East Cliff and Warren Country Park
Encyclopedia
East Cliff and Warren Country Park is in Folkestone
, in Kent
, England.
This country park is formed of the East Cliffs of Folkestone
, the sandy beaches of East Wear Bay and the land slipped nature reserve
land between the cliffs and the sea.
Council. Beside it is an information panel describing the former Roman villa
on the site. In 1875 until 1892, near Martello Tower 1, was a public house called the Warren Inn. it closed after it people were caught drinking after hours. The Earl of Radnor
had it closed, as it was on his land. The East cliffs were popular with Victorians who picniced on the grassy meadows of the cliffs before heading down towards the sandy beaches.
The area was popular with burrowing rabbits and was named informerly 'The Warren'.
In 1884, the South East Main Line railway was built from Ashford
to Folkestone
and then onwards to Dover
, through the Warren.
Folkestone Warren Halt railway station was opened in 1886, and a bridge was built over the Main Line leading to a gate on to The Warren from which the public could picnic and enjoy the dramatic scenery in the area. Also a zig-zag path led down the East Cliff to the station.
In December 1915, a large landslip resulted in the entire undercliff supporting the Main Line moved towards the sea causing approximately 1.5 million cubic metres of chalk to slip or fall burying Warren Halt and the railway line. Fortunately, no-one was hurt in the occurrence. This was one of the largest landslides in Kent.
The station and the line were closed until 1919.
The Warren was still a popular picnic spot in Edwardian times
and a nearby tea chalet
served hundreds of visitors daily.
The land was then defended from coastal erosion with the intentional effect of stopping any more landslips to the land beyond the line.
In 1923, the Halt Station was rebuilt by the Southern Railway
which added a set of platforms. The station remained open for a further 16 years before another landslip in 1939.
In 1924, the land was gifted to the council of Folkestone for perpetual recreational use by the Earls of Radnor during the 19th century,
and the country park was formed soon after by the council. The park covers an area of 299.4 hectares (or 739.8 acres (2,993,867 m²))
It has various paths leading through it towards the coastline and beach, or up to the cliffs towards Old Dover Road.
It is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest
( SSSI ), due to its position and geology
The site is well known for the amount of fossils being found in the park, and the landslips are of great interest to those studying geomorphology
. The land is generally formed out of Gault Clay
(for the cliffs) and sandstone
for the more resistant rocky headland of Copt Point. The site of a World War II
observation post
.
After the Country Park was set up, grazing animals were banned, this has allowed shrubs and trees to seed naturally across the site. Patches of wildflower meadow still exist and these are the favoured habitats of various rare insects. Including harvestman (Trogulus tricarinatus) and millipede
(Polydesmus testaceus. Also rare plant species in the park include; wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea), the Dover variety of Nottingham catchfly
(Silene nutans var nutans) and the extremely local clove-scented broom rape (Orobanche caryophyllacea).
The Warren is an important habitat for many insects. Over 330 types of moth have been recorded visiting the site, including the continental migrant sub-angled wave moth (Scopula nigropunctata
). The fiery clearwing moth is only found here as well. ,as well as many butterflies.
The Grayling
butterfly has a small colony in the site, the only one in Kent.
The White Cliffs Countryside Project (WCCP), who are assisting by local volunteers to maintain the remaining areas of chalk grassland and meadow. They have created open grassy corridor habitats along the footpaths so that the wild flowers and insects can survive and access other parts of the important nature reserve.
The Saxon Shore Way
and North Downs Way
, (long distance trails lead through the park between Folkestone and Dover, via Capel-le-Ferne
.
Beside Wear Bay Road, on the northern fringes of the park is Little Switerland Camping Site. So named due to the mountainous looking white clifs nearby.
The forementioned Tea Chalet is within the camp site.
Or via a cliffside path from New Dover Road, near Capel-le-Ferne
.
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England.
This country park is formed of the East Cliffs of Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, the sandy beaches of East Wear Bay and the land slipped nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
land between the cliffs and the sea.
History
On the East cliffs, are 3 Martello Towers. These were built on the cliffs in 1804-09 to protect against the French invasion of Napoleon. Number 3, since 1990 is used as a Martello Tower visitor centre by ShepwayShepway
Shepway is a local government district in Kent, England. It includes the towns of Folkestone and Hythe and the Romney Marsh. It is named after the Jutish lathe of Shepway; the Royal Court of Shepway, which met near Lympne at a place called Shepway Cross, was the principal court of the Cinque Ports...
Council. Beside it is an information panel describing the former Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
on the site. In 1875 until 1892, near Martello Tower 1, was a public house called the Warren Inn. it closed after it people were caught drinking after hours. The Earl of Radnor
Earl of Radnor
Earl of Radnor is a title which has been created two times. It was first created in the Peerage of England in 1679 for John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes, a notable political figure of the reign of Charles II. He was made Viscount Bodmin at the same time. Robartes was the son of Richard Robartes,...
had it closed, as it was on his land. The East cliffs were popular with Victorians who picniced on the grassy meadows of the cliffs before heading down towards the sandy beaches.
The area was popular with burrowing rabbits and was named informerly 'The Warren'.
In 1884, the South East Main Line railway was built from Ashford
Ashford
Ashford is a relatively common English placename: it goes back to Old English æscet, indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees. It may refer to:-Places:In Australia:*Ashford, New South Wales*Ashford, South Australia...
to Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
and then onwards to Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, through the Warren.
Folkestone Warren Halt railway station was opened in 1886, and a bridge was built over the Main Line leading to a gate on to The Warren from which the public could picnic and enjoy the dramatic scenery in the area. Also a zig-zag path led down the East Cliff to the station.
In December 1915, a large landslip resulted in the entire undercliff supporting the Main Line moved towards the sea causing approximately 1.5 million cubic metres of chalk to slip or fall burying Warren Halt and the railway line. Fortunately, no-one was hurt in the occurrence. This was one of the largest landslides in Kent.
The station and the line were closed until 1919.
The Warren was still a popular picnic spot in Edwardian times
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
and a nearby tea chalet
Tea garden
Tea garden may refer to:* Roji, gardens surrounding Japanese tea houses and which form part of the architecture associated with Japanese tea ceremony* Tea plantations, where tea bushes are cultivated...
served hundreds of visitors daily.
The land was then defended from coastal erosion with the intentional effect of stopping any more landslips to the land beyond the line.
In 1923, the Halt Station was rebuilt by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway
The following railways or railroads are or were called the Southern Railway or Southern Railroad:- Europe :*Austrian Southern Railway, a railway company operating in Austria-Hungary between 1841 and 1923*South railway...
which added a set of platforms. The station remained open for a further 16 years before another landslip in 1939.
In 1924, the land was gifted to the council of Folkestone for perpetual recreational use by the Earls of Radnor during the 19th century,
and the country park was formed soon after by the council. The park covers an area of 299.4 hectares (or 739.8 acres (2,993,867 m²))
It has various paths leading through it towards the coastline and beach, or up to the cliffs towards Old Dover Road.
It is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
( SSSI ), due to its position and geology
The site is well known for the amount of fossils being found in the park, and the landslips are of great interest to those studying geomorphology
Geomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
. The land is generally formed out of Gault Clay
Gault Clay
Gault is a clay formation of stiff blue clay deposited in a calm, fairly deep water marine environment during the Lower Cretaceous Period...
(for the cliffs) and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
for the more resistant rocky headland of Copt Point. The site of a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
observation post
Observation post
An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers , or to direct artillery fire...
.
After the Country Park was set up, grazing animals were banned, this has allowed shrubs and trees to seed naturally across the site. Patches of wildflower meadow still exist and these are the favoured habitats of various rare insects. Including harvestman (Trogulus tricarinatus) and millipede
Millipede
Millipedes are arthropods that have two pairs of legs per segment . Each segment that has two pairs of legs is a result of two single segments fused together as one...
(Polydesmus testaceus. Also rare plant species in the park include; wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea), the Dover variety of Nottingham catchfly
Nottingham Catchfly
Silene nutans is a flowering plant in the genus Silene, most commonly known as Nottingham Catchfly.-Description:Silene nutans is a diploid, mainly outcrossing, herbaceous, perennial plant....
(Silene nutans var nutans) and the extremely local clove-scented broom rape (Orobanche caryophyllacea).
The Warren is an important habitat for many insects. Over 330 types of moth have been recorded visiting the site, including the continental migrant sub-angled wave moth (Scopula nigropunctata
Scopula nigropunctata
The Sub-angled Wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone.The species has a wingspan of 29–34 mm. The moth flies from May to August depending on the location....
). The fiery clearwing moth is only found here as well. ,as well as many butterflies.
The Grayling
Grayling
-Fish:*Grayling , Thymallus thymallus*Grayling , generically, any fish of the genus Thymallus in the family Salmonidae*Australian grayling , a fish in the family Retropinnidae...
butterfly has a small colony in the site, the only one in Kent.
The White Cliffs Countryside Project (WCCP), who are assisting by local volunteers to maintain the remaining areas of chalk grassland and meadow. They have created open grassy corridor habitats along the footpaths so that the wild flowers and insects can survive and access other parts of the important nature reserve.
The Saxon Shore Way
Saxon Shore Way
The Saxon Shore Way is a long-distance footpath in England, starting at Gravesend, Kent and traces the coast as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings, East Sussex, in total.-History:...
and North Downs Way
North Downs Way
The North Downs Way is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978. It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Godalming, Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Kent Downs AONB.East of Boughton Lees, the path splits...
, (long distance trails lead through the park between Folkestone and Dover, via Capel-le-Ferne
Capel-le-Ferne
Capel-le-Ferne , the name of which derives from the phrase "Chapel in the Ferns", is a village situated near Folkestone, Kent. It has a population of approximately 2400...
.
Beside Wear Bay Road, on the northern fringes of the park is Little Switerland Camping Site. So named due to the mountainous looking white clifs nearby.
The forementioned Tea Chalet is within the camp site.
Location
From Wear Bay Road in Folkestone, access to the Warren can either be made from the Martello Towers on East Cliff, or from a small car park past Little Switzerland Camp site.Or via a cliffside path from New Dover Road, near Capel-le-Ferne
Capel-le-Ferne
Capel-le-Ferne , the name of which derives from the phrase "Chapel in the Ferns", is a village situated near Folkestone, Kent. It has a population of approximately 2400...
.