Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Castle of Folkestone is mentioned in a charter of c.1137. Hasted records that it was the main seat of the barony, and that in his day it was all destroyed by erosion, except for a small length of ancient wall on the east side of its bail or precinct. During excavation work by the Department of Archaeology from York University a major ditch was located containing pottery from the late 10th - early 12th century (late Saxon to "Saxon-Norman" Canterbury sandy wares). This ditch is in all probability the boundary to the "Castel Yard" as recorded by Leland in 1576 and on later 17th and 18th century estate maps in a much altered form of costal fortification. A late 11th to early 12th century date for this feature is given some support by the first recorded mention of the "castello de Folkestan" in a charter of confirmation granted by (1138AD) by William de Averenches to the monks of Folkestone Priory.

Monument Types

• CASTLE? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1137 AD? to 1700 AD?)
• DITCH (Medieval - 1137 AD? (at some time) to 1150 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 951 AD? to 1150 AD?)

Full description

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The castle of Folkestone is mentioned in a charter of c.1137, and Hasted says that it was the main seat of the barony, and that in his day it had all been destroyed by erosion, except for a small length of ancient wall on the east side of its bail or precinct.

Leland, earlier, noted that one side of a place called Castle-yard (hard upon the shore and close to the parish church) was dyked and had within it the ruins of a nunnery (really the first Benedictine priory - see TR 23 NW 17), the whole being under erosion. `The Bail', (a name now applying to an area on the edge of the cliff at TR 231 359) evidently commemorates the site, which would have been further to the south-east, somewhere near TR 2315 3590. There appears to be no real evidence for Hasted's claim that Eadbald of Kent (616-640) built a castle at Folkestone and that there had been an earlier Saxon stonghold there, nor indeed for any castle therebefore Norman times. (1-4)

TR 230359. The removal of the primary church from the `castello de Folkestan' to the new site `extra castellum' is mentioned in 1137 (a).This may refer to the build-up Bayle site immediately east of the parish church (TR 230359) on a sharp headland overlooking the harbour. (5)

During excavation work by the Department of Archaeology, York A major ditch was located containing pottery from the late 10th - early 12th century (late Saxon to "Saxon-Norman" Canterbury sandy wares). This ditch is in all probability the boundary to the "Castel Yard" as recorded by Leland in 1576 and on later 17th and 18th century estate maps in a much altered form of costal fortification. A late 11th to early 12th century date for this feature is given some support by the first recorded mention of the "castello de Folkestan" in a charter of confirmation granted by (1138AD) by William de Averenches to the monks of Folkestone Priory.(7)

Additional Info. (6-7)

<1> Hasted, E., 1786, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 2, Hasted's His of Kent 2nd edn 1799 8 157 169 170 (Monograph). SKE8061.

<2> Leland's Itinerary 2nd edn 1744 7 131 (OS Card Reference). SKE46012.

<3> Page, W. (ed), 1926, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Kent Volume II, VCH Kent 2 236 (Monograph). SKE7944.

<4> Folkestone District 1921 (WH Elgar) (OS Card Reference). SKE43429.

<5> Renn, D. F., 1973, Norman Castles in Britain, Norman Castles in Brit 1973 190 (DF Renn) (Monograph). SKE8386.

<6> Southern Water Services, 1993, Dover & Folkestone Wastewater Treatment scheme Environmental Statement (Unpublished document). SKE6815.

<7> Youngs, S. M. & Clark, J., 1982, Unknown Med Arch (Article in serial). SKE8385.

Sources and further reading

Related records