This design is now used widely as the badge of the town, including on lamp posts, and is also incorporated into the town’s coat of arms.
In medieval times, Folkestone was part of the Cinque Ports (a group of towns on the south east coast of England) that provided warships for the king to protect England in case of invasion) and were given trading privileges in return.
In the days before cannons, medieval warships had wooden castles at the bow and stern, from which soldiers fired arrows at enemy vessels.
