Draining the Fens: The Great Transformation That Still Depends on Pumps The Fens look solid enough. Roads cross them, trains run through them and enormous […]
Read moreCategory: King’s Lynn History
Information about the history of King’s Lynn
John Aickman’s Foundry, King Street, King’s Lynn
Aickman’s Yard in King’s Lynn was once the entrance to an important nineteenth-century iron foundry established by John Aickman and David Menzies. Aickman’s Yard in […]
Read moreA Shorter History of King’s Lynn
Chronological Timeline of King’s Lynn 1100 Years of King’s Lynn History Before 1100 – Lynn’s Saxon Beginnings c. 9th–11th centuries: A small coastal community forms […]
Read moreA Stone Boat in King’s Lynn: The Beautiful Star Disaster of 1875
The monument that looks like a boat In Hardwick Road Cemetery, King’s Lynn, there is a memorial unlike almost any other in the town. It […]
Read moreKing Street: Where Medieval Lynn Met the River
Walk from the Tuesday Market Place towards the Custom House and you pass through much of the history of King’s Lynn in less than a […]
Read moreThe Bishop Next Door: Gaywood’s Lost Medieval Estate
Anyone passing Gaywood Hall today sees a nineteenth-century house standing among lawns and mature trees. Little above ground suggests that this was once the centre […]
Read moreBeer, Boots, and Ballots: How Immigrants Found a Place in Medieval Lynn
In fifteenth-century Lynn, “aliens” were changing what people drank. The word did not carry its modern science-fiction meaning. It was the legal term for anyone […]
Read moreNo Fool: Robert Armin of King’s Lynn and Shakespeare’s Comedy of Wit
A green plaque on the High Street On King’s Lynn’s High Street, a green plaque marks the house now associated with Robert Armin: 78 High […]
Read moreMoney, Mayors, and Mistrust in Bishop’s Lynn
Who watched the Mayor? Who controlled Lynn’s money? And who had the right to check the men who governed it? The unrest that shook Lynn […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn and the Railway: How Steam Changed an Old Port
On Tuesday 27 October 1846, King’s Lynn became a railway town. A place that had spent centuries facing the Great Ouse, the Wash and the […]
Read moreCandles, Broken Windows, and Radical Words: John Wilkes and John Thelwall in King’s Lynn
A town that loved liberty, until liberty became dangerous In February 1771, John Wilkes came to King’s Lynn as one of the most famous political […]
Read moreThe Falling Stones and the Medieval Miracles
Stone has a special force in medieval miracle stories. It is heavy, visible, and public. A fever may leave little for witnesses to inspect; a […]
Read moreLocked in Prayer: Anchorites and Hermits in Medieval Lynn
Medieval Bishop’s Lynn was not a quiet place. It was a port, market town and pilgrimage crossroads, with ships moving along the haven, carts passing […]
Read moreReffley Temple: The Lost Secret Society of King’s Lynn
On a summer evening two centuries ago, a small group of men left the edge of King’s Lynn and walked east toward a wooded clearing […]
Read moreBooks Above the Porch: King’s Lynn’s Long Library Story
King’s Lynn did not begin with a public library. It began with books in churches, records in counting houses, papers in civic chests, and learned […]
Read moreThe King’s Lynn Cottages That Were Once Part of a Priory
A quiet row with a deeper history Priory Cottages in King’s Lynn are easy to underestimate. They stand in Priory Lane, close to the churchyard […]
Read moreRobert Walpole, King’s Lynn, and the South Sea Bubble
A Norfolk MP in a National Panic The South Sea Bubble was not just a bad investment craze. It was a political and financial scandal […]
Read moreRichard Clampe and the Fortress of King’s Lynn
A forgotten figure in Lynn’s Civil War story The siege of King’s Lynn in 1643 is usually remembered through blockade, bombardment, divided loyalties and surrender. […]
Read moreNo Empty Marsh: The Roots of King’s Lynn Before 1066
Not born from nothing King’s Lynn did not begin as a medieval miracle beside an empty marsh. Long before Herbert de Losinga founded St Margaret’s […]
Read moreClifton House: King’s Lynn’s Merchant Mansion with a Twist
Clifton House, King’s Lynn: a merchant mansion built in layers If you walk along Queen Street and glance up, Clifton House can seem almost too […]
Read moreFrom Fleece to Freight: The Long History of Trade in King’s Lynn
Stand on Purfleet Quay and you can still see why King’s Lynn became a port of consequence. The river meets the sea-world here, and the […]
Read moreBridges at Lynn: The Carpenters Behind Edward I’s Scottish Campaign
In 1303 some men from Lynn went to war in an unusual way. Bridges at Lynn: How Carpenters in Lynn Helped Edward I’s 1303 Campaign […]
Read moreArchitecture, Trade, and Civic Ambition: The Custom House, King’s Lynn
The Custom House, King’s Lynn: The Building That Announced a Port Few buildings in King’s Lynn declare the town’s old confidence more clearly than the […]
Read moreThe 1347 Summer when Lynn Seized the Corn
Hunger on the Quay: When Bishop’s Lynn Stopped the Grain Ships A June day at the waterfront The grain was already on the move. On […]
Read moreHistory as Therapy: the Life and Work of Rev. William Richards of King’s Lynn
In 1805, the sudden death of William Richards’s twenty-eight year old wife led to his seven-year withdrawal from society. They had only been married for […]
Read moreFrom hidden Catholics to public processions: the story of Roman Catholics in King’s Lynn
For centuries after the Reformation, Roman Catholics in King’s Lynn were easy to miss. They had no grand medieval parish church at the centre of […]
Read moreA New Margery Kempe for King’s Lynn’s Minster
King’s Lynn Minster is a building that tends to make people look up. The stone pulls the eye into height and distance, and the effect […]
Read moreWhen King’s Lynn Went Conkers: children, chemistry, and the work of war
King’s Lynn played a part in one of the strangest schemes of the First World War. In 1917, as Britain struggled to keep up cordite […]
Read moreThe King’s Lynn Invention That Saved Time and Money
Cooper Roller Bearings in King’s Lynn: a local factory behind a world-class idea If you want a reminder that King’s Lynn has never been only […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn and the Wool Trade: The Port That Fed Flanders
There are towns whose history can be told through a single building, a single family, or a single dramatic event. King’s Lynn is not one […]
Read moreThe Siege of King’s Lynn, 1643: Why the Town Changed Sides and Paid the Price
In the summer of 1643 King’s Lynn found itself caught in one of the sharpest local reversals of the early Civil War. A port with […]
Read moreRefugee in King’s Lynn Minster: Naomi Blake’s Quiet Monument
Refugee in King’s Lynn Minster: Naomi Blake’s Quiet Monument in the Holy Trinity Chapel Finding the sculpture If you make your way beyond the choir stalls […]
Read moreThe Lost Market Cross of King’s Lynn: Henry Bell’s Tuesday Market Missing Centrepiece
A market monument at the heart of King’s Lynn At the northern end of King’s Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place there once stood one of the […]
Read moreThe Crafty Strangers in King’s Lynn
Immigration, Religion, and Work in King’s Lynn, c.1565–1580 For a short period in the later sixteenth century King’s Lynn became, quite literally, a town of […]
Read moreThe Quiet King’s Lynn Cross with a Hard History
The King’s Lynn FEPOW Memorial Beside the Georgian Pulpit Step into King’s Lynn Minster and, once your eyes settle on the long nave, the first […]
Read moreThe Many Lives of Little Massingham Manor
Little Massingham Manor: Reinvention in the West Norfolk Landscape Few buildings in West Norfolk demonstrate more clearly how the English country house has survived by […]
Read moreThe King Punishes Lynn
How a Medieval Port Lost, and Regained, Its Freedom In the first years of the thirteenth century Bishop’s Lynn looked like a town with a […]
Read moreThe Listed Buildings of King’s Lynn
The Listed Buildings of King’s Lynn: a Town Preserved in Plain Sight King’s Lynn is often described as a historic town, but that phrase barely […]
Read moreThe Valiant Sailor (II): A King’s Lynn House of Sailors, Brewers, an Artist, and a Doctor
For most of its history, the building now numbered 2 Nelson Street, King’s Lynn, has been more than timber, plaster and brick. It has been […]
Read moreThe Valiant Sailor (I): The Architectural Story of 2 Nelson Street, King’s Lynn
See also: The Valiant Sailor (II):A King’s Lynn House of Sailors, Brewers, an Artist and a Doctor Tucked into the curve of Nelson Street stands […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn Shoplifter Shot Dead
Blood on the Cobblestones: The Night a King’s Lynn Shopkeeper Became a Killer The moonlight filtering through the broken fanlight cast eerie shadows across the […]
Read moreDeath by Eggs: Mother Gabley and the Sailors
Mother Gabley of King’s Lynn: Witchcraft, Fear and a Storm off the Norfolk Coast Among King’s Lynn’s darker fragments of memory sits the story of […]
Read moreBishop Turbe and His Lies About the Jews
The Boy, the Bishop, and the Blood Libel The story of William of Norwich, and the role played by Bishop William Turbe, reflects the twelfth-century […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn Architect Who Helped Shape the English Countryside
Sir Edward Guy Dawber Sir Edward Guy Dawber is not a household name in King’s Lynn, yet he deserves far more recognition locally than he […]
Read moreHow King’s Lynn Cleaned Up Its Act: The Town’s First Paving Laws
The paving of King’s Lynn was neither simple nor swift. It was a civic adventure that spanned decades, uniting merchants, ministers, and mayors in one […]
Read moreWalter Dexter: King’s Lynn’s Painter of Light and Place
Walter Dexter (1876–1958) remains one of the most distinctive artists to emerge from West Norfolk. His paintings, illustrations, and writings offer not only a personal […]
Read moreFrom Beer to Baronets: The Bagge Family of King’s Lynn
For more than two centuries the Bagges were at the heart of King’s Lynn’s story. They brewed its beer, owned its ships, lent its merchants […]
Read moreThe Lost Friaries of Lynn: Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and More
In the later Middle Ages, Lynn was home to several friaries. The Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Austin Friars, and for a time even the lesser-known Friars […]
Read moreSir John Oldcastle: Both Hanged and Burned
In the winter of 1417 the crowds at St Giles’ Fields saw an unusual punishment: Sir John Oldcastle, once a royal companion and soldier of […]
Read moreA Medieval Guide to Dying Well
The Medieval “Good Death”: Faith, Ritual, and Reputation To the medieval mind, a “good death” was not simply a matter of dying peacefully in bed. […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn’s Town Hall Complex
The buildings where a guild and governance converge. The large building at the centre was originally the Guildhall of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. But […]
Read moreThe King’s Lynn Storm of 1741
Imagine the largest 60‑metre spire in the town smashing into the nave. On Tuesday 8 September 1741, the town of King’s Lynn was battered by a powerful storm […]
Read moreValentine Walton: Cromwell’s Man Who Held King’s Lynn
In the chaos of the English Civil War, Valentine Walton (c.1592-1661/2) stood at the turbulent crossroads of loyalty, power, and principle. A Parliamentarian with deep […]
Read moreThe Woman of the Bedchamber in King’s Lynn
From 1956 to 1989, Ruth Lady Fermoy served as Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother – a role that placed her […]
Read moreA Gentleman of Vision: Henry Bell and the Shaping of 17th-Century King’s Lynn
Henry Bell (1647–1711) was one of King’s Lynn’s more remarkable and versatile figures: a talented architect, a twice-elected mayor, a merchant, and a man with artistic […]
Read moreA Political Revolution in Tudor Lynn
A Political Revolution in Tudor Lynn: The Rise of the Merchant Class and the Decline of Episcopal Power The story of King’s Lynn in the […]
Read moreFighting The Spanish From King’s Lynn
In 1588, England stood on the edge of crisis. The Spanish Armada – a fleet of over 130 ships – was on its way, aiming […]
Read moreSir Hamon L’Estrange: The Hunstanton Royalist Who Shaped The Fate Of King’s Lynn
Sir Hamon L’Estrange: Background and Family Sir Hamon L’Estrange (1583–1654) was the head of the L’Estrange family, one of Norfolk’s oldest gentry lineages, with deep […]
Read moreLynn Before 1066: A Re-evaluation
The Simple Story Lynn is situated on an estuarine lake. The name probably comes from the Celtic word “lyn” meaning pool reflecting its proximity to […]
Read moreCharles Burney: The Scholar Who Learned To Like King’s Lynn
I Greatly Dislike This Place (King’s Lynn) After only a few days living in King’s Lynn, a young man wrote to his wife complaining that […]
Read moreThe Lover From Norfolk And The 5 Women Left Behind
Lord Horatio Nelson was born on 29 September 1758 in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, England (approximately 25 miles north-east of King’s Lynn). He was the sixth of eleven children […]
Read moreHarriet Fox: Saved By The False Hair In King’s Lynn
Saved by the False Hair: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Survival in King’s Lynn Victorian England, often romanticized for its elegance and propriety, […]
Read moreThe Bishop of Norwich, the Sheep, and the Unholy War
The Fighting Bishop: Henry Despenser’s 1383 Crusade Henry Despenser: A Holy War with Unholy Motives? In 1383, an English bishop led an army across the […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn’s Medieval Street Names
It is noticeable that many of Lynn’s medieval street names were associated with the textile industry, reflecting its major contribution to the wealth of the […]
Read moreThe Drowning of Lizzie Green in King’s Lynn
A Tragic Tale of Love, Death, and Victorian Justice A chilling drama unfolded on a cold January night in 1889 in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. This […]
Read moreThe Mesmerising Mr Clarke from King’s Lynn
The Mesmerising Tale of Joe Clarke: From King’s Lynn to the Liverpool Gallows Joe Clarke’s story is a captivating tale of deception, hypnotism, and ultimately, […]
Read moreRoger From Hunstanton And His Battles For The Kings
The secret meeting with the seaman at the Pastons’ in Appleton was nearly fatal for Roger from Hunstanton. The seaman (perhaps sensibly) and his friend […]
Read more1953 King’s Lynn Flood – The Bungalow and the Steam Train
The Bungalow and the Steam Train to King’s Lynn Train drivers are unfortunately used to seeing hazards on the line – timber, random objects thrown […]
Read moreThe Tragic Tale of Mary Taylor from King’s Lynn
The Woman Who Was Burned Alive For Unlocking A Door In the bustling streets of King’s Lynn in 1730, a young servant named Mary Taylor […]
Read moreSpells, Suspicion, and Sentences: English Witchcraft Laws
Introduction There may have been others, but according to the records we have, eight women were executed in King’s Lynn for being a witch. 1583 […]
Read moreHanging in Chains
Hanging in Chains (Gibbeting): Unravelling the Dark Legacy of Britain’s Spectacular Justice System From 1751 to 1834, Britain employed one of the most macabre punishments […]
Read moreCopper Shortage In King’s Lynn
King’s Lynn Farthing, 1668: A Token of Resilience in a Time of Need When the copper runs out, local traders find a creative solution. In […]
Read moreLynn Man’s Body Covered In Pitch
Have you ever heard the tale of Joseph Beeton, the dandy highwayman? His story is a mix of youthful charm, crime, and tragedy that captivated […]
Read moreMargaret and the Dragons of Lynn
Margaret of Antioch: A Closer Look at a Legendary Christian Martyr Who Left Her Mark on King’s Lynn Margaret of Antioch: Introduction Margaret of Antioch, […]
Read moreKing’s Lynn’s Special Windmill
Ok. 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 moreHerbert de Losinga
The Life and Legacy of Bishop Herbert de Losinga: Architect of Ecclesiastical Power in Norman England Herbert de Losinga: Introduction Herbert de Losinga (1050-1119), is […]
Read moreA Lot of Digging: Eau Brink Cut
In 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 moreHorses, Pubs, and King’s Lynn Races
Thousands attend King’s Lynn Races in the mud. King’s Lynn Races: The Welcome Diversion In 1850 the King’s Lynn newspaper claimed that 20,000 – 30,000 […]
Read moreThe Walks, King’s Lynn: Pilgrims, Promenade, and Parkour
The 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 moreThe Perpetual Prison of Lynn’s White Martyrs
Some 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 moreCastle Rising Castle
Fortress and hotel for royalty near King’s Lynn Castle Rising Castle: The Beginning Around 1138, construction work was started at Rising on firm ground near […]
Read moreThe Fight And The King’s Lynn Treasure: St Nicholas’
Saint Nicholas Chapel, King’s Lynn: The Fight Over Services Can you imagine a religious building not being allowed to conduct certain religious services? That’s what […]
Read moreYes, Minster
Many 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 moreFanny, The King’s Lynn Bench, And A Place In The London Corner
In 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 moreThe Man, The Galloper, And The Ice Cream Cone
Frederick 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 moreThe Wars of the Roses: A Summary and Study Guide
On this page: A Summary of the Wars of the Roses A Cast of Characters A Helpful Timeline A Comprehensive Study Guide A Glossary of […]
Read moreDistant Ideas In Lynn Part Two: Thomas Thoresby
Any 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 moreDistant Ideas In Lynn Part One: William Sawtry
Any 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 moreJohn Brandon – Was he, or wasn’t he?
Did 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 morePirates Threaten Lynn
People 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 moreThe Wicked Farmer And Other Errors
A 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: Reluctant Revolutionary Enriches Lynn
John Wesley: Travels to King’s Lynn Near The End At the age of 87, only three months before his death, a reluctant revolutionary made the […]
Read moreThomas Of Lynn
Thomas 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 moreKing’s Lynn’s Charters
Charters 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 moreThe Lynn Man, The Pub, and The Ruptured Spleen
There 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 Alleged Witches Of Lynn
Are 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 moreDid the King’s Lynn Sailor Witness Cannibalism?
George Vancouver: The Certainty By the time George Vancouver from King’s Lynn left Hawaii in 1779, he had experienced two things that were beyond doubt. […]
Read moreThe Cry, The Murder, Lynn And The Bard
“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 Princess, The Folly, And The Train
The 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 Poor Person’s Anglican Church: St John’s
The Silk Man and the Box Many people are familiar with the fact that the British royal family traditionally spend Christmas on their estate at […]
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