or FOLKSTONE, a municipal borough, seaport, and market-town of England, county of Kent, 7 miles W.S.W. of Dover, of which it is a sub-port. It is governed by a mayor, 4 aldermen, and 12 councillors, and is included in the parliamentary borough of Hythe. At an early period this was a place of some importance, and since the opening of the South-Eastern Railway it has been rapidly increasing. It is situated in a hollow between two precipitous chalk cliffs, and is irregularly built. The parish church is a cruciform structure in the early Gothic style, with a tower rising from the intersection. There are several Dissenting chapels, a grammar-school, market-house, and baths. It is frequented in summer for sea-bathing; and many of the inhabitants are engaged in the fisheries. The coast is defended by three martello towers; and a strong modern battery, situated on the heights, protects the town. The pier-harbour is 19 acres in extent, and has recently been much improved by the removal of shingle at its mouth, so as now to admit vessels of 150 tons burden. The South-Eastern Railway is here conducted over a magnificent viaduct; and steam-packets ply daily between this town and Boulogne. On 31st December 1853, 14 vessels of 1037 tons were registered as belonging to the port, and during that year 305 sailing vessels of 30,350 tons, and 431 steam vessels of 64,781 tons, entered; and 9 sailing vessels of 719 tons, and 429 steam vessels of 64,638 tons, cleared at the port. In 1847 the custom-house receipts amounted to only L4,408, and in 1852 had increased to L122,133. This town has suffered much at different periods from encroachments of the sea. Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation of the blood, was born here in 1578. Market-day, Thursday. Pop. (1851) 6726.