Historic bridges · South East England
Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge
In or near Capel-le-Ferne.
Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Stacey Harris — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 15 min–30 min
- Nearest railway station
- Folkestone Central · 1.3 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Folkestone Harbour Viaduct and Swing Bridge, the nearest railway station is Folkestone Central, located 1.3 km away. The postcode for navigation is CT20 1QN, and entry to the site is free.
About
Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge is a Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-east, United Kingdom, registered on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE entry 1404114). Listed status protects buildings and structures of special architectural or historic interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for further details.
Photo gallery
360° view
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
Details The viaduct consists of 13 segmentally-headed red brick arches (one arch to the north of the harbour, on the west side of the viaduct, is hidden by the adjacent jetty access ramp) which cross approximately two thirds of the harbour; the swing bridge spanning the remaining distance to the south. The swing bridge is of steel construction, composed of three main longitudinal girders. It sits on a brick base with stone quoins which is original to the 1893 bridge. The new bridge was swung by means of an electric capstan on the wharf and a rope, and the lifting and locking mechanisms were hand operated. This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 26/01/2017
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Official information
Folkestone Harbour Viaduct and Swing Bridge is an artistic installation created by Hamish Fulton, featuring a large metal sign that maps 31 water-related walks across the British Isles and western Europe. The artwork emphasizes the connection between walking and the landscape, celebrating the natural environment over man-made structures.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
Folkestone Harbour Viaduct and Swing Bridge is located in Folkestone, Kent, in South-East England. This Grade II listed building features a distinctive design that serves as a vital connection over the harbour.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 51.0793, 1.1868
- County
- Kent
- District
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Parish
- Folkestone
- Postcode
- CT20 1QN
- Parliamentary constituency
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Nearest railway station
- Folkestone Central — 1.3 km
- Official site
- www.creativefolkestone.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q26675673 (CC0)
Other places nearby
Other People's Photographs Beach Street
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Other People's Photographs Harbour Approach Road
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Climate Emergency Services
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Other People's Photographs Harbour Street
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
The Harbour Screen
Cinemas · 0.1 km
31 Walks from Water to Water 1971-2010 Made on Western Europe.
National landscapes (AONB) · 0.1 km
Folkestone's Fishing Heritage And History Museum
Museums · 0.1 km
Forgiving Light
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Grand Burstin Hotel
Hotels · 0.1 km
Other People's Photographs Radnor Street
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Other People's Photographs The Stade
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
The Goods Yard
Farmers’ markets · 0.2 km
Nearby
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Other People's Photographs Beach Street
Other People's Photographs Beach Street — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Other People's Photographs Harbour Approach Road
Other People's Photographs Harbour Approach Road — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Climate Emergency Services
Climate Emergency Services — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Public art & sculpture · South East England
Other People's Photographs Harbour Street
Other People's Photographs Harbour Street — a public art in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5National landscapes (AONB) · South East England
31 Walks from Water to Water 1971-2010 Made on Western Europe.
31 Walks from Water to Water 1971-2010 Made on Western Europe. — Public artwork (map) by Hamish Fulton.
Where to eat & stay near Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge
Places to stay
📷 5Hotels · South East England
Grand Burstin Hotel
Grand Burstin Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
📷 7
📷 5Hotels · South East England
Best Western Plus Burlington Hotel
Best Western Plus Burlington Hotel — a hotel in england south east. Brand: Best Western Plus.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Little Switzerland
Little Switzerland — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Folkstone Camping and Caravan Club Site
Folkstone Camping and Caravan Club Site — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Samuel Peto
The Samuel Peto in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Martello Public House
The Martello Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The White Hart Inn
The White Hart Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
Dukes Head Inn
Dukes Head Inn in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South East England
The Swingate Inn, Namaste Curry House
The Swingate Inn, Namaste Curry House — a restaurant in england south east. Cuisine: indian.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Five Bells
The Five Bells in England South East, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge?
- Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT20 1QN), in the parish of Folkestone.
- What is Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge?
- Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge?
- The nearest railway station is Folkestone Central, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode CT20 1QN.
- Is Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge a listed building?
- Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
- Is Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge a protected site?
- Yes — Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge is part of the Kent Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Is Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge free to visit?
- Yes, Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge is free to enter.
- How do I get to Folkestone Harbour Viaduct And Swing Bridge?
- The nearest railway station is Folkestone Central, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CT20 1QN.