A unique history project which has taken nearly three decades to finish has finally gone into the history books.

The project, launched in 1989, details a history of the county of Kent in 10 volumes.

Now, with the publication of the last volume, Early Medieval Kent, the work has been declared complete.

The latest book was celebrated at an official launch at the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone.

Among the guests were Dr Felicity Simpson, chairman of the editorial board which oversaw the Kent History Project, and Dr Sheila Sweetinburgh, who edited the final volume.

Mike Hill, KCC Cabinet member for Community Services, said: “This publication marks the end of a long-running and ambitious project launched in 1989 by the county council to celebrate its centenary.

"The aim was to commission a new history of the County of Kent in 10 volumes, including two special volumes on the histories of Rochester Bridge and Rochester Cathedral.”

The Rochester Bridge volume was funded entirely by the Rochester Bridge Trust, and the cathedral volume jointly by the county council and the Friends of Rochester Cathedral, with a grant from the Kent Archaeological Society.

Over the decades a large number of academics had been involved, including 10 volume editors and more than 70 contributors, with much of the editing completed on a voluntary basis.

Dr Nigel Yates, the then county archivist, launched the project and edited four of the volumes.

“Not surprisingly, few counties have attempted this sort of project and even fewer have come this close to completion,” said Mr Hill.

“The intention from the outset has been to provide a high quality academic history of Kent that provides a definitive academic starting point for all those interested in the history of the county and I am delighted to say this has been achieved.”