for road patrol.

By 1935 the force had come to realise the headquarters at Wrens Cross was too small, and the present headquarters site in Sutton Road were built. The constabulary relocated to its new home - at the time set in open country - in 1940 after 83 years at its original home.

During the post war years the complex was enlarged by the building of a motor workshop and a driving school. In 1946 a Traffic Division was formed and, later, a new Traffic Division Office was built

By the 1960s the driving school was providing courses up to advanced level for officers from other forces in the south east and a large modern hostel block was built.

The workshops, driving school, hostel and Traffic Division HQ were later demolished to make way for a supermarket which is now Morrisons.

The top floor of the main building originally housed the combined registry and information room, which was much smaller than today's highly sophisticated communications centre which lies in the area behind.

Kent County Constabulary was the last British force to keep the word "county" in its official title. It changed its name to Kent Police in 2002.

The 150th anniversary of the county force was marked with a service in Canterbury Cathedral on January 14, 2007, which was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dignitaries from across Kent and Medway, including three former Chief Constables, joined current and past Kent police officers, community support officers, special constables and staff and volunteers for the occasion.

The 65 officers who died in service and during wartime air raids in the first 150 years of the Kent constabulary were also honoured and remembered during the ceremony.

History was also remembered at the Sutton Road site when it was the home of Kent Police Museum before it was moved to new accommodation at Chatham Historic Dockyard in 1994. In 2016, Faversham Police Station became the new home of the Museum.

Kent Police College is also located at the Maidstone site, and it the location for initial training for new recruits which lasts 19 weeks, followed by 10 weeks of tutoring on division.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone