Published: Monday, 3rd July 2023
Borough councillors have been shown the wealth of history, lying in the streets and buildings they administer in a specialist tour amounting to a thousand years arranged by King’s Lynn Town Guides.
Ancient buildings, hidden courtyards, the river and its trade all revealed how Lynn went from a small settlement based on salt production to a successful port and elegant town.
Ten councillors joined the tour on Friday 30 June which followed the route from Saturday Market Place to Tuesday Market Place of the guides’ regular Historic Lynn tour. The Guildhall of St George was opened up for them to view.
All agreed they had learned much that was new to them. Cllr Steven Bearshaw had always assumed that York had the most grade 1 listed buildings,
“So I was very pleasantly surprised to hear that Kings Lynn has more.
“I knew the course of the river had changed over the years but didn't appreciate just how quickly this happened with traders building warehouses side-on to the bank so the course could be followed.”
Asked to rate the walk on a scale of one to five, all placed it at five. Francis Bone, who represents the ward in which the Historic Lynn tour takes place, said:
“not only informative it was enjoyable too. Ivor – the guides’ chairman - conducted the tour enthusiastically and his knowledge of the different eras of the town's historic roots, trade links and how it built its wealth and significance as an important town in the country was impressive.”
Fellow ward councillor Deborah Heneghan said:
“I learned a lot about the town’s rich and unique history and would highly recommend the tour for everyone - town dwellers, near neighbours and visitors.”
Cllr Simon Ring, Cabinet member for Tourism, Events and Marketing, who joined the town tour said:
“The knowledgeable volunteers that are our town guides really bring the story of King’s Lynn to life.
“I’d like to thank them for the invitation and the time that they all regularly give to introduce others to the rich history and many historic buildings here. I’d urge residents to take a tour with them to discover what makes our town fascinating and so historically important.
"Our season has got off to a flying start this year, with more than double the number of participants compared to 2022 or any previous year,” said Ivor Rowlands KLTG chair. “I'm delighted that so many of our new borough councillors are taking the time to join one of our walks and learning more about the unique history of the town and the role KLTG can play in promoting Lynn to locals and visitors alike."
The tour was followed on Sunday 2 July by free family friendly walks designed to show Lynn to local people and raise funds for Festival Too. Fun-sheets developed by an experienced primary school teacher and suitable for children of all ages to complete when attending a walk with an adult were distributed.