Heritage

A short history of King's Lynn

Once among the most important ports in England, Lynn grew rich on trade across the North Sea. That wealth built the guildhalls, churches and merchants' houses that still line its streets.

From Lenn to King's Lynn

The name probably comes from the Celtic word for a pool or lake — a reminder that the town grew up where the Great Ouse meets the tidal Wash. Founded by the Bishop of Norwich at the end of the 11th century, Bishop's Lynn quickly became a major port, sending wool, grain and salt out across the North Sea and bringing back timber, furs and fish.

Merchants of the Hanseatic League — the powerful trading network of Baltic and German cities — kept a base here, and Hanse House is the last of its kind in England. In 1537 Henry VIII took the manor from the Church and the town became King's Lynn.

Today the historic core around King Street, Queen Street and the two market places is one of the best-preserved in the country, with more than 400 listed buildings.

Timeline

c. 1095
Bishop Herbert de Losinga of Norwich founds a church and market at "Lenn" — the start of Bishop's Lynn.
1101
Work begins on St Margaret's Church, today King's Lynn Minster.
1204
King John grants the town a royal charter. In 1216 he loses his baggage train in the Wash shortly after leaving Lynn.
1300s
Lynn becomes one of England's busiest ports, trading wool, grain and fish with the Hanseatic League. Margery Kempe, author of the first autobiography in English, is born here.
1475
The Hanseatic merchants build their warehouse — today's Hanse House.
1537
Henry VIII takes the town from the Bishop of Norwich and it becomes King's Lynn.
1643
Royalist Lynn is besieged by Parliamentary forces during the Civil War and surrenders after three weeks.
1683
The Custom House is built on Purfleet Quay.
1752–57
Novelist Fanny Burney (1752) and explorer Captain George Vancouver (1757) are born in the town.
1847
The railway arrives, later linking Lynn with Cambridge and London.
1953
The North Sea flood devastates low-lying parts of the area; flood defences follow.
1960s
London overspill agreements bring new housing, industry and growth.
Today
A busy market town and port of around 50,000 people, the administrative centre of the Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Famous Lynn people

Margery Kempe (c. 1373–after 1438)

Mystic and pilgrim whose dictated life story, The Book of Margery Kempe, is often called the first autobiography in English.

Captain George Vancouver (1757–1798)

Royal Navy officer who charted the Pacific north-west coast of America. Vancouver in Canada is named after him.

Fanny Burney (1752–1840)

Novelist, diarist and playwright, author of Evelina, born in the town.

Henry Bell (1647–1711)

Merchant, mayor and architect behind the Custom House and the Duke's Head Hotel.