I've just scoured the pages of
Archaeologia Cantiana but only managed to find mention of the Len of any relevance to this thread.
page 254 Vol. XXV published 1902
NOTES AND QUERIES
SCHEME FOR "WIDENING MILL STREET, MAIDSTONE.
IT was seen that this project, which has for some time past been
under the consideration of the Corporation of Maidstone, if carried
out as originally conceived, would involve the destruction of all
that which lends such a charm to the southern end of Mill Street
on its western side, namely, the old half-timbered Mill House, the
Corn Mill, the beautiful Mediaeval bridge which spans the river
Len, and the ancient gate-house of the Archbishop's Manor House,
known as the Palace. As soon as matters were sufficiently
developed Mr. Hubert Bensted, F.R.I.B.A., brought the whole
matter under the notice of the Honorary Secretary. Both working
together acted promptly, laying the above particulars before the
National Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient
Buildings. Mr. Bensted prepared an admirable alternative scheme
accompanied by a plan, by which the eastern side of Mill Street
was dealt with instead of the western, thus doing away with
necessity of demolishing anything of archaic interest. This was
duly laid before the Corporation and the Trustees of the Palace, while
in the meantime urgent appeals were sent to those bodies by the
two societies already named. Subsequently, at a meeting held of
the Trustees, Mr. Robert Hoar and Mr. George Payne were kindly
permitted to attend, and were invited to give their views upon the
whole subject. The latter, at the close of his remarks, strongly
urged the Trustees, if Mr. Bensted's alternative scheme were
finally adopted, to endeavour to acquire the garden of the Mill and
connect it by means of a rustic bridge with the Palace grounds.
At the conclusion of the meeting the Trustees resolved to invite
the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings to send down
an expert to report on the questions at issue. It is earnestly hoped
that the active measures which have been taken may induce the
authorities at Maidstone to preserve that which blends so charmingly
with the Church, College, and Palace adjoining.
GEORGE PAYNE
On checking that my spelling of Arch. Cant. I discovered that KAS have this edition on their website. The original is here
http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Pub/ArchCant/025-1902/12/Arch%20Cant%2025-12.pdf