Historic churches · South East England
Folkestone
Folkestone ( FOHK-stən) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an importan
John Baker — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Free entry
About
Folkestone ( FOHK-stən) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal resort for most of the 19th and mid-20th centuries. This location has had a settlement since the Mesolithic era. A nunnery was founded by Eanswith, granddaughter of Æthelberht of Kent in the 7th century, who is still commemorated as part of the town's culture. During the 13th century, it developed into a seaport, and the harbour developed during the early 19th century to defend 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 Edwardian-era heyday, Folkestone was considered the most fashionable resort of the time, visited by royalty — amongst them Queen Victoria and Edward VII and other members of the English aristocracy. The town's architecture, especially in the West End part, 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 sti
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From the Wikipedia article
Folkestone ( FOHK-stən) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal resort for most of the 19th and mid-20th centuries. This location has had a settlement since the Mesolithic era. A nunnery was founded by Eanswith, granddaughter of Æthelberht of Kent in the 7th century, who is still commemorated as part of the town's culture. During the 13th century, it developed into a seaport, and the harbour developed during the early 19th century to defend 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 Edwardian-era heyday, Folkestone was considered the most fashionable resort of the time, visited by royalty — amongst them Queen Victoria and Edward VII and other members of the English aristocracy. The town's architecture, especially in the West End part, 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.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
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. On the East Cliff, an extensive Iron Age oppidum existed, which produced quern-stones 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…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.0792, 1.1794
- County
- Kent
- District
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Parish
- Folkestone
- Postcode
- CT20 1RZ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Official site
- www.petticoatemporium.com
Sources
- wikipedia: Folkestone (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Folkestone?
- Folkestone is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT20 1RZ), in the parish of Folkestone.
- Is Folkestone free to visit?
- Yes, Folkestone is free to enter.
- How do I get to Folkestone?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode CT20 1RZ. It sits within the Folkestone and Hythe parliamentary constituency.