Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
, in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, south-east
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The town lies on the southern edge of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills a ...
at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20th centuries.
There has been a settlement in this location since the
Mesolithic era. A nunnery was founded by
Eanswith
Saint Eanswith ( ang, Ēanswīþ; born c. 630, Kent, England. Died c. 650, Folkestone, England), also spelled Eanswythe or Eanswide, was an Anglo-Saxon princess, who is said to have founded Folkestone Priory, one of the first Christian monastic com ...
, granddaughter of
Æthelberht of Kent
Æthelberht (; also Æthelbert, Aethelberht, Aethelbert or Ethelbert; ang, Æðelberht ; 550 – 24 February 616) was King of Kent from about 589 until his death. The eighth-century monk Bede, in his ''Ecclesiastical History of the Engli ...
in the 7th century, who is still commemorated as part of the town's culture. During the 13th century it subsequently developed into a
seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
and the harbour developed during the early 19th century to provide defence against a French invasion. Folkestone expanded further west after the arrival of the railway in 1843 as an elegant coastal resort, thanks to the investment of the Earl of Radnor under the urban plan of Decimus Burton.
In its heyday - during the Edwardian era - Folkestone was considered the most fashionable resort of the time, visited by royalties - amongst them Queen Victoria and Edward VII and other members of the English aristocracy. The architecture of the town, especially in the West End part of the town is a testimony of this period with many impressive buildings, townhouses, villas, private squares and large hotels built to accommodate the gentry. After two world wars and the boom of the overseas holiday package, the town quickly declined. The harbour's trade diminished following the opening of the nearby
Channel Tunnel and the ending of ferry services from Folkestone, but it still remains in active use.
Toponymy
![View of Folkestone, West End](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/View_of_Folkestone%2C_West_End.jpg)
Although Kent was the first part of the British mainland to be conquered and settled by the invading Angles, Saxons and Jutes from the middle of the 5th century AD, after the departure of the Romans, the name ''Folcanstan'' did not appear until the late 7th century. There is general agreement that this means ''Folca's stone'', the stone possibly marking the meeting place of the local
hundred
100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101.
In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to des ...
. It was not until the mid 19th century that the spelling of "Folkestone" was fixed as such, with the
Earl of Radnor
Earl of Radnor, in the County of Wiltshire, is a title which has been created twice. It was first created in the Peerage of England in 1679 for John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes, a notable political figure of the reign of Charles II. The ea ...
requesting that the town's name be standardised (although this tendency towards standardisation in the 19th century is true of English place names generally). Folkestone is often misspelt, variants including Folkston, Folkstone & Folkeston.
History
The area of Folkestone has been occupied since at least the
Mesolithic era. In 2010, worked flints were discovered below the remains of the
Folkestone Roman Villa.
The East Cliff area was excavated in 1924 and most recently from 2010 to 2011, producing artefacts from the Mesolithic period through to the
Roman era
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
. On the East Cliff, an extensive
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
oppidum
An ''oppidum'' (plural ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread across Europe, stretchi ...
existed, which produced
quern-stone
Quern-stones are stone tools for hand- grinding a wide variety of materials. They are used in pairs. The lower stationary stone of early examples is called a saddle quern, while the upper mobile stone is called a muller, rubber or handstone. The ...
s on an almost industrial scale.
Those quern-stones, which were used for grinding cereals into flour, were traded for continental exports such as pottery and wine. A modest
Roman-style villa was constructed over the Iron Age settlement some time during the 1st century AD, followed by a more luxurious one in about 200 AD. The villa was abandoned during the 3rd or 4th century for unknown reasons.
In 597 AD, monks, led by
Augustine of Canterbury, arrived at
Ebbsfleet on the
Isle of Thanet
The Isle of Thanet () is a peninsula forming the easternmost part of Kent, England. While in the past it was separated from the mainland by the Wantsum Channel, it is no longer an island.
Archaeological remains testify to its settlement in an ...
, on a mission from
Pope Gregory to re-Christianise Britain. He was greeted by the Anglo Saxon pagan King of Kent,
Æthelberht and his Christian Queen,
Bertha
Bertha is a female Germanic name, from Old High German ''berhta'' meaning "bright one". It was usually a short form of Anglo Saxon names ''Beorhtgifu'' meaning "bright gift" or ''Beorhtwynn'' meaning "bright joy".
The name occurs as a theonym, s ...
. Augustine was granted land in Canterbury, where he built his church and outside the walls founded the monastery of St Peter & St Paul, now known as
St Augustine's. Æthelberht was succeeded as Anglo-Saxon king of Kent by his son
Eadbald, whose daughter
Eanswythe refused all offers of marriage. In 630, Eanswythe founded a nunnery on the site of her father's castle near Folkestone by the present
parish church of St Mary & St Eanswythe.
![Church of St Mary and St Eanswythe, Folkestone 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Church_of_St_Mary_and_St_Eanswythe%2C_Folkestone_01.JPG)
Eanswythe died around 640 and was quickly made a saint. Her remains were moved into the chancel of the current church on 12 September 1138, which has since then been commemorated as the Feast of St Eanswythe. They became the focus of prayer and pilgrimage such that Eanswythe was quickly adopted as the town's patron. The religious community grew and developed into a monastery until it was
dissolved by
Henry VIII, and St Eanswythe's remains disappeared. They were rediscovered in June 1885 when workmen, carrying out alterations to the high altar, found a battered lead casket immured in a niche in the north wall of the chancel. Examination by archaeologists at the time, and again in 1981, confirmed that the casket was of Anglo-Saxon origin and the few bone fragments were those of a woman in her early thirties. The relics are still housed in the church, close to where they were discovered, flanked by a pair of small brass candlesticks. St Eanswythe also appears on the town's seal, along with
William Harvey
William Harvey (1 April 1578 – 3 June 1657) was an English physician who made influential contributions in anatomy and physiology. He was the first known physician to describe completely, and in detail, the systemic circulation and propert ...
, the Folkestone-born 17th-century physician who discovered the circulation of the blood.
A
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
knight held a Barony of Folkestone, which led to its entry as a part of the
Cinque Ports in the thirteenth century and with that the privilege of being a wealthy trading port. At the start of the
Tudor period
The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England that began wit ...
it had become a town in its own right. Wars with France meant that defences had to be built and a
harbour was built, though the coming of the railways in 1843 had a greater impact on its development.
Dover Hill, the highest point in Folkestone, was a sighting point for the
Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790)
The Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790) was the geodetic survey to measure the relative position of Greenwich Observatory and the Paris Observatory via triangulation. The English operations, executed by William Roy, consisted of the measureme ...
, which measured the precise distance between the
Royal Greenwich Observatory and the
Paris Observatory. The hill provided a sight-line to the east along the line of the Folkestone Turnpike to
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the ...
, one of the two principal cross-channel observation points, the other being
Fairlight Down in Sussex.
Folkestone Harbour
![Folkestone, Harbour view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Folkestone%2C_Harbour_view.jpg)
Until the 19th century Folkestone remained a small fishing community with a seafront that was continually battered by storms and encroaching shingle that made it hard to land boats. In 1807 an
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
was passed to build a pier and harbour which was built by
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE, (9 August 1757 – 2 September 1834) was a Scottish civil engineer. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scot ...
in 1809. By 1820 a harbour area of had been enclosed. Folkestone's trade and population grew slightly but development was still hampered by sand and silt from the Pent Stream. The Folkestone Harbour Company invested heavily in removing the silt but with little success. In 1842 the company became bankrupt and the Government put the derelict harbour up for sale. It was bought by the
South Eastern Railway (SER), which was then building the London to Dover railway line.
George Turnbull was responsible in 1844 for building the Horn pier. Dredging the harbour, and the construction of a rail route down to it, began almost immediately, and the town soon became the SER's principal packet station for the Continental traffic to
Boulogne. The last ferry ran in 2001.
The Harbour Arm, formerly used solely for port activities, has been extensively restored and developed as a recreational space and promenade to which the public has access, including bars and restaurants, with entertainment at weekends and on some evenings. The former railway station and harbour viaduct have been reconstructed as a successful public walkway and promenade, following the full closure of the branch railway in 2014.
Governance
![Guildhall Street, Folkestone (geograph 3828843)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Guildhall_Street%2C_Folkestone_%28geograph_3828843%29.jpg)
The governance of Folkestone lies in both national and local government. Insofar as national government is concerned, Folkestone is part of the constituency of
Folkestone and Hythe, which is currently (2019) represented by
Damian Collins
Damian Noel Thomas Collins (born 4 February 1974) is a British Conservative Party politician who formerly served as Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport between July and October 2022. ...
(Conservative). Prior to
Brexit
Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC ...
in 2020, Folkestone was part of the
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It consists of the counties of Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Berkshi ...
constituency in the
European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
.
The local government consists of three tiers. In the first tier,
Kent County Council, Folkestone is divided into two divisions each returning one County
Councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
. Folkestone West is represented by Cllr David Monk (Conservative). Folkestone East is represented by Dick Pascoe.
The second tier of local government is the
non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially "shire districts", are a type of Districts of England, local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties (colloquially ''shi ...
. Folkestone forms a part of
Folkestone and Hythe district, which was first established by the
Local Government Act 1972 as Shepway. Folkestone elects 10 of Folkestone and Hythe District Council's 30 Councillors.
The third and lowest tier was established as the
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...
: in Folkestone's case, because it held a
Town Charter
A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Traditionally the granting of a charter ...
, and when the then Folkestone Borough Council was abolished, councillors elected to represent Folkestone's wards were designated as the Town's
Charter Trustees In England and Wales, charter trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a town charter or city charter after a district with the status of a borough or city has been abolished, until such time as a parish council is established. Duties are ...
, responsible for electing a Town Mayor. This role has since passed to Folkestone Town Council which is based at
Folkestone Town Hall
Folkestone Town Hall, also known as The Guildhall, is a municipal building in Guildhall Street, Folkestone, Kent, England. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Folkestone Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building.
History
The first ...
.
Folkestone
Town Council
A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities.
Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions.
Republic of Ireland
Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second t ...
was established in 2004, comprising the area of the former
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle A ...
of Folkestone less Folkestone
Sandgate ward, which was separately parished. Folkestone Town Council comprises eight wards: Cheriton; Morehall; Park; Harvey West; Harvey Central; Harbour; East; and Foord. Each ward returns two or three members, for a total of 18 councillors elected to four-year terms. Each year, Folkestone Town Councillors attend the
Annual General Meeting and Mayor-making ceremony to appoint both a Town Mayor and a Deputy Mayor from their number for the coming year.
Geography
Folkestone is located where the southern edge of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills a ...
escarpment meets the sea. In contrast to the white cliffs at
Dover further to the east, the cliffs at Folkestone are composed of
greensand
Greensand or green sand is a sand or sandstone which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called ''glauconies'' and co ...
belonging to the
Folkestone Formation
The Folkestone Formation is a geological formation in the United Kingdom. It forms part of the Lower Greensand Group, and dates to the early part of the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous. It primarily consists of medium to coarsed grained unco ...
and
gault clay
The Gault Formation is a geological formation of stiff blue clay deposited in a calm, fairly deep-water marine environment during the Lower Cretaceous Period (Upper and Middle Albian). It is well exposed in the coastal cliffs at Copt Point in ...
. A small stream, Pent Brook, cuts through the cliffs at this point, and provided the original haven for fishermen and cross-channel boats. The cliffs are constantly under attack from the sea, and the original headlands, which once protected the port, long ago ceased to do so. Artificial protection, in the form of breakwaters and piers, have been necessary since the 17th century.
The town is now built on both sides of the original valley: the West Cliff and ''The Bayle'' to the West, and the East Cliff on the other side of the stream. The Pent Stream now runs through a culvert from the fire station, at the junction of Radnor Park Road, Park Farm and Pavilion Road, until it reaches the inner harbour. Remains of a quay, dating to the 17th century, were discovered under what is now a public car park, between the Old High Street and the railway viaduct, adjacent to the current harbour. Included in the town is
Cheriton, where the
Channel Tunnel's northern exit is located;
Newington; and
Peene
The Peene () is a river in Germany.
Geography
The Westpeene, with the Ostpeene as its longer tributary, and the Kleine Peene/Teterower Peene (with a ''Peene '' without specification (or ''Nordpeene'') as its smaller and shorter affluent) flo ...
.
In August 1996 a one-in-600-years storm left homes and businesses in Black Bull Road, in the Foord Valley, under two metres of water. Heavy rainfall combined with inadequacies in the Pent Stream and local drainage caused the flooding. A crowd of 2,332 saw
Folkestone Invicta play hosts to
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
in a benefit football match following the flood.
Climate
Economy
Folkestone was at one stage a resort town with a developed shipping trade. With the decline of those industries others have filled the gap. The
Dormobile
Dormobile is a 1950s-era onwards campervan (motorcaravan, motorhome) conversion manufactured by the coachbuilder Martin Walter of Folkestone in Kent.
Initially based on the Bedford CA van, the name is associated more with those and subsequen ...
works, car conversion manufacturers were based in the town.
Church and Dwight, the US company famous for
Arm & Hammer
Arm & Hammer is a brand of baking soda-based consumer products marketed by Church & Dwight, a major American manufacturer of household products. The logo of the brand depicts the ancient symbol of a muscular arm holding a hammer inside a red ci ...
baking soda
Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation ( Na+) and a bicarbonate anion ( HCO3∠...
-based consumer products, has its UK headquarters in the town.
Silver Spring Mineral Water Company
Silver Spring Soft Drinks Ltd was a commercial limited company that produced a range of soft drinks from its factory and headquarters at Folkestone, Kent, in the United Kingdom. Founded as a company in 1886, the company traded under the name ...
, was the largest independently-owned soft drinks manufacturer in Britain, based in Park Farm, but closed down in 2013.
During the 1980s and 1990s the construction of the Channel Tunnel provided employment, as well as bringing many people to the area, and on completion the running of services still provides work for many. Several insurance firms are based in Folkestone. Some of them used to be involved in the shipping trade but have since diversified into other fields.
Saga plc
Saga is a British company focused on serving the needs of those aged 50 and over. It has 2.7 million customers. The company operates sites on the Kent and Sussex coast: Enbrook Park and Priory Square. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
...
has its headquarters in Folkestone.
Along with other Kent seaside towns, there has been a resurgence in domestic tourism linked to a growing arts scene.
Main sights
![The Amphitheatre, Lower Leas Coastal Park, Folkestone-geograph-3091739](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/The_Amphitheatre%2C_Lower_Leas_Coastal_Park%2C_Folkestone-geograph-3091739.jpg)
The major landmark in Folkestone, apart from the harbour, is The Leas, the cliffs above the beach. Located in the west part of the town, it is a unique promenade designed in the mid-1800s by
Decimus Burton who also worked on
Regent's Park
Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...
, London and
St Leonards-on-Sea. The promenade along the sea includes many crescents, hotels, private parks and alleys.
![Folkestone,_Edwardian_period,_The_Leas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Folkestone%2C_Edwardian_period%2C_The_Leas.jpg)
A
Martello Tower
Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts.
They stand u ...
(No 3) stands on the cliff above Copt Point. Built in 1806 as a defence against
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, it has also been a
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
lookout, a family home, a golf clubhouse and a
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any ...
control post. It now houses a visitor centre. The
Folkestone White Horse
The Folkestone White Horse is a white horse hill figure, carved into Cheriton Hill, Folkestone, Kent, South East England. It overlooks the English terminal of the Channel Tunnel and was completed in June 2003.
The horse was planned as a Mille ...
is carved on
Cheriton Hill
Cheriton Hill is a hill overlooking the English Channel near Folkestone in the south-east corner of Kent, England. The relatively low-lying hill (reaching only 188 metres above sea level) is covered with farmland, villages, narrow lanes, an ...
above the Channel Tunnel terminal.
The
Kent Downs
The Kent Downs is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in Kent, England. They are the eastern half of the North Downs and stretch from the London/Surrey borders to the White Cliffs of Dover, including a small section of the London Borough ...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of ...
includes part of the town area. The nearby
Brockhill Country Park
Brockhill Country Park is in Saltwood, near Hythe in Kent, England.
The park was a former estate with landscaped gardens and has subsequently been sub-divided. The house now forms the main building for a performing arts college, whilst the garden ...
, to the west, with footpaths around a lake and in a valley, links with the
Royal Military Canal
The Royal Military Canal is a canal running for between Seabrook near Folkestone and Cliff End near Hastings, following the old cliff line bordering Romney Marsh, which was constructed as a defence against the Napoleon's planned invasion of t ...
at
Hythe
Hythe, from Anglo-Saxon ''hȳð'', may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, either as an element in a toponym, such as Rotherhithe in London, or to:
Places Australia
* Hythe, Tasmania
Canada
*Hythe, Alberta, a village in Canada
England
* T ...
.
Folkestone is near to two important
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
landmarks – the
Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne
The Battle of Britain Memorial is a monument to aircrew who flew in the Battle of Britain. It is sited on the White Cliffs at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone, on the coast of Kent.
History
It was initiated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trus ...
and the
Kent Battle of Britain Museum – the oldest Battle of Britain Museum in the UK.
![Folkestone, Market Square](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Folkestone%2C_Market_Square.jpg)
The Old High Street is an ancient route connecting the Bayle with the Harbour, and is now at the heart of Folkestone's Creative Quarter. The narrow, cobbled slope was one of Charles Dickens' favourite streets. Together with Rendezvous Street, this part of Folkestone is now thriving, with independent businesses and restaurants surrounded by colourful restored buildings.
Transport
Folkestone developed because of its transport links. With France visible across the
Strait of Dover, the town became an important transit point for those travelling from the UK to the Continent. Plans to restore ferry traffic to
Boulogne, following termination in 2001, were discussed in 2005, but they did not come to fruition. The Channel Tunnel northern entrance is located at Cheriton.
Rail
The railway reached Folkestone on 28 June 1843 and a temporary railway station was built while the construction of the line to Dover continued. This started with the Foord viaduct, designed by
Sir William Cubitt, completed in 1844.
Folkestone Junction railway station was then opened and construction through the cliffs between Dover and Folkestone commenced. Once the line was opened to
Dover, the town began to prosper (which meant growth westwards), further stations were opened at
Folkestone West (originally named ''Shorncliffe Camp'') in 1863, and
Folkestone Central in 1884.
Folkestone Harbour station was used to transfer passengers from specific trains; the line from the junction was very steep and needed much additional locomotive help. A local group, the Remembrance Line Association, is actively seeking to retain the harbour branch as a tourist/heritage railway operation, though as at 2019 the future was uncertain. Today the domestic services from Folkestone use the Central and West stations on the
South Eastern Main Line
The South Eastern Main Line is a major long-distance railway route in South East England, UK, one of the three main routes crossing the county of Kent, going via Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Ashford and Folkestone to Dover. The other routes are the ...
.
Venice-Simplon Orient Express passengers now change at Folkestone West for road coaches and the onward journey through the
Channel Tunnel.
High Speed 1 (HS1) is a high speed railway built to French 'LGV' (Ligne à Grande Vitesse) standards, connecting the Channel Tunnel to London. Since December 2009, high speed commuter services from Dover have called at Folkestone and then, using the South Eastern Main Line to
Ashford International, the services join HS1 for the journey to
Ebbsfleet,
Stratford International and
London St Pancras
St Pancras railway station (), also known as London St Pancras or St Pancras International and officially since 2007 as London St Pancras International, is a London station group, central London railway terminus on Euston Road in the London Bor ...
. The journey time to London via this route has been reduced to under 1 hour; some trains from Folkestone West take as little as 52 minutes to reach the capital by High Speed Train.
The
Eurotunnel Shuttle
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (sometimes shortened to Le Shuttle or The Shuttle) is a railway shuttle service between Coquelles (near Calais) in Pas-de-Calais, France and Cheriton (near Folkestone) in Kent, United Kingdom. It conveys road vehicl ...
terminal, for car transport to
Calais by train using the Channel Tunnel, is in the Folkestone suburb of
Cheriton.
The
Leas Lift
The Leas Lift is a grade II* listed funicular railway that carries passengers between the seafront and the promenade in Folkestone, Kent. Originally installed in 1885, it is one of the oldest water lifts in the UK.
The lift operates using water ...
, a Victorian water lift that opened in 1885, connects the Leas with the beach.
![N-E-S-W](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/N-E-S-W.jpg)
There were two other lifts on the Leas in Folkestone history: the Metropole Lift (closed in 1940) and the Sandgate Hill Lift, which closed in 1918.
Roads
The town is located at the eastern end of the
M20 which provides fast access to
Ashford,
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and also to the
M25. The
A20 is motorway-standard to
Dover and runs locally towards Ashford and London, following the M20 but runs locally via
Sellindge, Ashford,
Lenham
Lenham is a market village and civil parish in Kent situated on the southern edge of the North Downs, east of Maidstone. The picturesque square in the village has two public houses (one of which is a hotel), a couple of restaurants, and a tea ...
,
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...
,
Aylesford,
Wrotham
Wrotham ( ) is a village on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, England, at the foot of the North Downs. It is north of Borough Green and approximately east of Sevenoaks. It is between the M20 and M26 motorways.
History
The name first occurs as ''U ...
and
Swanley
Swanley is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England, southeast of central London, adjacent to the Greater London boundary and within the M25 motorway periphery. The population at the 2011 census was 16,226.
History
...
where the A20, M20 and M25 meet and the A20 continues through
Sidcup
Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of Bromley and Greenwich. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the ...
and
Lewisham
Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one of ...
to
Central London. Folkestone marks the eastern end of the
A259
The A259 is a road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent, and is the longest Zone 2 A road in Great Britain. The main part of the road connects Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Rye and F ...
although this is no longer part of the South Coast Trunk Road east of Brenzett, although it remains a primary route. The road gives access to the
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about . The Marsh has been in use for centuries, though its inhabitants commonly suffered from malaria until th ...
,
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
,
Eastbourne
Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...
and beyond. To the north, roads connect Folkestone to
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
and the nearby villages of
Elham and
Lyminge
Lyminge is a village in southeast Kent, England. It lies about five miles (8 km) from Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel, on the road passing through the Elham Valley. At the 2011 Census the population of Etchinghill was included. The N ...
.
Stagecoach in East Kent operates local buses from the town. It is served by The Link services to
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
,
The Wave service to
Dover,
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about . The Marsh has been in use for centuries, though its inhabitants commonly suffered from malaria until th ...
and
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
. Other bus routes run to
Hythe
Hythe, from Anglo-Saxon ''hȳð'', may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, either as an element in a toponym, such as Rotherhithe in London, or to:
Places Australia
* Hythe, Tasmania
Canada
*Hythe, Alberta, a village in Canada
England
* T ...
,
Ashford and
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...
.
National Express
National Express Group is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Birmingham, England. It operates bus, coach, train and tram services in the United Kingdom, Ireland (National Express operates Eurolines in conjunction ...
runs coaches to Ashford, Dover, Hythe,
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...
and London.
Education
Schools and colleges in Folkestone include
Folkestone Academy
Folkestone Academy is a mixed secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Folkestone, Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the w ...
(formed by the merger of Hillside School for Boys and Holywell School for Girls in the early 1970s, and formerly known as Wyndgate Secondary School in the 1970s, the Channel High School in the 1980s, and the Channel School in the 1990s); and
Turner Free School (opened in 2018 on the site of Pent Valley Technology College, formerly Pent Valley Secondary Modern, formed by the merger of Harcourt Secondary School for Girls and Morehall Secondary School for Boys in the 1970s).
There are two selective state secondary schools –
Folkestone School for Girls (formed by the merger of Folkestone Technical High School for Girls and Folkestone Grammar School for Girls in the 1980s) and the
Harvey Grammar School
The Harvey Grammar School is located in Folkestone, Kent, England. It is a grammar school with academy status founded by the family of William Harvey in 1674.
Admissions
A selective school for boys only, the school has around 900 on its roll. ...
for boys; the latter was founded in 1674. These two schools have a common sixth form timetable.
East Kent College
East Kent College is a further education college (although also provides higher education courses) located in Broadstairs, Kent on the southeast coast of the United Kingdom.
The main campus is located on Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs. In Septembe ...
have a Folkestone campus providing a variety of courses including Apprenticeships, Hairdressing and Construction.
From 2007 to 2013 the University Centre Folkestone (a joint initiative of
Canterbury Christ Church University and
University of Greenwich
, mottoeng = "To learn, to do, to achieve"
, former_name = Woolwich Polytechnic(1890–1970)Thames Polytechnic(1970–1992)
, established =
, type = Public university
, budget = £214.9 million (2020)
, administrative_staff =
, chancel ...
) was located in the town providing a specialism in Performing Arts.
There are a number of primary schools in the town. State primaries include Folkestone Primary, Sandgate Primary, Morehall Academy and Martello Grove Academy, a new academy that opened in September 2015. Martello Grove Academy moved to brand new buildings on its campus in Warren Way in the fall 2016.
Leisure
The town is situated at the foot of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills a ...
, with views of the surrounding countryside and the coast of France, away. The area is a magnet for passing migrating birds and the Warren (woodlands adjoining Wear Bay) and the cliffs above are of particular interest during the spring and autumn periods.
These are now part of
East Cliff and Warren Country Park
East Cliff and Warren Country Park is in Folkestone, in Kent, England.
This country park is formed of the East Cliffs of Folkestone, the sandy beaches of East Wear Bay and the land-slipped nature reserve land between the cliffs and the sea.
His ...
.
Folkestone Parks and Pleasure Grounds Charities are lands which were donated to the people of Folkestone for perpetual recreational use by the
Earls of Radnor during the 19th century. The lands are administered by Shepway District Council, with the Cabinet members forming the Board of
Trustee
Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to ...
s. Previously, the Charter Trustees were also Trustees of the Charities, but that arrangement lapsed upon the parishing of the Folkestone and Sandgate area. Negotiations are ongoing regarding the transfer of the lands to Folkestone Town Council and Sandgate Parish Council.
There are two major
long distance footpaths through the town. The
North Downs Way
The North Downs Way National Trail is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978. It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Be ...
, starting its course in
Surrey, reaches the coast at Folkestone and continues through
Capel-le-Ferne
__NOTOC__
Capel-le-Ferne is a village situated near Folkestone, Kent. Its name derives from the phrase "Chapel in the Ferns". It had a population in 2011 of 1,884. It is perched on top of the White Cliffs of Dover.
Its foremost attraction is ...
, and to its end at
Dover, some away. The Saxon Shore Way starts at Gravesend, Kent, Gravesend, Kent and traces the Kent coast as it was in Roman Empire, Roman times, via Folkestone, as far as
Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
, East Sussex, 163 miles (262 km) in total.
Nearby places of interest include the
Kent Battle of Britain Museum and the
Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne
The Battle of Britain Memorial is a monument to aircrew who flew in the Battle of Britain. It is sited on the White Cliffs at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone, on the coast of Kent.
History
It was initiated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trus ...
.
Culture
Folkestone has been home to many galleries over the years. The long-established Metropole Galleries, located in the one-time Metropole Hotel on the Leas, staged year round exhibitions until it closed in 2008. Its place has been largely taken by the Creative Foundation. The Foundation has opened a medium scale theatre, conference and music venue in the heart of the Creative Quarter named Quarterhouse. It offers a year-round programme of live music, comedy, film, talks, theatre and children's entertainment. George's House Gallery and Googie's Art Cafe hold frequent exhibitions by local artists and the Folkestone Art Society, established in 1928, holds three annual art exhibitions and publishes an annual art review of work by local artists. Leas Cliff Hall is the biggest entertainment and function venue in Folkestone with a large choice of concerts, comedy and theatre. An earlier venue the Pleasure Gardens Theatre opened in 1886, later converting into a cinema before closing in 1964.
The first Folkestone Triennial art event took place between June and September 2008 with artists such as Christian Boltanski and Tracey Emin making site specific work for a wide variety of locations around the town. Many of the commissioned works remain permanently in the town. The 2011 Triennial 'A Million Miles From Home' was launched on 24 September 2010 and commissioned 19 international artists to develop new works for Folkestone's streets, squares, beaches and historic buildings to create a cutting-edge contemporary art exhibition in the public domain.
Folkestone has an annual Chamber Music Festival each May curated by the Sacconi Quartet. The festival is based in the town's 13th century Parish Church of St Mary and St Eanswythe in the Bayle and comprises concerts of chamber and ensemble music with guest performers. The church also hosts a series of Sunday afternoon concerts under the auspices of Bayle Music presenting local, national and international performers as well as occasional concerts by visiting choirs and ensembles. Folkestone New Music promotes concerts of contemporary music and Folkestone Early Music explores music, from medieval to baroque, through a year-round programme of concerts, talks and workshops.
Folkestone, together with
Hythe
Hythe, from Anglo-Saxon ''hȳð'', may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, either as an element in a toponym, such as Rotherhithe in London, or to:
Places Australia
* Hythe, Tasmania
Canada
*Hythe, Alberta, a village in Canada
England
* T ...
, has an amateur theatre group: Folkestone & Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society. It is a charitable organisation, producing and performing several different shows a year at its own venue, the The Tower Theatre (Folkestone, Kent), Tower Theatre, located in Cheriton, Kent, Shorncliffe. The society also has a youth section, which puts on three performances a year at the Tower Theatre: the Brigadier Thomas Memorial Competition, a summer show and a Christmas revue.
The literary journal ''The Frogmore Papers'', published by the Frogmore Press, was founded in Folkestone in 1983. The Folkestone Book Festival takes place every November.
Folkestone Museum, which holds a collection of fossils, archaeological remains and paintings relocated to Folkestone Town Hall in spring 2017.
Folkestone has an annual ''Comic Convention'' each May organised by ''Planet Folkestone''. The convention is a volunteer-run event which raising funds for local charities including Academy FM, East Kent Hospitals and Help for Heroes. Each year more than 7,000 people attend the event, which brings celebrities from TV and film to the coastal town. Folkestone Film, TV and Comic Con 2016 had many actors attending including the television actors Sylvester McCoy and Peter Davison from Dr Who and Julian Glover from Game of Thrones.
The 2018 event took place at the iconic Leas Cliff Hall.
Folkestone is home to the 'Hellfire Film Festival' that runs throughout the year at various locations.
An annual ''Zombie Walk'' also takes place in Folkestone around Halloween with permission from Shepway District Council. The walk is a fun and safe way for adults and children to celebrate Halloween and has a larger and larger following every year.
In 2016, in the event's 6th year, the organisers "''Planet Folkestone''" announced that they were stepping down from organising the free event as they could no longer commit their own time and resources to the event due to its ever-increasing costs and restrictions.
Strange Cargo was established in Folkestone in 1995. The group put on a number of annual events including the Cheriton Light Festival
in the winter and Charivari Day,
a street parade taking place in July which all local schools are invited to take part in.
Local media
Newspapers
Folkestone has two paid-for newspapers, ''Folkestone and Hythe Express'' (a weekly title published by the KM Group). It was previously part of the Kentish Express series but relaunched in October 2013 and is part of the KM Group's portfolio which also includes KentOnline.co.uk. And ''Folkestone Herald'' (published by Kent Regional News and Media, part of the Local World group). There is also a monthly paid magazine ''Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Life''.
Free newspapers for the town include the ''Folkestone and Hythe Extra'', part of the KM Group; and ''yourshepway'', part of KOS Media. Kent Regional News and Media previously published the ''Folkestone Adscene'', but this was merged with the paid for ''Herald'' in 2008.
Magazine
Following the monthly magazine ''The Quarter'', which ran from 2003 to 2005, a new arts magazine ''Folkestone Creative'' has been published locally since 2005. It reviews events and developments throughout Folkestone, Hythe and the villages nearby.
Digital design magazine ''DesignFizz'' (thedesignfizz.com) was founded in 2014 in Folkestone.
Radio
A 24-hour community radio station, Academy FM (Folkestone), began broadcasting in March 2011 on 105.9FM. The radio station is operated by a charity (Academy FM Folkestone, No.1137248) and as of 2022 features new young presenters such as Folkestone Academy Sixth Formers including music researcher Luke Murrum and public speaker Cayden Fuente-Collins. The station's licence was renewed for a five-year period in 2016 and again in 2021. It broadcasts from the
Folkestone Academy
Folkestone Academy is a mixed secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Folkestone, Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the w ...
secondary school and a studio in the Glassworks building in central Folkestone, and the charity works with young people in the Academy school in addition to pupils in Primary schools across the District, with the organisation's educational work reaching over 800 children and young people a year in the period between 2015 and 2022. The charity is funded by sources including the Folkestone Academy, the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust, the Kent Community Foundation, and various National Lottery funds. Academy FM Folkestone also carries commercial advertising and sponsorship under the terms of its Ofcom license.
The renowned poet David Sharp, M.B.E., was the Station Manager of Academy FM from its launch in 2011 until July 2022. Academy FM have also achieved multiple prestigious awards such as 7 Community Radio Awards and 4 Young Audio Awards. Other presenters of the radio station include; Kay McLoughlin (self-titled 'President of Folkestone'), Steve Bispham, Josh Carter, Ross Hoare, Taya Walters and Ethan Cole.
Folkestone is also served by the county-wide stations Heart Kent, Heart, KMFM (radio network), Gold (British radio network), Gold and BBC Radio Kent.
KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country used to broadcast to Folkestone on 96.4FM. The station was founded in Dover as Neptune Radio in September 1997 but moved to Folkestone in 2003 after being rebranded, following a takeover by the KM Group. The studios were moved again, to Ashford, in 2009. The station started broadcasting county-wide in January 2011.
Folkestone is also served by a low power small scale radio station, BFBS Radio, which broadcasts on 105.4FM. This is to serve the Gurkha community who reside in West Folkestone and who are based at Shorncliffe Barracks. The station is licensed by OFCOM and its signal can be received within 1 mile of the barracks.
Sport
Folkestone Invicta, Folkestone Invicta Football Club was formed in 1936 and played in the Eastern Section of the Kent Amateur League (now the Kent County League), taking over the Cheriton Road ground in early 1991 after the demise of the old Folkestone F.C. which had had a long history in the Southern League.
Folkestone Rugby Club was formed in 1974 and currently play in London and SE league 4. The club runs 4 adult, a ladies and various colts teams. A former ladies player, Catherine Spencer, captained the England women's national rugby union team to a grand slam in 2008.
Folkestone Cricket Club currently competes in the first division of the Kent Cricket League. It was formed in 1851. Current Kent players such as Robbie Joseph and Geraint Jones, plus Neil Dexter, who moved to Middlesex CCC at the end of the 2008 season, have all represented the club. James Tredwell, who came through the youth academy, is still heavily involved with the club.
Folkestone is home to one of the most prominent Motorcycle Grasstrack clubs – Astra. Their meetings take place at Swingfield Minnis and over the years have hosted a number of championship meetings. In 2007 and 2016 they hosted the European Grasstrack Championship finals and well as the Team Long Track World Championship Team Cup in 2013. They have hosted the major Domestic championship – the British Masters – in 2000, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014.
Folkestone Optimist Hockey Club are based at Three Hills Sports Park (along with the cricket and netball clubs).
There is a Bowls Club and a Running Club based in the town.
Folkestone hosted the 5th Chess Olympiad in 1933. Among others, the artist Marcel Duchamp took part as a member of the French team.
People
There are a large number of people with connections to the town who have made themselves important in one sphere or another. Men such as
William Harvey
William Harvey (1 April 1578 – 3 June 1657) was an English physician who made influential contributions in anatomy and physiology. He was the first known physician to describe completely, and in detail, the systemic circulation and propert ...
and his father Thomas Harvey Mayor in 1600 here, discoverer of the circulation of the blood; and Samuel Plimsoll who invented the line named after him for ship safety. Walter Tull, the first black officer in the British army was born here.
There have been many actors and actresses, David Tomlinson was brought up in the town, while others started their careers at Arthur Brough's Folkestone Repertory Company including Robert Arnold; comedians including Michael Bentine (who was in the local patrol of the Air Raid Precautions, ARP) and a large number of artists in various fields. Wilkie Collins, Radclyffe Hall, A. E. Coppard and Catherine Crowe were all writers; and there have also been musicians: Noel Redding among them.
King Edward VII and his mistress Alice Keppel (great-grandmother of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall) regularly enjoyed the luxury (and discretion) of the Grand Hotel on the Leas.
Eamon Everall, artist/educator and founder member of the Stuckism art movement, attended Harvey Grammar School and Folkestone School of Art and still maintains a base here.
Actress June Brown had two homes in the town. Jimmy Hill, presenter of ''Match of the Day'', was stationed at Folkestone Garrison during the Second World War, during which time he entertained troops and played for the local football team.
The novelist Jocelyn Brooke, who died in 1966, wrote evocatively about Folkestone and Sandgate in his memoirs. Rosemary Stewart the Canadian insurance heiress resided here for an extended period, known for dedication to coastal swimming from the harbour. During her time she continued to increase her fortune by becoming a significant player in the rag trade.
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand William Hall-Jones was born and raised in Folkestone.
Twin towns
Folkestone is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:
* Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
* Middelburg, Zeeland, Middelburg, Netherlands
* Étaples, Étaples-sur-Mer, France
* Tres de Febrero Partido, Tres de Febrero, Argentina
* Mechinagar, Nepal
In popular culture
Author Russell Hoban repurposes Folkstone as "Fork Stoane" in his 1980, post apocalyptic novel ''Riddley Walker''.
See also
* 2007 Kent Earthquake
* Folkestone power station
References
Sources
*
External links
The Folkestone Warren LandslideBritish Geological Survey
{{Authority control
Folkestone,
Towns in Kent
Ports and harbours of Kent
Seaside resorts in England
Ports and harbours of the English Channel
Cinque ports
Populated coastal places in Kent
France–United Kingdom border crossings
Beaches of Kent