History Podcasts (New Feature)
Listen to the short podcasts based on some of the written posts: The Sinner and the Dragon Original Article Generated Podcast
Read moreAbout the history of King's Lynn (mainly)
Listen to the short podcasts based on some of the written posts: The Sinner and the Dragon Original Article Generated Podcast
Read moreThe South Gate: The Need For A Big Statement At the beginning of the C15th Bishop’s Lynn (what was to become King’s Lynn in 1537) […]
Read moreMargaret of Antioch: A Closer Look at a Legendary Christian Martyr Who Left Her Mark on King’s Lynn Introduction Margaret of Antioch, or Saint Margaret […]
Read moreThe First Battle of Lincoln (February 2, 1141) The First Battle of Lincoln, fought on February 2, 1141, was a critical event during the period […]
Read moreOk. Technically it is a post mill. Medieval post mills were a remarkable feat of engineering and played a crucial role in the agricultural landscape […]
Read moreThe Life and Legacy of Bishop Herbert de Losinga: Architect of Ecclesiastical Power in Norman England Introduction Herbert de Losinga (1050-1119), is an important figure […]
Read moreIn June 1818 it was agreed that the contractors, Joliffe and Banks, would be paid to evacuate 25,000 floors of earth at 13 shillings and […]
Read moreThousands attend King’s Lynn Races in the mud. The Welcome Diversion In 1850 the King’s Lynn newspaper claimed that 20,000 – 30,000 thousand got there, […]
Read moreThe Walks is an historic urban park located in the heart of King’s Lynn, Norfolk. It is the only surviving 18th-century town walk in Norfolk. […]
Read moreSome flee the world and shut themselves within walls, Enclose themselves in stone, and speak but little, To avoid those sins that human weakness is […]
Read moreFortress and hotel for royalty near King’s Lynn Castle Rising Castle: The Beginning – Puffed Up And Looking Down Apparently William d’Aubigny II wasn’t popular […]
Read moreIn 1138 William D’Aubigny II removed the wooden fort built by his father and started to construct the impressive Norman castle at Rising, the remains […]
Read moreSaint Nicholas Chapel: The Fight Over Services Can you imagine a religious building not being allowed to conduct certain religious services? That’s what happened to […]
Read moreMany of the King’s Lynn Guides (who take people on walks around Historic Lynn) will tell you that people are often interested in finding out […]
Read moreIn 1778, at the age of 26, a woman from King’s Lynn published her first novel, “Evelina”. It was an immediate success, captivating readers with […]
Read moreFrederick Savage was a true visionary of his time, whose innovative spirit and engineering prowess transformed the landscape of fairground entertainment in 19th century England. […]
Read moreA series of dynastic civil wars fought for the English throne (1455-1487) Why were they called The Wars of the Roses? The civil wars were […]
Read moreAny therapist worth their salt will tell you that what we believe will largely influence what we do. If you want to understand actions, talk […]
Read moreAny therapist worth their salt will tell you that what we believe will largely influence what we do. If you want to understand actions, talk […]
Read moreDid the King choose a Lynn pirate to accompany his daughter across the North Sea? I’ve heard it argued that John Brandon (a renowned Lynn […]
Read morePeople listening to the news in modern times about pirate raids on vessels may be shocked to learn that at various times in the past, […]
Read moreA little knowledge can often be a dangerous thing. In telling stories historians can emphasise parts that seem important to them, or miss bits out […]
Read moreJohn Wesley: Near The End At the age of 87, only three months before his death, a reluctant revolutionary made the difficult journey through the […]
Read moreThomas Thoresby: The Beginning Thomas Thoresby was born in Lynn Episcopi (Bishop’s Lynn later King’s Lynn) some time in 1450, though the exact date is […]
Read moreCharters A royal charter gave a community certain privileges, exemptions, and powers. And these usually related to charging or avoiding taxes and tolls, and to […]
Read moreThere are many ways of categorising death. There are both natural deaths (from old age, for example) and unnatural deaths (such as murder). And there […]
Read moreThe Battle of Lincoln Fair, 1217 King John’s Death When King John left Bishop’s Lynn (now King’s Lynn) on 11 October 1216, little did he […]
Read moreAre You A Witch? Let me ask you some personal questions. Do you live in East Anglia? Do you have any moles on your skin […]
Read moreThe Certainty By the time George Vancouver from King’s Lynn left Hawaii in 1779, he had experienced two things that were beyond doubt. First, the […]
Read more“Oh! my husband, my husband … At which shrill and unexpected outcry, the people about her moov’d to a strange amazement, inquired the reason of […]
Read moreThe Traumatised Royal Princess: Victoria In September 1835, two years before she was to become queen, a fifteen year old princess came to King’s Lynn. […]
Read moreThe Silk Man and the Box Many people are familiar with the fact that the British royal family traditionally spend Christmas on their estate at […]
Read moreAngelic beings were important in late medieval life. They are often represented in English parish church art, especially in open timber roofs. You can see […]
Read moreOn 18 May 1905 a billionaire philanthropist came to King’s Lynn and was given a key to open an impressive new building which he had […]
Read moreThere have doubtless been people visiting and living at the southern corner of the Wash throughout human history, but the town of King’s Lynn itself […]
Read moreOne Not Four King’s Lynn has a famous leaning tower. And it’s quite safe. The twenty-eight metre tower of the Franciscan (Greyfriars) Friary leans just […]
Read moreThe Buttresses, the Extended Building, the Bard, and the Button Factory The Guildhall of St George in King’s Lynn is a Grade 1 listed building […]
Read moreEugene Aram – possible philandery (sex), definite philology (words), plunder, murder, and the King’s Lynn Grammar School. On 16 August, 1759, Eugene Aram, a former […]
Read moreMost people walking along the quayside in King’s Lynn would be astonished to learn that the town once had a whaling industry. The port, which […]
Read moreThe Red Mount Chapel in The Walks is one of King’s Lynn’s most iconic buildings. However, despite surviving over five and a quarter centuries it […]
Read moreIf they think about it for a second, people are often puzzled by the name King’s Lynn. Most inhabitants of the town have no idea […]
Read moreNot many people know that for several years King’s Lynn produced two regicides (killers of a king). The Civil War: Promotion And Pain When the […]
Read moreJohn Capgrave – the Lynn historian, hagiographer, theologian, and church leader who saw the princess with his own eyes. In 1406 the twelve year-old Princess […]
Read moreEven the father-in-law of the murdered Customs Officer was persuaded to provide Kemball with a spurious alibi for the time the murders were committed. William […]
Read moreThere were so many people willing to commit perjury in support of Franklyn that the trial took seven hours. Thomas Franklyn – King’s Lynn Smuggler […]
Read moreFrancis Shaxton – King’s Lynn Smuggler Francis Shaxton was a respected alderman in the respectable prosperous town of King’s Lynn. But when he was first […]
Read moreCastle Rising is a small village five miles to the northeast of King’s Lynn, and the Castle today is a ruin. Yet, despite the village’s […]
Read moreThe Tragedy In 1808 William Wildblood entered St Margaret’s Church in King’s Lynn, climbed the stairs to the belfry, and using some of the available […]
Read morePrior to 1066, no Jews were recorded as living in the England. However, William the Conqueror wanted government dues to be paid in coin rather […]
Read moreThe Compass Plaques on Purfleet Quay, King’s Lynn. Explorers and Adventurers. On the Purfleet Quay there is a compass rose with plaques commemorating eight significant […]
Read moreThe purification offset scheme that failed The Concept Of Offsetting We are familiar today with the concept of offsetting. The word appears usually in the […]
Read moreSt Margaret’s Church, King’s Lynn (since 2011 designated The Minster) has a very imposing west window above the main entrance. The church was originally built […]
Read moreThe second most popular place to visit in England between about 1200 and 1537 During the Middle Ages the shrine at Walsingham was the second […]
Read more”His death to me is as if he had died this same day …” Margery Kempe’s Business Failures In Lynn After the failure of one […]
Read moreThe French Are Coming Ironically, although King John had proved himself very capable of hostage taking and demanding ransom, it was not King John who […]
Read moreWhen it happened, people were not surprised that it happened, but rather that it hadn’t happened earlier. Unfortunately for Mr Andrews it happened. In 1854 […]
Read moreOne-time Lynn priest at St Margaret’s, William Sawtry, was the first person in England to be officially burned alive for heresy. He was executed at […]
Read moreSummary of main events and background factors up to the death of Charles II in 1685 The 1688 Revolution marked an important milestone in the […]
Read moreThe Original Purpose The Custom House in King’s Lynn is one of the town’s most iconic buildings. However, few people know that it was not […]
Read moreIntroduction Unfortunately, we are not able to be a fly on the wall when we might want to be. And there are many, many occasions […]
Read moreThe Crossroads, The House, The Lost Lepers, and the Ambassador The respectable present-day residents of King Street in King’s Lynn (now mainly solicitors, accountants, and […]
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