England · Ruin
Folkestone Castle
Folkestone Castle was a Norman fortification sited on a natural mound called Castle Hill north of the town of Folkestone, Kent. Only earthworks and terraced banks survive today after medieval occupation and later excavation; the site affords wide views over the town, Romney Marsh and the Channel coast.
First raised
1095
Its prime
1150
Today
Ruin
As it stood in 1150
The shape it held in its prime.
Perched on the rounded summit of Castle Hill, the castle occupied a worked natural mound on a spur of the North Downs overlooking town and coast. The summit formed a flattened, enclosed platform ringed by concentric earthen banks and shallow ditches that step down the hillside into wooded scarps. The slopes show clear terracing and embankments; the site in its prime would read as a defined grassy fortification platform visible against the skyline.
Its story
The story of Folkestone Castle.
Folkestone Castle stood on a natural mound on a spur of the North Downs north of the town of Folkestone, Kent. Probably constructed as early as 1095 and certainly occupied for some time following the Norman invasion, the castle existed through the late 11th and 12th centuries. Known locally as "Caesar's Camp", it is not actually Roman at all.
The site was excavated in 1878 by Augustus Pitt Rivers — claimed to be the first excavation of a medieval site in Britain using scientific methods. Only earthworks survive on Castle Hill, which affords splendid views over the town and coast, from Folkestone across Romney Marsh to Dungeness, Rye and Fairlight, and now overlooks the end of the M20 motorway and the Channel Tunnel entrance at Cheriton.
Step inside
6 places to explore in 1150.
The record describes 6 distinct spots at Folkestone Castle — including the full exterior approach. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more rooms of the immersive experience.
Create History
Recreate Folkestone Castle with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1150 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate Castle to Explore →
