A Bumper Summer of History: Folkestone Launches New Digs and Exhibition for 2026

The new section at East Cliff is open to explore Photo: Ray Duff

By Ray Duff: Folkestone is gearing up for a massive summer of archaeology! Both locals and visitors can dive into the town’s ancient past with a brand-new excavation at East Cliff and a major museum exhibition showcasing stunning, never-before-seen Anglo-Saxon treasures.

A mysterious structure appears at East Cliff Photo: Ray Duff

If these sites sound familiar, it’s because both have been featured on BBC TV’s Digging for Britain over the last couple of years.

⛏️ The East Cliff Dig: Uncovering Folkestone’s Ancient Port

Years of modern excavations have already proven that Folkestone was a bustling, vital settlement and port during the Iron Age and Roman eras. This summer, teams are digging at Jock’s Pitch, located just below the famous Roman Villas site.

The team is investigating a mysterious feature first spotted in 2012, which was originally thought to be a Roman drain. Canterbury Archaeology Trust, local volunteers, and international university students have teamed up to see what is actually hiding beneath the surface.

What have they found so far?

It is still early days, but the site is already giving up its secrets:

An unexplained, mysterious structure starting to emerge in one corner.
Scattered greensand and broken quern stones (ancient tools used for grinding corn).
Early hints of Roman pottery and roof tiles.

Learn More & Get Involved:

East Wear Bay Project: eastwearbay.org
Canterbury Archaeology Trust: Facebook Page
Folkestone Research and Archaeology Group (FRAG): Facebook Page

⚔️ Folkestone Museum: “Raising the Dead” Exhibition

Down the road at the Folkestone Museum, a major new exhibition is opening to showcase incredible finds from a nearby Anglo-Saxon cemetery (dating from the late 5th to late 7th century).

Led by the University of Central Lancashire and local group Isle Heritage, this excavation has yielded jaw-dropping artifacts—including one of the best-preserved Anglo-Saxon swords ever found in Britain.