Founding of the KAS, 1857
In soaring language typical of the period, the introduction to the first volume of the Society journal Archaeologia Cantiana, published in 1858, provides insight into the activities and aspirations of those that founded and established the Society in the mid-nineteenth century.
First Annual General Meeting, 1857
A report on the Society’s first Annual General Meeting was also featured in the first volume of Archaeologia Cantiana. Amongst other items, resolutions called for the establishment of a Society Library, which eventually took shape within the rooms at Maidstone Museum.
The Origin and First 100 years of the Society, 1956
Frank W. Jessup writing in 1956 on the origin and first century of the Kent Archaeological Society, featured in Archaeologia Cantiana, volume 70.
First Issue of the KAS Newsletter, 1982
The first issue of the KAS Newsletter was published in 1982. It has since featured over a thousand articles on Kent archaeology and history, being rebranded and expanded as the KAS Magazine in 2020.
The New KAS Library, 1983
A fire in the west wing resulted in a refurbishment of Maidstone Museum and the establishing of the Society Library as we find it today.
Grant Funds
In recent decades, generous benefactors have left legacies with the Society and several dedicated research, publication and education grants are made each year.
Launch of the KAS Website, 1999
The KAS Website at www.kentarchaeology.org.uk was a coming together of several online projects in the late 1990s.
Registered Charity Status
The Society became a UK Registered Charity in 2018, with a formal Constitution of the Society's charitable purposes. Branding and the new Society logo are also designed around this time.
Story of the KAS Collections, 1856-2023
An exhibition at Maidstone Museum in 2023 and early 2024 exploring the origins and development of the Kent Archaeological Society Collections.