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Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Walla Crag - Borrowdale - Lake District

Borrowdale

in the county of Cumbria

Across the Fleet Lagoon

Langton Herring

in the county of Dorset

Pictures of Folkestone

a Seaside Town in the county of Kent

About Folkestone

The recent building of the Channel Tunnel made Folkestone the scene of one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe. Tourists arrive in Folkestone and leave quickly on their journey elsewhere. Those tourists who choose to tarry and spend time exploring the town are rewarded by the visual delights of this ancient place whose illustrious, and at times, turbulent history stretches back to the days before the Romans invaded Britain.

Until the last century, Folkestone was chiefly known as a busy fishing village. The railways reached here in 1843 and soon after holiday makers flocked to the town, attracted by the golden sandy beach cradled in the shelter of the East Cliff. The town developed rapidly from this point, enjoying huge popularity during the Edwardian Era. The Victorian and Edwardian periods saw an explosion in building and most of the fine properties that we see today were built then.The lovely pier which was finally demolished in 1954 was built in the 1880's, it had a pavilion large enough to seat 1,000 people. All the great music hall stars of the day appeared there, including Marie Lloyd.

Folkestone harbour is a constant source of delight, always busy and awash with gaily coloured fishing and pleasure craft which at low tide, lie stranded on mud-flats. Larger passenger ferries leave for the Continent from the nearby stone pier as the little harbour is too small for the modern vessels of today.

One of the beauties of Folkestone is The Leas - these fabulous gardens extend for nearly two miles and the lawns and flower beds are a riot of colour all the year round. This beautiful vantage point affords fine views across the ocean to the coast of France.

Alaways a prosperous place, Folkestone offers fine facilities for visitors and elegant restaurants mingle with ancient inns and old public houses. Housed in a lovely old Victorian building is the town museum which highlights the life and history of Folkestone.
The ancient parish church of St.Mary and St.Eanswythe dates to the 12th-century. The church was rebuilt early in the 13th-century after being burned down by raiders from France. Of it's many treasurers the church shows a window commemorating William Harvey who was born in Folkestone in 1578. He is the man who discovered the circulation of blood.

In the countryside beyond Folkstone there are several pretty and interesting little villages; there is a nearby Butterfly Centre and a museum commemorating the Battle of Britain. The magnificent cliffs that form the Dover to Folkestone Heritage Coast, are best viewed from a pleasure craft round the bay. The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway line runs from Seabrook.

Recommended towns & villages near Folkestone

Bluebell Woods

Hythe (40 Pictures) a Seaside Town in the county of Kent

(3.9 miles, 6.3 km, direction W of Folkestone)

This delightful seaside resort is one of the five original Cinque Ports, it can trace its noble history all the way back to AD732 when it was granted a charter by the Saxon King Ethelred...

Dover

Dover (181 Pictures) a Seaside Town in the county of Kent

(6.8 miles, 11.0 km, direction NE of Folkestone)

The white cliffs of Dover, the view that has stirred the hearts of English travellers for centuries...

Chilham

Chilham (43 Pictures) a Picturesque Village in the county of Kent

(14.3 miles, 23.0 km, direction NW of Folkestone)

A wonderful historic village set in the beautiful Kent Downs, above the valley of the River Stour. The village's medieval square gives a real sense of history, with its stunning timber-framed buildings, ancient church and fantastic medieval castle...

Crooked door of Sir John Boys House

Canterbury (346 Pictures) a Historic City in the county of Kent

(14.4 miles, 23.1 km, direction N of Folkestone)

Canterbury is an exquisite joyous place, it is submerged in history and is considered to be the birthplace of English Christianity. It glows with an abundance of charm, mostly.....

Camber Sands

Camber (25 Pictures) a Seaside Town in the county of East Sussex

(19.1 miles, 30.8 km, direction SW of Folkestone)

Backed by the Walland Marsh, Camber has one of the finest stretches of pure sand and sand dunes found along the East Sussex coast...

All towns & villages in Kent
Complete A to Z of towns & villages in England

Nearby attractions..

A picture of Samphire Hoe

Samphire Hoe (11 Pictures)

(5.3 miles, 8.6 km, direction E)

The newest part of Kent, made from 4.9 million cubic metres of chalk marl dug to create the Channel Tunnel. Samphire Hoe was.....

Western Heights Defences in Dover, Kent. - Drop Redoubt Fort - Open 3rd/4th June 2006

Western Heights Defences (2 Pictures)

(6.6 miles, 10.5 km, direction NE)

The Western Heights in Dover are remains of fortifications built mainly during the Napoleonic Wars when England was under a real.....

Crabble Corn Mill, Dover

Crabble Corn Mill (4 Pictures)

(6.6 miles, 10.7 km, direction NE)

The current mill, built in 1812, is situated in the picturesque village of River, on the outskirts of Dover. There have been.....

Dover Castle, Kent

Dover Castle (147 Pictures)

(7.8 miles, 12.6 km, direction NE)

Dover Castle is a medieval castle that was founded in the 11th century and is the largest castle in England, often being.....

A picture of Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (15 Pictures)

(11.3 miles, 18.2 km, direction SW)

First opened to traffic in July 1927 as the 'World's Smallest Public Railway' and now covering a distance of 13.5 miles from the.....

Goodnestone Park in early summer

Goodnestone Park Gardens (39 Pictures)

(11.6 miles, 18.7 km, direction N)

..

Walmer Castle

Walmer Castle & Garden (81 Pictures)

(13.1 miles, 21.1 km, direction NE)

The stone walls of Walmer Castle were put up in the 1530's at the same time as Sandown and Deal as part of a plan by the monarch.....


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