King's Lynn

Map

The overlays that highlight 17th century London features are approximate and derived from Wenceslaus Hollar’s maps:

Open location in Google Maps: 52.757969, 0.391812

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First Reading

Third Reading

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Visitors to King’s Lynn, the major town at the heart of West Norfolk, will find a town rich in maritime history. The town's heritage, coupled with the impressive Norfolk coastline and the intrinsic charm of the surrounding countryside and pretty villages, makes it a great place to visit.

The town has celebrated the 800th anniversary of the signing of the King John Charter. This charter granted Lynn its borough status, giving it self governing powers – which all reflected the town’s importance as a key trading centre.

King’s Lynn was one of England’s foremost ports as early as the 12th century, and was perhaps as important in the Middle Ages as Liverpool was to become during the Industrial Revolution. Described as ‘The Warehouse on the Wash’ it stayed prominent as a port until the railways took much of its traffic in the mid-19th century.

Originally called 'Linn’, the town is thought to have derived its name from the Celtic word for a lake or pool, and it is recorded that a large tidal lake originally covered this area.

By the early 13th century with the granting of the charter, the town became Bishop’s Lynn, and grew rich on trade. The Hanseatic League, a powerful German trading organisation made up of merchants from North Germany and countries around the Baltic Sea, contributed to this prosperity.

The legacy of this history is evident today. Fine late medieval merchants houses stretch back to the river between cobbled lanes.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Lynn changed its name to Lynn Regis – and subsequently to King’s Lynn.

The Custom House overlooks the Purfleet and the town's medieval harbor. The 12th century St. Margaret’s Church overlooks some of the finest ancient architecture in England, including the Trinity Guildhall built in the 1420’s. The Tuesday Market Place, one of England’s grandest squares, houses the Corn Exchange, a 750-seater venue for concerts, comedy and flea markets.

The historic Saturday Market Place and the Tuesday Market Place are hosts to traditional outdoor markets, which have been a feature of Lynn life for hundreds of years with stalls selling shellfish caught by Lynn fishing fleet, as well as locally grown farm produce from the Fens.

One of Lynn’s most notable and unusual landmarks is Greyfriars Tower, This Medieval Franciscan Priory for centuries guided sailors navigating the difficult waters of The Wash.

Much of King’s Lynn’s story is linked to its maritime heritage and trading centre. True’s Yard Fishing Heritage Museum, The Green Quay – Wash Discovery Centre, The Custom House Tourist Information Centre and Maritime Exhibition, Town House Museum all tell this story.

Visitors can follow the King’s Lynn Maritime trail, described and interpreted in a leaflet, which highlights 25 locations, each of which tell parts of the heritage story.

More, and pictures, at https://www.historic-uk.com/Histo…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

In the 17th Century, especially designed boats known as wherries were built to transport reeds, timber and, during England's Civil Wars, soldiers and ammunition up and down the Broads – and, if conditions were right, to and from ships anchored along the Norfolk coast.

Capable of carrying up to 40 tonnes and perfectly designed for the Broads' shallow, sheltered waters, wherries remained the primary form of transportation in Norfolk and Suffolk for two centuries.

Highlight from: https://www.bbc.com/travel/articl…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

At the outbreak of the first Civil War, the Norfolk town of King’s Lynn was an important North Sea port. Protected by rivers on 3 sides, the town’s existing, largely medieval, defenses were repaired, improved and re-armed.

Roger L’Estrange took part in the siege of King’s Lynn in Norfolk, which was captured by his father, Sir Hamon L’Estrange, in August 1643, who defended it for 6 weeks before surrendering it to parliamentary forces in September of that year.

For more on this, see
https://www.militaryhistorylive.c…
http://c-cluster-110.uploads.docu…
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
https://www.researchgate.net/publ…

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

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1668