About Folkestone and Hythe

Location, Places and Features

The constituency of Folkestone and Hythe actually covers a large number of towns and villages in East Kent, covering the area between Dover to the North to Rye to the South West.

Folkestone and Hythe Constituency Map Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey

Large version of Folkestone and Hythe Constituency map

The UK terminal of the Channel Tunnel lies at Cheriton near Folkestone, and the M20 cuts through the constituency providing high speed road access to London. Dungeness B nuclear power station, opened in 1983, lies in the constituency at Dungeness Point at the edge of Romney Marsh, near to Lydd Airport with scheduled services to Le Tourquet - Paris Plage.

Folkestone and Hythe constituency is much more than a two town area, and actually covers the towns and villages of Acrise, Appledore, Arpinge, Brenzett, Brookland, Burmarsh, Capel Le Ferne, Cheriton, Densole, Dungeness, Dymchurch, Elham, Etchinghill, Folkestone, Frogholt, Greatstone, Hawkinge, Hythe, Ivychurch, Littlestone, Lydd, Lydd-On-Sea, Lyminge, Lympne, Monks Horton, New Romney Town, Newchurch, Newingreen, Newington, Old Romney, Ottinge, Paddlesworth, Peene, Postling, Rhodes Minnis, Saltwood, Sandgate, Sandling, Sellindge, Selsted, Snargate, Snave, St Mary in the Marsh, St Mary's Bay, Stanford, Stelling Minnis, Stowting, Swingfield and Wingmore.

Folkestone is a coastal resort town in the Shepway district of Kent, about as far as you can get towards France before you get your feet wet. Folkestone still retains some of its once extensive fishing fleet which operate from the tidal harbour.

2008 will see the inaugural Folkestone Triennial. Internationally acclaimed contemporary artists including Christian Boltanski, Tracey Emin, Mark Dion, Jeremy Deller, Tacita Dean and Mark Wallinger are being commissioned to create new works for the first Folkestone Triennial, Tales of Time and Space, which will run from 14 June - 14 September 2008. One of the most ambitious public art projects to be presented in the UK, the Triennial is a three-yearly exhibition of works which will be specially created for public spaces throughout Folkestone.

Folkestone Triennial 2008 - Tales of Time and Space

Every Sunday, Folkestone also welcomes the Harbourmart "Farmers, Fishers and Artist Market", one of the largest farmers markets in Kent. There are a wide range of events every week in Folkestone, and a huge range of attractions, from the Leas promenade to Martello Towers along the coast, the old harbourside at The Stade and more.

Discover Folkestone

Hythe is a small town around 6 miles south-west of Folkestone. One of the original Cinque Ports, Hythe has a significant history and is still a popular destination for tourists. It is a terminus of the miniature Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. Every two years, it hosts the Hythe Venetian Fete, when local organisations and individuals create decorated floats which travel up and down the Royal Military Canal. In alternate years, there is a Hythe Festival, a two week programme of varied and often free events.

• Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

• Venetian Fete

• Hythe Festival

Also within the constituency is New Romney, another small town on the edge of the Romney Marsh and another of the founder towns of the Cinque Ports. Romney Marsh lies in parts below sea level, and was entirely under water. Land reclamation and the retreat of the sea over the last few hundred years has revealed the marsh, stretching from New Romney to Lympne and Hythe. Towns and villages on the marsh include Appledore, Brenzett, Brookland, Burmarsh, Dymchurch, Greatstone, Ivychurch, Littlestone, Lydd, Lydd-on-Sea, New Romney, Newchurch, Old Romney, St Mary in the Marsh, St Mary's Bay, Snargate and Snave.

"The world according to the best geographers is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Romney Marsh."

Ingoldsby Legends, Reverend Richard Harris Barham

Political Make-Up

Folkestone and Hythe constituency currently covers the same area as Shepway District Council. Electors in Shepway are represented by Shepway District Council, Kent County Council and in many places (especially from June 2004 with the formation of new town councils for Folkestone and Sandgate) town and parish councils.

As of December 2009, the Liberal Democrats have 6 Councillors (Lynne Beaumont, Tim Prater, Tom McNeice, Val Loseby, Peter Carroll and Neil Matthews) on Shepway District Council, 7 Councillors (Tim Prater, Dhan Gurung, Bev Rolfe, Lynne Beaumont, Tom McNeice, Maggie Sheldrake and Gary Fuller) on Folkestone Town Council, 2 Councillors (Darren Briddock and Sam Matthews) on Hythe Town Council and 2 Councillors (Season Prater and Ann Rimmer) on Sandgate Parish Council.

In June 2009, there were elections to Kent County Council. The Shepway area covers six County Council divisions (Elham Valley, Folkestone North-East, Folkestone South, Folkestone West, Hythe, Romney Marsh), all held since 2005 by the Conservatives. Liberal Democrat Tim Prater gained Folkestone West division from the Conservatives, overturning a 1,300 vote majority at the previous election.

On the same day, the Liberal Democrats won a series of by-elections, with Neil Matthews being elected to Shepway District Council in Hythe West, Darren Briddock and Sam Matthews elected to Hythe Town Council in Hythe West, and Ann Rimmer being elected to Sandgate Parish Council.

The most recent district council elections took place in May 2007, when Shepway District Council was up for re-election (this takes place every four years, with the next election timetabled for May 2011). The composition of Shepway District Council is now (December 2009) 38 Conservatives, 6 Liberal Democrats, 2 People First and NO Labour.

Shepway District Council Local Election Results - 3rd May 2007

Shepway District Council Local Election Results - 1st May 2003

In May 2007, the Liberal Democrats also won the majority of the seats on Folkestone Town Council. After some Lib Dem Councillors chose to join the Conservatives in Summer 2008, the current composition of Folkestone Town Council is 7 Liberal Democrats, 7 Conservatives, 3 People First and 1 Independent.

Folkestone Town Council Local Election Results - 3rd May 2007

The Liberal Democrats got 50% of the vote in Shepway in May 2003, leading many commentators to conclude that Michael Howard's parliamentary seat was likely to fall to the Liberal Democrats at the next General Election. However, despite a strong Liberal Democrat challenge in the run-up to the 2005 General Election, Michael Howard retained the seat for the Conservatives with an increased majority. The Liberal Democrats however remain a clear second, with the Labour vote at under 13% one of their poorest results in the South East.

Folkestone & Hythe General Election Result - 5 May 2005

Kent County Council Election Results - 5 May 2005

South East England European Election Result 2004

Folkestone and Hythe General Election Result 2001

South East England European Election Result 1999

History

The history of the coastal Folkestone and Hythe area is inevitably bound up with the sea, with clear evidence dating back to at least Roman times of observation posts to watch for invaders.

Both Hythe and New Romney were founder members of the Cinque Ports, which in 1155 established the towns as having a duty to maintain ships ready for the crown in case of need. Folkestone also joined as a "limb" member in the next two hundred years.

In return the towns received significant rights:

"Exemption from tax and tolls; self-government; permission to levy tolls, punish those who shed blood or flee justice, punish minor offences, detain and execute criminals both inside and outside the port's jurisdiction, and punish breaches of the peace; and possession of lost goods that remain unclaimed after a year, goods thrown overboard, and floating wreckage."

From 1841 the South Eastern Railway company developed the Boulogne-Folkestone cross channel service. They bought and improved Folkestone port, from where they operated a fleet of steamships with connecting train-ship-train services between London and Paris, aimed at wealthy travellers. The cross-channel service and Folkestone's position as a seaside resort brough considerable wealth and redevelopment to the town over the next few decades.

With its strategically useful position overlooking the English Channel, the area has always been key to the defence of Britain. In 1794 the Army purchased over 200 acres of land just to the West of Folkestone which became Shorncliffe Army Camp and troops were stationed here before being sent off to fight in the Peninsular Wars.

Between 1805 and 1808, fear of a Napoleonic French invasion led to the construction of 74 Martello Towers along the South Coast. Overlooking the sea, the towers had thick brick walls, stood about 10 metres high and had a cannon on the roof. Stretching from Folkestone to Seaford in Sussex, there were 25 Martello Towers between Folkestone and Dymchurch alone, of which 16 still exist today.

The Folkestone area was however badly damaged by bombs in both World Wars, both as a direct target due to its garrisons at Shorncliffe Camp near the town, and as a result of "jettisoning" on bombs by planes that had abandoned their actual mission.

Famous People

Cosmopolitan Folkestone, the smaller Hythe, New Romney, Dymchurch and many smaller villages, have drawn many people to the area through the ages, as a place to live, work or stay. The following list gives a few of the more famous examples - if you have more, then please do let us know at famouspeople@shepwaylibdems.org.uk. Thanks to Warren Stevenson, Maureen Speller and others for their contributions.

• William Harvey, the discoverer of circulation of the blood & physician to Charles I, was born in Folkestone on 1 April 1578

• For 20 years from 1890 to 1910, H.G.Wells lived in Sandgate

• King Edward VII, his Queen and friend Alice Keppel (great, great grandmother of Camilla Parker Bowles) stayed regularly at The Grand Hotel on The Leas, Folkestone prior to World War 1

• Edith Nesbitt, author of the Railway Children, lived in St Mary's Bay 1922-1924

• Hattie Jacques of the "Carry On" films was born in Sandgate in 1924

• Michael Bentine (of the Goons) lived in Folkestone as a child (1920's-30's)

• Agatha Christie stayed in Folkestone before World War 2, reportedly writing "Murder on the Orient Express" in her suite at The Grand

• Charles Dickens lived at Albion Villas, Folkestone in the 1850's while writing Little Dorritt

• Derek Jarman (1942-94) , Film Director, poet and author lived in Prospect Cottage, Dungeness until his death in 1994

• Noel Redding (1945 - 2003), bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience was raised in Folkestone

• 'Bombardier' Billy Wells - first British Heavyweight to win the Lonsdale belt (in 1911) and the "Golden Gong" man at the start of Rank Organisation films from 1948 onwards - was the Landlord of the Fountain public house, Seabrook

• George Grossmith (1847-1912), collaborator with Gilbert and Sullivan on many of their operettas, died in Folkestone

• Sir Kenneth Clark, later Lord Clark, art historian and creator of the television series 'Civilisation', and subsequently his son Alan Clark, MP and military historian, owned and lived at Saltwood Castle, near Hythe

• Mathematician Ian Stewart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Stewart_%28mathematician%29) was born in Folkestone in 1945

Recent residents of the surrounding area include Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer and Paul O'Grady - aka Lily Savage

More Information

The following sites have more information about the Folkestone and Hythe area, its services, attractions, transport and history. Their inclusion on this site do not suggest any support by or for the Liberal Democrats by those sites.

Wikipedia : Folkestone

Village Net - About the Cinque Ports

Romney Marsh: The Fifth Quarter. Site about the Marsh, history and villages

Thisisfolkestone - Detailed history of Folkestone

Shepway Council - Local Attractions

Folkestone and Hythe Area Stagecoach Bus Timetables

Discover Folkestone