On the chalk hills of the Kent Downs there are four ‘hill figures’ carved into the slopes of the hills themselves.
Chalk Monuments
There are over 50 hill figures found across the UK – the four in Kent are: The Shoreham Memorial Cross, The Lenham Memorial Cross, The Wye Chalk Crown, and the Folkestone White Horse.
These hill figures are an excellent example of the connection between geological and cultural heritage which is so strong in our Chalk-based landscape.
The Shoreham and Lenham Crosses were created in 1921 and 1922, respectively, and commemorate the fallen soldiers of the first and second world wars that came from these villages. The Wye Crown was created to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. And the Folkestone White horse was created much more recently, in 2003, and has become symbolic of the town of Folkestone. You can read more about the hill figures of the Kent Downs here.
How to get here
- Where to start? The four monuments can be reached from Folkestone, Lenham, Shoreham and Wye.
- Travelling by train? With around 40 stations in and bordering the National Landscape with connecting links to London and the continent, the Kent Downs and Cross-Channel Global Geopark can be readily accessed by train.
Find out more...
About Geosites
Geosites are sites of geological interest across the aspiring UNESCO Cross-Channel Global Geopark, where people can visit and interact with our geological heritage. This wide range of sites will offer varying opportunities and values including cultural, heritage, scientific, educational, and aesthetic.
About the aspiring UNESCO Cross-Channel Global Geopark
Hundreds of thousands of years ago a catastrophic flood swept away the chalk ridge connecting Dover and Calais, carving out the white cliffs of Dover and starting Britain’s history as an island.
Did you know the Kent and French coasts are actually still connected today by the layer of chalk which runs below the Channel?
In celebration of the chalk and the channel, we are working to secure UNESCO Cross-Channel Global Geopark status for the Kent Downs National Landscape together with our neighbouring protected landscape in France; the Parc Naturel Regional des Caps et Marais d’Opale.
The Geopark will include both the protected landscapes and the Channel connecting them, recognising and celebrating the geological connection between us.
