King's Lynn
Lynn’s a port with 900 years of maritime heritage, situated on the River Great Ouse. Henry VIII made Bishop’s Lynn his own in the 16th Century and these days nearby Sandringham is the Queen’s royal retreat.
King’s Lynn is simply at home with history: impressive churches become great concert venues, fisherman’s cottages and a gem of a museum. A funky arts centre and theatre fit perfectly in England’s largest 15th Century Guildhall of St George.
Follow history down the cobbled streets to the quayside once bustling with sailors and merchants, and explorers: Vancouver and Nelson amongst them.
Top Tip
Pick up a copy of Discover King’s Lynn, from the Tourist Information Centre, to help explore the cobbled streets, hidden courtyards and wealth of historic buildings which make King’s Lynn such a treasure trove of history.
Shopping time
With not one, but two market places, there are great local bargains to be had on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The High Street and new Vancouver Quarter offer specialist shops and national retailers, but hunts down the artisan shops too, like the jewellers selling pieces inspired by local myths and legends.
There’s local flavour waiting on the menu in the pubs, restaurants and cafés to sit and sip at history.
Things to do
A myriad of options await you in this glorious area of Norfolk but make sure you don’t forget noble King’s Lynn first. Visit the Town House Museum, Gaol House, Custom House, Green Quay, Guidhall of St George - all great buildings with fascinating displays. Head out to the beach at Hunstanton, take in the scents at Norfolk Lavender or nose around the Queen’s drawing room at Royal Sandringham.
Birdwatchers will be all of a twitter by the wildlife wonderland of the Wash and Norfolk coast. Bringing back 4,000 years of history, Lynn Museum’s new Seahenge Gallery gives the chance to discover the mysteries of the extraordinary timber circle and the people who created it. For a quick castle fix, spooky Castle Rising just up the coast will do.
The rarest of finds awaits at Castle Acre near Swaffham. With a unique chance to visit a Norman settlement just as the barons intended it, complete with castle, priory ruins, village earthworks, and ancient streets, you can almost hear the footfall of past pilgrims walking the Peddars Way to Walsingham. Travel south by train to the traditional market town of Downham Market, locally known as the ‘gingerbread town’ due to its delightful carrstone cottages. This intimate town and surrounding countryside is a real tonic, great to explore independent shops, bustling markets and friendly cafés and pubs.