Folkestone

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Folkestone
Port town
Arms of Folkestone Town Council
Folkestone Location within Kent
Population	46,698 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	TR218361
• London	71.3 mi (114.7 km)
District	Folkestone and Hythe
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	FOLKESTONE
Postcode district	CT18–CT20
Dialling code	01303
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Folkestone and Hythe
List of places UK England Kent 51°04′45″N 01°10′46″E / 51.07917°N 1.17944°E / 51.07917; 1.17944

Folkestone (/ˈfəʊkstən/ ^ⓘ 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 harbor 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 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 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.