King's Lynn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids King's Lynn |
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 King's Lynn
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| Population | 42,800 (2007) |
| • London | 98 miles (158 km) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | KING'S LYNN |
| Postcode district | PE30 |
| Dialling code | 01553 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | www.west-norfolk.gov.uk |
King's Lynn, often called Lynn by local people, is a busy port and market town in Norfolk, England. It's about 36 miles (58 km) north-east of Peterborough and 44 miles (71 km) west of Norwich. For a long time, until 1537, it was known as Bishop's Lynn.
Contents
History
How King's Lynn Grew
King's Lynn started as a small village. Here are some important moments in its history:
- 1085: Lynn is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous old survey of England.
- 1101: The Bishop of Norwich allows Lynn to have weekly markets and yearly fairs. This helped the town grow!
- 1204: King John gives Bishop's Lynn a special document called a charter, which gave the town certain rights.
- Around 1220: The River Great Ouse changes its path and now flows out to sea at Bishop's Lynn. This made the town's port much more important.
- 1348: Bishop's Lynn is a big, important town with 5,500-6,000 people. It trades wool, grain, and salt.
- 1406: The St George's Guildhall is built.
- 1475: The Hanseatic Warehouse is built.
- 1537: The King takes control of the town from the Bishop. From this time on, it's called King's Lynn.
- 1572: Thatched roofs are banned in King's Lynn to stop fires.
- 1643: During the English Civil War, King's Lynn is captured by an army supporting Parliament.
- 1665: The plague affects King's Lynn.
- 1683: The Custom House is built.
- 1847: The railway arrives in King's Lynn, making travel and trade easier.
- 1904: A museum opens in King's Lynn.
- 1915: During World War I, King's Lynn is one of the first towns in Britain to be bombed from the air by a German airship.
- 1962: King's Lynn is chosen as an "overflow town" for London, meaning more people move here from the capital.
What's in a Name?
The name Lynn might come from an old Celtic word Llyn, meaning a lake. Or it could be from an Anglo-Saxon word Lean, which means a farm or land. When the Domesday Book was written in 1085, it mentioned many "saltings" (areas where salt was collected) at a place called Lena (Lynn). This suggests there might have been many small pools or lakes here.
For a while, the town was called Bishop's Lynn because the Bishop of Norwich was in charge of it. But in the time of Henry VIII, the King took control, and it became King's Lynn.
The town is often just called Lynn by people who live there. The city of Lynn, Massachusetts in the USA was named after King's Lynn in 1637, in honor of a minister who came from here.
King's Lynn in the Past
Lynn started as a small place where the River Great Ouse met the sea. It began to grow in the early 900s. In 1101, Bishop Herbert de Losinga started building the first medieval town between two rivers, the Purfleet and Mill Fleet. He ordered St Margaret's Church to be built and allowed a market to be held. Trade grew along the rivers that went inland.
By the 1300s, Lynn was one of England's most important ports. It was as vital for trade then as Liverpool was much later during the Industrial Revolution. Trade with Europe was mostly done by the Hanseatic League, a group of trading towns. King's Lynn still has two old warehouses from the Hanseatic League: Hanse House (built 1475) and Marriott's Warehouse. These are the only ones left in England!
In the 1500s, King's Lynn got a mayor and a town council. The King took control of the town from the Bishop in 1537. A grammar school was started in 1534. The town also got a piped water supply, though it was expensive. Fires were a big danger, so in 1572, thatched roofs were banned to reduce the risk.
In 1683, the Custom House was designed by Henry Bell, who was once the town's mayor. He also designed other important buildings. In the 1600s and 1700s, King's Lynn mainly exported grain and imported iron and timber. It was still an important fishing port, and shipbuilding also became important.
Modern Times
The town started to decline a bit, but the arrival of the railway in 1847 helped it grow again. A museum opened in 1904, and a public library in 1905. The first cinema, the Majestic, opened in 1928.
During World War I, King's Lynn was bombed by a German airship in 1915, causing damage and sadly killing two people. In World War II, many children from London were sent to King's Lynn for safety, but the town still had some air raids.
In 1962, King's Lynn was chosen to help with London's growing population, so new housing estates were built. The town center was also redeveloped. New industries like food canning and light engineering came to the town.
In 2010, The Bridge for Heroes charity opened a center to help armed forces members with PTSD. In 2012, the old Campbell's tower, a famous landmark from a soup factory, was taken down. A new fire station was opened by the Queen in 2015.
King's Lynn Today
Since 2004, King's Lynn has been undergoing a big project to make the town even better. The Vancouver Shopping Centre was updated, and a new car park was built. New homes are being built in an area known as Balamory.
In 2006, King's Lynn became the first UK member of The Hanse (Die Hanse), a group of towns across Europe that were part of the historic Hanseatic League. This connection helps the town remember its important trading past.
Big companies like the German Palm Group have built large paper machines here, making newsprint paper from recycled materials. The Port of King's Lynn is very busy, handling things like cereals, oil, timber, and steel.
King's Lynn is the main shopping area in West Norfolk. It has many shops, entertainment places, bars, and restaurants. Tourism is also growing, with visitors coming to see the historic town and nearby places like Sandringham House.
Governance
King's Lynn became a local government area in 1883. Today, the Borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk combines King's Lynn with several other towns and villages.
Town Symbols
The shield on the coat of arms for King's Lynn and West Norfolk shows the story of Margaret the Virgin, who has been on Lynn's shields since the 1200s. The town's main church, St Margaret's Church, is named after her. The shield also shows seven parts, which stand for the seven different areas that joined together to form the current borough.
The bird on top is a gull, which reminds us of the sea. It holds a crown, showing the town's royal connections. The animals on the sides are like lions with fish tails, also showing the borough's link to the sea. They are surrounded by oak leaves, which represent the countryside.
Twin Towns
King's Lynn is connected with other towns around the world. These are its "twin towns":
Emmerich am Rhein, Germany
Sandringham, Australia
Jičín, Czechia- Mladá Boleslav, Czechia
Geography
Where King's Lynn Is Located
King's Lynn is at the very end of the River Great Ouse, about 97 miles (156 km) north of London. It's also about 5 miles (8 km) south of The Wash, which is a large bay with changing tides and sandbanks. The Great Ouse river in Lynn is about 200 meters (220 yards) wide. The smaller Gaywood River also flows through the town and joins the Great Ouse.
A small part of the town, called West Lynn, is on the west side of the river. You can get there by one of the oldest ferries in the country. Other parts of King's Lynn include the town center, North Lynn, South Lynn, and Gaywood.
Weather in King's Lynn
King's Lynn has a mild oceanic climate. This means it doesn't get too hot or too cold. The average temperature during the day is about 14°C (57°F). January is the coldest month, with temperatures around 0°C to 1°C (32°F to 34°F). July and August are the warmest, with average high temperatures of about 21°C (70°F).
The area gets about 600 mm (23.6 inches) of rain each year.
Parks and Green Spaces
King's Lynn has several public parks. The biggest is the Walks, a historic park in the town center that is 17 hectares (42 acres) large. It's the only old town walk left in Norfolk from the 1700s. The Red Mount, a 15th-century chapel, is also in The Walks.
Harding's Pits is another park south of the town. It's a nice open space with large sculptures that tell about the town's history.
Demography
In 2007, King's Lynn had a population of 42,800 people.
Economy
King's Lynn has always been a center for fishing and seafood, especially prawns, shrimps, and cockles. It also has glass-making and engineering. Many businesses here are related to farming, like food processing. The town is still an important place for importing goods.
In 2008, the Port of King's Lynn was the fastest-growing port in Great Britain! It handles things like cereals, oil, and timber.
Transport
Roads
King's Lynn is connected to other cities by main roads. The A47 links it to Norwich and Peterborough, the A10 to Cambridge, and the A17 to Spalding.
Railway
King's Lynn railway station is the only train station in town. You can catch trains from here to Cambridge and London King's Cross.
Buses
Most bus services in King's Lynn are run by Lynx or Go To Town. There's also a bus route called excel that connects King's Lynn to Peterborough and Norwich. The Coasthopper bus route runs along the Norfolk Coast.
Town Transport Improvements
A £7 million project has been improving the transport in the town center. This includes a new path for bikes and buses between the town center and South Lynn. Traffic lights have been updated to give buses quicker access to the town center. Roads around the Southgates roundabout have also been improved to help traffic flow better.
Media
King's Lynn has two local newspapers: the Lynn News and Your Local Paper. There's also KL magazine, which is a free magazine about West and North Norfolk.
You can listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio Norfolk, Heart East, and Greatest Hits Radio (West Norfolk). The local college also has an online TV station called SpringboardTV.com.
Education
King's Lynn has three secondary schools: King Edward VII School, the King's Lynn Academy, and Springwood High School. A fourth school, St Clements High School, is in a nearby village.
The town's college for further education is the College of West Anglia. It started in 1894 as King's Lynn Technical School.
Culture
St George's Guildhall: A Historic Theatre
The Guildhall of St George was built in 1406. It started hosting plays by 1428, making it the oldest working theatre in the UK! It's believed that William Shakespeare himself performed here in 1593. This is the only theatre still in use today that can say Shakespeare likely performed there.
After being nearly ruined, the Guildhall was saved and reopened in 1951 by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Today, it's owned by the National Trust and hosts many plays, dances, music, and films.
Arts and Festivals
The King's Lynn Festival is a big music and arts festival held every year. It's known for classical music but also has jazz, dance, films, and talks. The King's Lynn Literature Festival happens in September, celebrating poetry and fiction. The Annual Hanse Festival also takes place, celebrating the town's historic trading links.
Museums and Entertainment
The Storeys of Lynn Museum opened in 2016 in the Town Hall. It has an interactive exhibition about the town's history. True's Yard Fisherfolk Museum tells the story of the local fishermen. The Lynn Museum shows the town's history and has information about Seahenge, an ancient timber circle.
Festival Too is a free music festival held in the Tuesday Market Place each summer. Many famous performers have played there. The Majestic Cinema and the Corn Exchange both show films and host live events like concerts and comedy shows.
The Mart Funfair
In the 1500s, King's Lynn's Tuesday Market Place hosted two big trade fairs. Over time, these fairs changed into a funfair called the Mart. It's now a yearly event that starts on February 14th (Valentine's Day).
Sports
King's Lynn has a football club called King's Lynn Town F.C., who play at The Walks Stadium. The town also has a speedway team, the King's Lynn Stars, who race at the Adrian Flux Arena.
There are also basketball clubs, King's Lynn Fury and Lynn Nets. The historic hockey team, The Pelicans, plays at Lynnsport.
Notable people
Many interesting people were born in or lived in King's Lynn:
- Nick Aldis (born 1986), a wrestler.
- Robert Armin (around 1563–1615), an actor who worked with Shakespeare.
- Thomas Baines (1820–1875), a painter and explorer.
- Martin Brundle (born 1959), a Formula One racing driver and commentator. His son, Alex, also a racing driver, was born here.
- Charles Burney (1726–1814), a famous music historian.
- Frances Burney (1752–1840), a well-known novelist.
- John Capgrave (1393–1464), a historian and theologian.
- Gerry Conway (born 1947), a percussionist.
- Joseph Dines (1886–1918), an Olympic gold medalist in football.
- Tim FitzHigham (born 1975), a comedian and writer.
- Florence Green (1901–2012), one of Britain's oldest people and a World War I veteran.
- Jack Huston (born 1982), an actor.
- Margery Kempe (around 1373–1438), the first person to write an autobiography in English.
- George North (born 1992), a rugby player for Wales.
- George Russell (born 1998), a Formula One driver.
- Roger Taylor (born 1949), the drummer for the band Queen.
- George Vancouver (1757–1798), a naval officer and explorer, after whom Vancouver, Canada, is named.
- Lucy Verasamy (born 1980), a TV weather forecaster.
Location
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Boston | Hunstanton | Fakenham | |
| Spalding |  |
East Dereham | ||
 King's Lynn  |
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| Wisbech | Downham Market | Swaffham |
Media appearances
King's Lynn has been a popular place for films and TV shows because its buildings and landscape can look like other parts of the world.
- It appeared as the Netherlands in The Silver Fleet (1943) and One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942).
- It was used as Germany in Operation Crossbow (1965).
- It stood in for France in the comedy show 'Allo 'Allo!.
- The town was also used in the film Revolution (1985), and TV series like Lovejoy, Tales Of The Unexpected, and Sherlock Holmes.
- More recently, it has appeared on shows like Antiques Road Trip and Flog It!.
