Their request was granted and from that day the motto of Kent has been INVICTA meaning Unconquered. They offered peace if he would grant their ancient rights and liberties otherwise war and that most deadly. Near this spot by ancient tradition the men of Kent and Kentish men carrying boughs on their shoulders and swords in their hands met the invader William Duke of Normandy. It is now located in the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul's Church in Swanscombe, where the picture (right) was taken. The monument, sculpted by Hilary Stratton and unveiled in 1958, was moved in the early 1960s due to the construction of the A2 dual carriageway. As the people of Kent felt that they had chased William away, they adopted ' Invicta' as a county motto.Ī different version of the legend above is depicted on a monument at Swanscombe, where legend states this meeting took place on the Old Roman Road to London ( Watling Street). Scared, William and his army took flight and took a different route to London.

While passing through Kent, the local people picked up branches and marched at William's men. Legend has it that, while marching from the 1066 battle site at Hastings, William marched on to London on his way to the (then) capital Winchester. As the official motto, it appears on the coat of arms of Kent County Council. This symbolic statement was later printed onto gold coins, to help boost the morale of the failing Empire.įor Kent, it dates back to the invasion of England by William the Conqueror. It was an inspirational motto used until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. Roma invicta is a Latin phrase, meaning 'Unconquered Rome', inscribed on a statue in Rome. ' Invicta' has been a motto for centuries.

Roma invicta menaing