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Celebrating heritage

Planned for the future – protecting and celebrating the past

With tales of Royalty, Romans and racehorses, Otterpool Park boasts a fascinating history that spans centuries, upon which a new community will create its own story.

Westenhanger Castle

New communities have grown around castles for centuries and that will again be true with the new garden town at Otterpool Park.

Westenhanger Castle at Otterpool Park dates back to 1343 and has a rich royal history. King Henry VIII was known to hold parties there as well as hunting on the deer park that once surrounded it.

Under the Tudor monarch’s ownership, significant sums of money were spent on alterations to suit his grand designs.

Spanish armada to New World discovery

Queen Elizabeth I also took a shine to the place, describing fondly ‘her house in Westenhanger,’ a reminder of the rich history in what remains a strategically important part of Kent. The castle also played an important role in England’s defence against the Spanish Armada.

Westenhanger has links with the New World. Three ships that sailed to settle Jamestown, the first permanent English-speaking settlement of what would become the United States, was commissioned by one Sir Thomas Smythe in 1600.

This distinguished aristocrat, associated with the British East India Company, may have known the castle well. His father had been granted ownership of Westenhanger as reward for his services to Good Queen Bess. A full-size replica of ‘Discovery’ was presented to the castle by the Jamestown UK Foundation in 2008 and remains at the castle today, commemorating the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the famous settlement located in the New England state of Virginia.

Protecting the past, looking to the future

Preserving, protecting and celebrating Westenhanger Castle, including the Grade I listed manor house, castle turrets, historic barns and parkland is an essential part of our vision for Otterpool Park.

Folkestone & Hythe District Council purchased the castle in 2019 to become the jewel in the crown of Otterpool Park, a stunning centrepiece to the new garden town and a focal point for a new community overlooking long forgotten views, all of which will now be accessible to the public.

A new public park will be created for everyone to discover and enjoy, the lynchpin of a network of other open spaces through this sustainable new community with links to the countryside beyond, including the beautiful Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Elements of Westenhanger Castle’s former deer park will be retained as will other historic landmarks that lie within the boundaries of the new garden town, from the line of an ancient causeway to WWII bunkers at Lympne Airfield, a Roman villa to prehistoric barrows.

A place to exercise, socialise and relax

The castle today is a popular events and wedding venue. Many of our Otterpool Park community events have successfully taken place there including open air theatre, school holiday family fun and arts events.

We are putting Westenhanger Castle at the heart of the new community, as with cities and towns in bygone times, with renewed purpose as a place to socialise, exercise or just watch the world go by.

Folkestone Racecourse

Elements of the former racecourse are integral to our plans as a lasting reminder, including the winner’s circle and the ornamental pond in the paddock where horses would be exercised before being led out to race.

The racecourse lake will also be retained as part of our commitment to setting aside around half of the total area that will become Otterpool Park garden town as green or open space.

This includes a new public park centred around the neighbouring Westenhanger Castle, creating a new recreation space for everyone to enjoy.

A historic place of sport and recreation