February 2024

Little is known about Willikin of the Weald – but thanks to Dr James Lloyd we can understand why he deserves a place on Kent’s roll of honour board.

In his second talk for Maidstone Museums’ Foundation, the College of Arms archivist fascinated an audience of 30 on February 8, 2024, with the story of a proud Man of Kent who helped stave off a French invasion.

For 30 minutes James took us back to the dramas and royal intrigues of the late 1100s and early 1200s, the time of “Bad King” John, without mentioning his hero. But when he did, we heard about a man compared in some chronicles to Robin Hood, a man of the people who backed the “monster” John and was rewarded for his loyalty. Willikin – also known as William of Cassingham and William of Kensham (situated between Sandhurst and Rolvenden) – was a well-to-do peasant who helped John defend the realm against the French.

He led a group who killed the French at Lewes and became a commissioner for the Crown. After John died, there was a real prospect of Louis of France succeeding to the throne. Crowds hailed Louis as a liberator with shouts of welcome after the hated reign of John. But the Barons and especially Hubert de Burgh of Dover Castle, resisted and Henry became King. Willikin – as the French called him – enjoyed a long but lowly career of public service and died in 1257. He may have backed the Bad King but James said we owe him our thanks for playing a part in stopping the French from colonising Britain. Otherwise, he added, he might have been giving his talk in French! Indeed, Willikin was an unsung Man of Kent.