Folkestone Castle

Folkestone Castle stands on Castle Hill, a spur of the North Downs north of Folkestone in Kent. The site was a Norman earthwork built on a natural mound in the late 11th century. Locals long called it ‘Caesar’s Camp’, though it has no Roman connection. The hill commands wide views across Folkestone, Romney Marsh, Dungeness, Rye and Fairlight. Augustus Pitt Rivers excavated the mound in 1878, widely seen as Britain’s first scientific dig of a medieval site. The castle was probably begun in 1095 and remained in use after the Norman Conquest. Its earthworks now overlook the M20 motorway and the entrance to the Channel Tunnel at Cheriton. The hilltop still shows the outline of the old defences. Visitors can walk the surviving ramparts and enjoy the long-distance views. The site is quiet today, reached by a short climb from the town. From the top, the coast stretches east and west in clear weather. The wind carries the sound of traffic from the motorway below. It is a place where earthworks speak of centuries past without the need for stone walls.