The harbour was developed during the 19th century, and became prominent after the South Eastern Railway (SER) began running boat trains to France.

The opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, along with a reduction in the local fishing industry, caused the harbour to decline in importance.

An engineer from Romney Marsh advised the local fisherman that the construction of three timber/stone jetties would protect the cliff (below the parish church).

[3][4] It remained a small fishing community with a seafront that was continually battered by storms and the encroaching shingle made it hard to land boats.

Folkestone's trade and population grew slightly but development was still hampered by sand and silt from the Pent Stream.

[7][8] Dredging the harbour, and the construction of a rail route down to it, began almost immediately, and the town soon became the SER's principal packet station for the Continental traffic to Boulogne.

Diving bells were used to level up the hard rock, and then portland cement blocks of up to 20 tons weight were used to build the foundations.

[9] During World War I, the harbour became a huge embarkation point for British troops heading to France and the Western Front.

Clearance of redundant and dilapidated buildings took place in 2014/15, and stonework and original steelwork on the harbour arm has been carefully restored so that the area can be opened up to the public as a new pier and promenade from the summer of 2015.

Much of the former fairground site is being used for car parking and temporary recreational use whilst preparations continue for the rest of the development.

An iconic building on site, the Trinity House Pilot Station that served as the harbours port tower was demolished in 2014.

The harbour railway station, unused by regular trains since 2000, was redeveloped into a walkway resembling the High Line in New York.