King's Lynn

King's Lynn, in the north of Norfolk, was our destination for the next two nights. Primarily due to its location providing access to western European ports, this twelfth century settlement was for many years the fourth busiest trading port in England. Until 1537 the town was known as Bishops Lynn.

We stayed at the Duke's Head Hotel in Tuesday Market Place. This blue Georgian building is not easy to miss. The building dates back to the seventeenth century when it was built for a local politician by Henry Bell who was the architect for may buildings in the area including the Customs House.

King's Lynn is situated on the banks of the Great Ouse River. A statue of local identity, Captain George Vancouver, is located the river. The Customs House can be seen behind the statue.

When I first walked down to the river it was low tide.

The surrounding land is flat and was on the border of land known as the fens (marshlands).

Later that evening we returned to the river and had dinner with Robin's cousin, Ros, and John and Tuppence.

The sun was beginning to set as we strolled back to the hotel.

There are many old, impressive buildings in King's Lynn.

On the Saturday Market Place can be found St Margaret's Church (now King's Lynn Minster) originally founded as a Benedictine Priory in 1101.

Other buildings in this area include the King's Lynn Town Hall and Trinity Guildhall building. The original guildhall dates back to 1421.

Around the corner from the hotel is St Nicholas Chapel. A chapel has been on this site since 1146. Building of the first stone chapel commenced in 1200.

The Lynn Museum is now located in the former Union Baptist Chapel.

Before we left King's Lynn, on the morning of 4 August, I continued exploring this interesting town. Above is a photograph of the public library opened by Andrew Carnegie in May 1905.

Grey Friars Tower is all that is left of a Franciscan Monastery established in King's Lynn in 1235. When the monastery was destroyed in 1538 the bell tower was kept as it was a navigation aid for sailors.

Red Mount Chapel, originally the Chapel of St Mary, was built between 1483 and 1485.Originally it was used by pilgrims travelling to the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham. After its forced closure it has been used for storing water, as a study, storing gunpowder during the Civil War, as an observatory and as a stable.

The Red Mount Chapel is only one of the buildings situated in the parkland known as The Walks. The morning I visited there was a fun run was in progress in the park.

On the way back to the hotel I passed St John's Church on the outskirts of the park.The church dates back to 1845.

In New Conduit Street, off High Street, is a statue to King John (1167-1216). King John is remembered in Kings Lynn as he granted the settlement a special charter in 1204 enabling the guilds to govern themselves therefore establishing the town as a free borough. The statue was unveiled on 26 October 2016.

There is also a plaque commemorating King John on the wall of the guildhall building.

For an overview of King's Lynn visit Time Machine - Kings Lynn - https://www.tmkl.co.uk/.