Secret Folkestone

Folkestone's history goes back to Anglo Saxon times and earlier settlements and behind the façade of the elegant Edwardian resort, the port and today's thriving town and gateway to the Channel Tunnel lie many little known and fascinating stories from its past. In Secret Folkestone, authors Terry Begent and Eamonn Rooney reveal the history beneath the surface of Folkestone from the foundation of the first nunnery in England by St Eanswythe in the 7th century to the present day. Amongst the topics covered are the story of the stone in 'Folke-stone', the town's role in defending the nation from invasion through the ages, the cliff-top source of Folkestone's Victorian water supply, how a mediaeval monarch tamed the local piratical fishermen into a naval force, the riot to free smugglers from Folkestone Gaol in 1820, the First World War aerial bombardment that left nearly 100 dead and much more. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Folkestone will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town on the Kent coast.

Terry Begent is a local historian based in the Folkestone area, and among the projects he has been involved in are the Leas Lift and Go Folkestone. He has written a number of publications but this is his first book for Amberley Publishing.