99-615: Brogdale is a hamlet in Kent , England, immediately south of the M2 motorway , 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Faversham . It is one of several hamlets making up the civil parish of Ospringe and is in the Borough of Swale . Its western half is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . Brogdale was once called Brokedale. This name is shared with the family of John de Brokedale, its lords of
198-738: A harbor 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) , 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 , one of
297-489: A benefit football match following the flood. 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 works, car conversion manufacturers were based in the town. Church and Dwight , the US company famous for Arm & Hammer baking soda -based consumer products, has its UK headquarters in the town. Silver Spring Mineral Water Company ,
396-598: A higher education qualification or the equivalent, compared to 20% nationwide. The average hours worked per week by residents of Kent were 43.1 for males and 30.9 for females. Their industry of employment was 17.3% retail, 12.4% manufacturing, 11.8% real estate, 10.3% health and social work, 8.9% construction, 8.2% transport and communications, 7.9% education, 6.0% public administration and defence, 5.6% finance, 4.8% other community and personal service activities, 4.1% hotels and restaurants, 1.6% agriculture, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.2% mining, and 0.1% private households. This
495-577: A new academy that opened in September 2015. Martello Grove Academy moved to new buildings on its campus in Warren Way in autumn 2016. Footballer and army officer Walter Tull attended the town's Mundella Primary School when it was North Board School. The town is situated at the foot of the North Downs , with views of the surrounding countryside and the coast of France, 24 mi (39 km) away. The area
594-411: 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. The governance of Folkestone lies in both national and local government. Insofar as
693-581: 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 ) 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,
792-568: A view to forming a new unified authority for East Kent, although remaining within the auspices of Kent County Council. This idea was eventually dropped. For almost nine centuries, a small part of present-day East London (the North Woolwich , London E16 area), formed part of Kent. Kent is in the southeastern corner of England. It borders the Thames Estuary and the North Sea to the north, and
891-534: A visitor centre. The Folkestone White Horse is carved on Cheriton Hill above the Channel Tunnel terminal. The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty includes part of the town area. The nearby Brockhill Country Park , to the west, with footpaths around a lake and in a valley, links with the Royal Military Canal at Hythe . Folkestone is near to two important Battle of Britain landmarks –
990-483: 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. Folkestone has an annual Chamber Music Festival each May curated by the Sacconi Quartet . The festival
1089-535: Is England's second-oldest cathedral, the present building built in the Early English Style. These two dioceses ensured that every village had a parish church. Folkestone Folkestone ( / ˈ f ə ʊ k s t ən / 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
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#17331066852871188-665: Is England's second-oldest cathedral. Located between London and the Strait of Dover , which separates England from mainland Europe, Kent has been the setting for both conflict and diplomacy, including the Battle of Britain in World War II and the Leeds Castle peace talks of 1978 and 2004. England relied on the county's ports to provide warships through much of its history; the Cinque Ports in
1287-497: 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 . 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
1386-568: 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
1485-477: Is higher than the whole of England for construction and transport/communications and lower for manufacturing. Kent is sometimes known as the "Garden of England" for its abundance of orchards and hop gardens. In particular the county produces tree-grown fruits, strawberries and hazelnuts. Distinctive hop-drying buildings called oasts are common in the countryside, although many have been converted into dwellings. Nearer to London, market gardens also flourish. Kent
1584-628: Is of Celtic origin, and dates back to at least the 4th century BC. It is one of the earliest names recorded in Britain, known to the Greeks since the explorer Pytheas recorded it as Kantion during his voyage around the British Isles in about 325 BC. As such, it has been claimed as the "oldest recorded name still in use in England." The meaning has been explained as 'coastal district,' 'corner-land' or 'land on
1683-545: Is represented by Dylan Jeffrey (Conservative). Folkestone East is represented by Jackie Meade (Labour). The second tier of local government is the non-metropolitan district . 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
1782-478: 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
1881-531: Is the main area for hazelnut production in the UK. However, in recent years, there has been a significant drop in agriculture, and industry and services are increasing their utilisation of the area. This is illustrated by the following table of economic indicator gross value added (GVA) between 1995 and 2003 (figures are in £ millions): North Kent is heavily industrialised, with cement-making at Northfleet and Cuxton , brickmaking at Sittingbourne, shipbuilding on
1980-457: Is under Liberal Democrat control (Tunbridge Wells), and six are under no overall control and are administered by coalitions (Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, Swale, Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone and Hythe). Notably, Thanet is the only council in the United Kingdom to have come under UK Independence Party (UKIP) control, which it did in 2015 . At the national level, Kent is represented in
2079-579: 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. Folkestone is located where the southern edge of the North Downs escarpment meets the sea. In contrast to the white cliffs at Dover further to the east, the cliffs at Folkestone are composed of greensand belonging to the Folkestone Formation and gault clay . A small stream, Pent Brook, cuts through
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#17331066852872178-748: The Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne and the Kent Battle of Britain Museum . 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. Folkestone developed because of its transport links. With France visible across
2277-506: The County of London was created and took over responsibility for local administration of parts of north-west Kent. These included the towns of Greenwich , Woolwich , Plumstead , Deptford , Lee , Eltham , Charlton , and Kidbrooke . In 1900, however, Kent absorbed the district of Penge . Some of Kent is contiguous with the Greater London sprawl, notably parts of Dartford . Originally,
2376-576: The House of Commons by eighteen Members of Parliament (MPs). The county has historically been dominated by the Conservative Party at general elections. Prior to 2024, the party had won a majority of Kentish seats in every election since the local government reforms of 1974, including during Labour's landslide victories of 1997 and 2001 . In both 2010 and 2015 , the Conservatives won every seat in
2475-550: The Kent Battle of Britain Museum and the Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne . 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
2574-696: The Local Government Act 1972 , Kent County Council has been under Conservative Party control; the exception was between 1993 and 1997 when the party came under no overall control with Labour Party leadership. At the most recent county council election in 2021 , the Conservatives won 62 out of 81 seats. Also elected were seven Labour councillors, six Liberal Democrats , four from the Green Party , one Swale Independent and one residents' association representative. Of Kent's thirteen districts, two are under Conservative control (Sevenoaks, Dartford), four are under Labour control (Gravesham, Medway, Thanet, Dover), one
2673-588: 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 , Maidstone, Aylesford , Wrotham and Swanley where the A20, M20 and M25 meet and the A20 continues through Sidcup and Lewisham to Central London . Folkestone marks the eastern end of the A259 although this is no longer part of
2772-818: 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 artifacts 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
2871-691: The North Downs and The High Weald . Kent was one of the first British territories to be settled by Germanic tribes, most notably the Jutes , following the withdrawal of the Romans. Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, the oldest cathedral in England, has been the seat of the Archbishops of Canterbury since the conversion of England to Christianity that began in the 6th century with Saint Augustine . Rochester Cathedral in Medway
2970-797: The River Darent , tributaries of the River Medway, and on the River Stour . Two 18th century mills were on the River Len and at Tovil on the River Loose . In the late 19th century huge modern mills were built at Dartford and Northfleet on the River Thames and at Kemsley on The Swale. In pre-industrial times, almost every village and town had its own windmill or watermill , with over 400 windmills known to have stood at some time. Twenty-eight survive within
3069-515: The River Medway in 1547. By the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) a small dockyard had been established at Chatham . By 1618, storehouses, a ropewalk , a drydock , and houses for officials had been built downstream from Chatham. By the 17th century, tensions between Britain and the powers of the Netherlands and France led to increasing military build-up in the county. Forts were built all along
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3168-533: The River Medway , rises near East Grinstead in Sussex and flows eastwards to Maidstone . Here it turns north and breaks through the North Downs at Rochester, then joins the estuary of the River Thames near Sheerness . The Medway is some 70 miles (112 km) long. The river is tidal as far as Allington lock, but in earlier times, cargo-carrying vessels reached as far upstream as Tonbridge . The Medway has captured
3267-544: The South Eastern Main Line . 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
3366-463: 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. The railway reached Folkestone on 28 June 1843 and a temporary railway station was built while
3465-739: The Straits of Dover and the English Channel to the south. France is 21 miles (34 km) across the Strait. The major geographical features of the county are based on a series of ridges and valleys running east–west across the county. These are the results of erosion of the Wealden dome, a dome across Kent and Sussex created by alpine movements 20–10 million years ago. This dome consists of an upper layer of chalk above successive layers of Upper Greensand , Gault Clay , Lower Greensand , Weald Clay , and Wealden sandstone. The ridges and valleys formed when
3564-544: The manor of the early middle ages. After no Brokedale sons or other male-line issue remaining, the manor was owned by John Clerk – living in Brogdale in 1383. In 1734, the manor was owned by John Knowler, Mayor of Faversham. On 10 August 2003 the temperature at Brogdale reached 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), once a record for the United Kingdom. Brogdale Farm is home to the National Fruit Collection , one of
3663-628: The 10th –14th centuries and Chatham Dockyard in the 16th–20th centuries were of particular importance. France can be seen clearly in fine weather from Folkestone and the White Cliffs of Dover . Hills in the form of the North Downs and the Greensand Ridge span the length of the county and in the Vale of Holmesdale in between and to the south are most of the county's 26 castles . The county has agriculture, haulage, logistics and tourism industries. As
3762-463: 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 for boys; the latter was founded in 1674. These two schools have a common sixth form timetable. East Kent College have a Folkestone campus providing
3861-425: The 19th and 20th centuries. Cement came to the fore in the 19th century when massive building projects were undertaken. The ready supply of chalk and huge pits between Stone and Gravesend bear testament to that industry. There were also other workings around Burham on the tidal Medway. Chalk, gravel and clay were excavated on Dartford Heath for centuries. Kent's original paper mills stood on streams like
3960-669: The 19th century. The lands are administered by Shepway District Council, with the Cabinet members forming the Board of Trustees . 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
4059-606: The Channel Tunnel, is in the Folkestone suburb of Cheriton . The Leas Lift , a Victorian water lift that opened in 1885, connects the Leas with the beach. 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. The town is located at the eastern end of the M20 which provides fast access to Ashford , Maidstone , London and also to
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4158-515: 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
4257-581: The Medway and Swale , engineering and aircraft design and construction at Rochester, chemicals at Dartford, papermaking at Swanley , and oil refining at Grain . There is a steel mini mill in Sheerness and a rolling mill in Queenborough . There are two nuclear power stations at Dungeness , although the older one, Dungeness A, built in 1965, was decommissioned in 2006. Cement-making, papermaking, and coal-mining were important industries in Kent during
4356-533: The Richter Scale. It was centred in the Sandwich area of east Kent at about ten miles below the surface. There was little if any damage reported. The coastline of Kent is continuously changing, due to tectonic uplift and coastal erosion . Until about 960, the Isle of Thanet was an island, separated by the Wantsum channel , formed around a deposit of chalk; over time, the channels silted up with alluvium . Similarly Romney Marsh and Dungeness have been formed by accumulation of alluvium. Kent's principal river,
4455-660: The South Coast Trunk Road east of Brenzett, although it remains a primary route. The road gives access to the Romney Marsh , Hastings , Eastbourne and beyond. To the north, roads connect Folkestone to Canterbury and the nearby villages of Elham and Lyminge . Stagecoach in East Kent operates local buses from the town. It is served by The Link services to Canterbury , The Wave service to Dover , Romney Marsh and Hastings . Other bus routes run to Hythe , Ashford and Maidstone. National Express runs coaches to Ashford, Dover, Hythe, Maidstone and London. Schools and colleges in Folkestone include Folkestone Academy (formed by
4554-422: The South Eastern Main Line to Ashford International , the services join HS1 for the journey to Ebbsfleet , Stratford International and London St Pancras . 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 terminal, for car transport to Calais by train using
4653-428: 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
4752-541: The Westphalian Sandstone are about 820–1,310 ft (250–400 m) deep, and are subject to flooding. They occur in two major troughs, which extend under the English Channel. Seismic activity has occasionally been recorded in Kent, though the epicentres were offshore. In 1382 and 1580 there were two earthquakes exceeding 6.0 on the Richter Scale . In 1776, 1950, and on 28 April 2007 there were earthquakes of around 4.3. The 2007 earthquake caused physical damage in Folkestone. A further quake on 22 May 2015 measured 4.2 on
4851-489: The area is required to achieve these objectives; it has been opposed by environmental groups. Kent is one of the warmest parts of Britain. On 10 August 2003, in the hamlet of Brogdale near Faversham the temperature reached 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), at that time the highest temperature ever officially recorded in the United Kingdom. The record still stands as the hottest August day ever recorded. Kent County Council and its twelve district councils administer most of
4950-410: The area's military importance, the first Ordnance Survey map ever drawn was a one-inch map of Kent, published in 1801. Many of the Georgian naval buildings still stand. In the early 19th century, smugglers were very active on the Kent coastline. Gangs such as The Aldington Gang brought spirits, tobacco and salt to the county, and transported goods such as wool across the sea to France. In 1889,
5049-483: The area, eventually assimilating with the newcomers. Of the invading tribes, the Jutes were the most prominent, and the area became a Jutish kingdom recorded as Cantia in about 730 and Cent in 835. The early medieval inhabitants of the county were referred to as the Cantwara , or Kentish people. The city of Canterbury was the largest in Kent. In 597, Pope Gregory I appointed the religious missionary (who became Saint Augustine of Canterbury after his death) as
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#17331066852875148-631: The border between Kent and Sussex (later East Sussex ) ran through the towns of Tunbridge Wells and Lamberhurst . In 1894, by the Local Government Act , the parts of these towns that lay in East Sussex were absorbed by Kent. During the Second World War, much of the Battle of Britain was fought in the skies over Kent. Between June 1944 and March 1945, more than 10,000 V1 flying bombs , or "Doodlebugs", were fired towards London from bases in Northern France . Although many were destroyed by aircraft, anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons , both London and Kent were hit by around 2,500 of these bombs. After
5247-402: 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:
5346-486: The coast following the raid on the Medway , a successful attack by the Dutch navy on the shipyards of the Medway towns in 1667. The 18th century was dominated by wars with France, during which the Medway became the primary base for a fleet that could act along the Dutch and French coasts. When the theatre of operation moved to the Atlantic , this role was assumed by Portsmouth and Plymouth , with Chatham concentrating on shipbuilding and ship repair. As an indication of
5445-523: 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
5544-418: The county (3352 km ), whilst the Medway Council administers the more densely populated Medway unitary authority (192 km ), independently of the county council. Together they have around 300 town and parish councils . Kent County Council's headquarters are in Maidstone , while Medway's offices are at Gun Wharf, Chatham . For most of its history since the local government reforms instituted by
5643-556: The county (including Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, and Sevenoaks) has less than 50% of the average claimant count for low incomes or worklessness as the coastal districts of Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, and Thanet (chiefly three resorts: Ramsgate, Broadstairs, and Margate). West and Central Kent have long had many City of London commuters . Kent's geographical location between the Straits of Dover and London has influenced its architecture, as has its Cretaceous geology and its good farming land and fine building clays. Kent's countryside pattern
5742-427: The county today, plus two replica mills and a further two in that part of Kent now absorbed into London. All the major rivers in the county were used to power watermills. From about 1900, several coal pits operated in East Kent. The Kent Coalfield was mined during the 20th century at several collieries, including Chislet, Tilmanstone, Betteshanger, and the Snowdown Colliery, which ran from 1908 to 1986. The west of
5841-411: The county was granted similar powers to those granted in the areas bordering Wales and Scotland . During the medieval and early modern period, Kent played a major role in several of England's most notable rebellions, including the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, led by Wat Tyler , Jack Cade 's Kent rebellion of 1450, and Wyatt's Rebellion of 1554 against Queen Mary I . The Royal Navy first used
5940-441: The county. The 2024 election saw a sharp decline in support for the Conservatives, and the county is currently represented by eleven Labour MPs, six Conservatives and one Liberal Democrat. At the 2011 census , Kent, including Medway, had 1,727,665 residents (18.0% of which in Medway); had 711,847 households (17.5% of which in Medway) and had 743,436 dwellings (14.8% of which in Medway). 51.1% of Kent's population excluding Medway
6039-452: The current harbour. Included in the town is Cheriton , where the Channel Tunnel 's northern exit is located; Newington ; and Peene . 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 in
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#17331066852876138-449: 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 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
6237-439: The edge' (Welsh cant 'bordering of a circle, tyre, edge;' Breton cant 'circle;' Dutch kant 'side, edge'). In Latin sources the area is called Cantia or Cantium , while the Anglo-Saxons referred to it as Cent , Cent lond or Centrice . The area was first occupied by early humans , intermittently due to periods of extreme cold, during the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age), as attested by an early Neanderthal skull found in
6336-408: The ending of ferry services from Folkestone, but it still remains in active use. 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 ,
6435-419: The exposed clay eroded faster than the exposed chalk, greensand, or sandstone. Sevenoaks , Maidstone , Ashford , and Folkestone are built on greensand, while Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are built on sandstone. Dartford , Gravesend , the Medway towns, Sittingbourne , Faversham , Canterbury , Deal , and Dover are built on chalk. The easterly section of the Wealden dome has been eroded away by
6534-521: The first Archbishop of Canterbury . In the previous year, Augustine successfully converted the pagan King Æthelberht of Kent to Christianity. The Diocese of Canterbury became England's first Episcopal See with first cathedral and has since remained England's centre of Christianity. The second designated English cathedral was for West Kent at Rochester Cathedral . Kent was traditionally partitioned into East and West Kent, and into lathes and hundreds . The traditional border of East and West Kent
6633-449: The head waters of other rivers such as the River Darent . Other rivers of Kent include the River Stour in the east. A 2014 study found that Kent shares significant reserves of shale oil with other neighbouring counties, totalling 4.4 billion barrels of oil , which then Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency. Fracking in
6732-415: 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
6831-439: 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
6930-427: The land between the capital and the wider continent, it is a high-income county. Agriculture of the county is a notable sector: "The Garden of England" is a nickname for the county, which has multiple orchards and allotments. In north-west Kent, industries include aggregate building material extraction, printing and scientific research. Coal mining has also played its part in the county's industrial heritage. The name
7029-477: The largest collections of fruit trees and plants in the world. Spread over 150-acre (61 ha) it hosts the collection since it moved from Wisley in 1952. In the 1980s, the Government cut funding to the site, with closure threatened by March 1990. In response, the Brogdale Horticultural Trust took over co-ownership of the farm with Wye College . It has been the home of Faversham miniature railway since 2001. The farm runs regular fruit-themed festivals throughout
7128-574: 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
7227-442: The mid-1800s by Decimus Burton who also worked on Regent's Park , London and St Leonards-on-Sea . The promenade along the sea includes many crescents, hotels, private parks and alleys. A Martello Tower (No 3) stands on the cliff above Copt Point. Built in 1806 as a defence against Napoleon , it has also been a Coast Guard lookout, a family home, a golf clubhouse and a Second World War Naval mine control post. It now houses
7326-506: The modern county was by the time of Roman Britain occupied by a Celtic Iron Age tribe known as the Regni . Caesar wrote that the people of Kent were 'by far the most civilised inhabitants of Britain'. Following the withdrawal of the Romans, large numbers of Germanic speakers from mainland Europe settled in Kent, bringing their language, which came to be Old English . While they expelled the native Romano-British population, some likely remained in
7425-531: The motto Invicta , meaning "undefeated" or "unconquered". The adoption of this motto followed the invasion of Britain by William of Normandy , as he was unable to subdue the county and they negotiated favourable terms. The continued resistance of the Kentish people against the Normans led to Kent's designation as a semi-autonomous county palatine in 1067. Under the nominal rule of William's half-brother Odo of Bayeux ,
7524-593: The national government is concerned, Folkestone is part of the constituency of Folkestone and Hythe , which is currently (2024) represented by Tony Vaughan (Labour). Before Brexit in 2020, Folkestone was part of the South East England constituency in the European Parliament . 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 . Folkestone West
7623-664: The quarries at Swanscombe . The Medway megaliths were built during the Neolithic era. There is a rich sequence of Bronze Age , Celtic Iron Age , and Britto- Roman era occupation, as indicated by finds and features such as the Ringlemere gold cup and the Roman villas of the Darent valley . Julius Caesar described the area as Cantium , or the home of the Cantiaci , in 51 BC. The extreme west of
7722-572: The sea, and cliffs such as the White Cliffs of Dover are present where a chalk ridge known as the North Downs meets the coast. Spanning Dover and Westerham is the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The Wealden dome is a Mesozoic structure lying on a Palaeozoic foundation, which can often create the right conditions for coal formation. This is found in East Kent roughly between Deal, Canterbury, and Dover. The Coal Measures within
7821-406: The shipping trade but have since diversified into other fields. Saga plc 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. 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
7920-495: The south-west; Surrey to the west and Greater London to the north-west. The county town is Maidstone . It is the fifth most populous county in England, the most populous non-metropolitan county and the most populous of the Home Counties , an area influenced by the capital such as commutes and transport connections to the capital. Twenty-eight per cent of the county forms part of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty :
8019-542: The stone possibly marking the meeting place of the local hundred . It was not until the mid 19th century that the spelling of "Folkestone" was fixed as such, with the Earl of Radnor requesting that the town's name be standardized (although this tendency towards standardisation in the 19th century is true of English place names generally). Folkestone is often misspelled with variants including Folkston, Folkstone & Folkestone. The area of Folkestone has been occupied since at least
8118-531: The summer and autumn: During the fairs, visitors can explore the orchards and several experts give talks on the produce. Kent Kent is a county in the South East England region, the closest county to continental Europe . It borders Essex across the entire estuary of the River Thames to the north; the French department of Pas-de-Calais across the Strait of Dover to the south-east; East Sussex to
8217-558: The town's seal, along with William Harvey , the Folkestone-born 17th-century physician who discovered the blood circulation. A Norman 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 , it had become a town in its own right. Wars with France meant that defenses had to be built, and
8316-472: The town. The North Downs Way , starting its course in Surrey , reaches the coast at Folkestone and continues through Capel-le-Ferne , and to its end at Dover , some 8 mi (13 km) away. The Saxon Shore Way starts at Gravesend , Kent and traces the Kent coast as it was in Roman times , via Folkestone, as far as Hastings , East Sussex, 163 miles (262 km) in total. Nearby places of interest include
8415-479: The two principal cross-channel observation points, the other being Fairlight Down in Sussex. Until the 19th century, Folkestone remained a small fishing community with a seafront continually battered by storms and encroaching shingles, making it hard to land boats. In 1807, an act of Parliament , the Folkestone Pier and Harbour Act 1807 ( 47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2 . c. ii), was passed to build a pier and harbour, which
8514-618: The war, Kent's borders changed several more times. In 1965, the London boroughs of Bromley and Bexley were created from nine towns formerly in Kent. In 1998, Rochester, Strood, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham left the administrative county of Kent to form the Unitary Authority of Medway . Plans for another unitary authority in north-west Kent were dropped, but in 2016 consultations began between five Kent local authorities (Canterbury, Thanet, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, and Ashford) with
8613-421: 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 harbor developed during
8712-720: 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. 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
8811-472: Was built by Thomas Telford in 1809. By 1820 a harbour area of 14 acres (5.7 hectares) 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. 1842, the company went bankrupt, and the government put the derelict harbour up for sale. It
8910-632: Was constructed over the Iron Age settlement sometime 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 , 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 . Augustine
9009-625: Was determined by a gavelkind inheritance system that generated a proliferation of small settlements. There was no open-field system, and the large tracts were owned by the two great abbeys, Christ Church, Canterbury and St Augustine's Abbey , that did not pass into the hands of the king during the Reformation . Canterbury Cathedral is the United Kingdom's metropolitan cathedral ; it was founded in AD 598 and displays architecture from all periods. There are nine Anglo-Saxon churches in Kent. Rochester Cathedral
9108-466: Was established as the civil parish : in Folkestone's case, because it held a Town 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 , responsible for electing a Town Mayor. This role has since passed to Folkestone Town Council which is based at Folkestone Town Hall . Folkestone Town Council
9207-420: Was established in 2004, comprising the area of the former Borough 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
9306-590: Was female — as to Medway, this proportion was 50.4%. The tables below provide statistics for the administrative county of Kent, that is, excluding Medway. At the 2001 UK census , employment statistics for the residents in Kent, including Medway, were as follows: 41.1% in full-time employment, 12.4% in part-time employment, 9.1% self-employed, 2.9% unemployed, 2.3% students with jobs, 3.7% students without jobs, 12.3% retired, 7.3% looking after home or family, 4.3% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.7% economically inactive for other reasons. Of residents aged 16–74, 16% had
9405-530: 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 . Eanswythe died around 640 and
9504-591: Was quickly made a saint. Her remains were moved into the chancel of the current church on 12 September 1138, which has since been commemorated as the Feast of St Eanswythe. They became the focus of prayer and pilgrimage, so 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
9603-518: Was the county's main river, the Medway . Men and women from east of the Medway are Men (or Maids) of Kent, those from the west are Kentishmen or Kentish Maids. The divide has been explained by some as originating in the Anglo-Saxon migrations, with Jutes mainly settling east of the Medway and Saxons settling west of it. In the 11th century, the people of Kent (or Chenth , per the Domesday Book ) adopted
9702-460: 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
9801-525: 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
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