With weeds rising up and giving off an unwelcoming impression, the state of Oakwood Cemetery in Barming almost demonstrated the misery that lay behind the site.

On a memorial, which many think is for fallen soldiers, the faded original inscription says: "In memory of all who lay here."

If you look carefully around the cemetery, you will discover a number of head-stones mostly along the eastern boundary.

They are well hidden in the undergrowth, numbering around 25 in total, but they mark the last resting places only of the hospital staff who died while in service.

The estimated 7,000 patients of Oakwood Hospital received no such individual honour.

Oakwood Hospital was founded as the Kent County Lunatic Asylum.

It opened in 1833, with just one building - St Andrew's House - and took 168 patients. The building was designed by John Whichcord, who also designed Maidstone Prison, and the buildings were similar in layout.

As its name implies, the hospital was the destination for people from right across Kent suffering from mental health issues, and the number of patients soon outgrew the accommodation.

In 1850, Whichcord returned to design The Queen's House extension, and The Hermitage Block was to follow in 1872.

At its peak in the 1940s, the hospital expanded over a large acreage and could hold 2,055 patients.

It underwent several name changes over the years, including Barming Mental Hospital and Barming Asylum, names that it is said gave rise to the disparaging term of someone being "barmy" if they are suffering from a mental illness.

Following the introduction of Care in the Community in the early 1980s, the need for the hospital diminished. It was re-named again as Maidstone Hospital (Psychiatric Wing) before closing completely in 1994.

Some of the key buildings were listed and so survived demolition - they have been turned into luxury gated private accommodation, with the owners now paying hundreds of thousands of pounds for the chance to live where the former mental patients were housed.

Maidstone council took over responsibility for the cemetery in 2015 from the Department of Health, the last burial having taken place in the 1950s.

Although the central cross is not a war memorial, there is one Commonwealth War Grave in the cemetery.

It is easily found as it is the best kept grave in the place.

It holds the remains of Leading Aircraftsman Thomas Henry Lovett who was killed on August 18, 1940, at RAF Biggin Hill.

He was ground crew at the airfield and died when the Luftwaffe raided it and a number of other fighter stations across the South East that day in an attempt to disable the RAF.

Before being called up, Mr Lovett had been a porter at the hospital, and his parents, William and Lucy Lovett, sought and gained permission for him to be buried there.

Oakwood Hospital was also the scene of one final tragedy.

On November 29, 1957, a fire broke out around 6.40am in the tailor's workshop on the first floor of one of the hospital buildings where a clothes iron had been left on and unattended.

The fire brigade were quickly on the scene and they and hospital staff successfully evacuated around 350 patients from the threatened wing.

Around 90 minutes later and the flames were out with no-one having suffered any injury.

Two hours later and with 24 firemen still on the scene, some damping down and some enjoying a cup of tea, a 90-ft high ventilation tower collapsed without warning. Three firemen were killed and six seriously injured.

A male nurse, the hospital printer and a Polish patient were also killed by the falling masonry and a further six people injured.

It took two days to recover the final body - one of the hospital staff - from the ruins.

It was the worst disaster in the history of the Kent Fire Brigade.

The funeral for the three firemen saw their coffins carried through Maidstone on a turntable ladder appliance with firefighters and the public lining the streets, before a service at All Saints Church which was attended by 800 people.

None of the staff or patients from this tragedy are buried in the cemetery which had already been closed for burials earlier in the 1950s.

Heath Ward Borough Councillor Ashleigh Kimmance said: "This cemetery is an important historical landmark for Maidstone and is the final resting place for thousands of patients and staff from the hospital.

"It is a beautiful area and these works will hopefully encourage more residents to visit and enjoy it."

But work has been taking place by Maidstone council to revamp the site to encourage visitors to use the space as a place for quiet contemplation.

The borough's parks and open spaces team have restored the Kentish rag-stone wall at the front of the cemetery off Oakapple Lane, constructed a new entrance, laid a network of paths, and put in three bench seats.

It is now an ideal spot to sit and relax and enjoy the sunshine - or at least it would be if it weren't for the noise of construction from the two building sites that flank it on either side. But hopefully that will be only temporary.

The council said it was still planning to carry out repairs to the disused chapel roof, but was not able to provide a time-frame at this time.

As part of this, the council said it would approach a reputable memorial stonemason for costs to undertake a restoration of the memorial cross, before deciding on next steps.

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