St George's Guildhall St George's Guildhall in King's Lynn is a Grade I listed building, currently in the ownership of the
National Trust. At 32.6 x 8.8 m (107 x 29 feet), it is the oldest and largest complete medieval Guildhall in England, with an unrivalled history as a venue for theatrical production. At present it is leased by the Borough Council for hire by the public as a space for music, performances, lectures and entertainments.
Custom House The King's Lynn Custom House () is one of the town's most iconic landmarks. It was designed by architect
Henry Bell and built by Sir John Turner in 1683. It was not the first Custom House built for the town – originally one was constructed in 1620 on the site where the Hogge Mansion is currently located (currently occupied by
Barclay's Bank); however, this was too small and as a result a larger one was needed; St George's Guildhall was used in the intervening years. It is a Grade I listed building. The building was described by architect
Nikolaus Pevsner as "one of the most perfect buildings ever built". He was an admirer of King's Lynn in general, also commenting that the walk from the Tuesday Market Place to the River (by the Custom House) was one of the finest in the world.
Greyfriars Tower The Greyfriars Tower () is the only remaining part of the
Franciscan monastery on this site, and one of only three surviving Franciscan monastery towers in England and is considered to be the finest. It is a Grade I listed building. Following the
Dissolution of the Monasteries by
Henry VIII, nearly all such monasteries were demolished. The tower at Lynn remained because it was considered to be a useful seamark by sailors entering the town, still being clearly visible on the town's skyline to this day. The tower is informally referred to as 'the leaning tower of Lynn' as it leans dramatically to the west. At its worst, the lean was 67.5 centimetres – which given its height of more than 28 metres is just over 1 degree. This compares to 3.98 degrees on the
Leaning Tower of Pisa. Although it was not believed to be in imminent danger of collapse, work was undertaken in 2006 to . The tower itself was featured in the first season of the
BBC TV series
Restoration with the two smaller arches to the side of the main one. Whilst the main arch was used for horse-drawn carriages, the smaller arches were intended for pedestrians – mainly the lower class. However, by the end of the 19th century the traffic demands had grown so much that in 1899 London Road was widened, and now the gate only straddles half of the road. Today, traffic still passes through the arch to enter from the south. The structure is situated on London Road, one of the busiest roads in the town, meaning there is a constant stream of traffic through it during the day. Despite this, accidents are unheard of, as the arch can comfortably fit most forms of traffic from articulated lorries to double-decker buses.
Town Hall and Trinity Guildhall The town hall of King's Lynn () has existed since the early fifteenth century, between 1422 and 1428, when the
Guildhall of the Holy Trinity was built. It is the most prominent feature of the town hall today with its steep arched roof, large window and chequered patterned exterior. The building was enlarged in 1624, when an extension with the same chequered style was added which now forms the main entrance to the town hall. The guildhall is a Grade I listed building. The arms of
Elizabeth I can be seen above the main window on this building. They were removed from St James' Church on 7 August 1624. The arms of
Charles II are above them – they were added 40 years later.
Corn Exchange The Grade II listed facade of
King's Lynn Corn Exchange, originally built in 1854, is a testimony to the glory of
Victorian architecture. The hall itself is a simple brick rectangle with a glazed roof supported by delicate wrought-iron trusses. The building was still used for community events until the mid-1990s, although showing signs of age. A project to restore and enlarge it, as had been done with
Cambridge Corn Exchange in the mid-1980s, was begun with the aim of creating a venue suitable for a wide range of cultural activities.
The Dukes Head hotel The
Dukes Head is reputed to be one of the most haunted buildings in King's Lynn. It stands on the site of an ancient inn called the Gryffin. There is a grey lady, the man who reputedly shot himself in room 18 during the 18th century, and probably a host of other less spooktacular residents.
Red Mount Sitting in the centre of
The Walks, King's Lynn's main urban park, lies the Red Mount chapel (). Also known as 'Our Lady's Chapel' it is a remarkable building in that it is completely unique and no other building like it can be found. It was built in the 15th century to contain a relic of the Virgin, but was also used by pilgrims on their way to
Walsingham. It was built by Robert Corraunce on instructions from the Prior of Lynn. The inner core is divided into 3 storeys and there is an additional cross-shaped ashlar building in
Ancaster stone on top. Before the renovation of the Walks, its location in the centre of the park meant it was the target of vandalism – particularly graffiti. However, since rejuvenating the Walks, the curious landmark is now open to the public during the day. It is a Grade I listed building. The Red Mount was the subject of a painting by
Thomas Baines.
Library The King's Lynn library () was funded and opened by philanthropist
Andrew Carnegie. It is possible that he chose King's Lynn as a site for the library due to its close proximity to the
Royal residence in
Sandringham in an attempt to get a knighthood – however, this is probably a cynical point of view given Carnegie's history of financing libraries across the world, as well as his positive comments regarding King's Lynn and similar towns in his autobiography. It had a brief period of fame in May 2010 following reports in the national press that bouncers had been hired to keep order in the Library following incidences of anti-social behaviour. The ghostly monk who reputedly haunts the cellar is another matter however, at one time, female staff were apparently too scared to enter the area by themselves. The library is built on the site of the Greyfriars monastery, and sits adjacent to the remains of the tower. The library is still in use today and is still the town's primary library, opening Monday to Saturday. It is situated on London Road, the main entrance to the town, opposite one of the entrances to
the Walks, the town's main urban park.
Old county court house The County Court was built in 1861 and closed in the recent years. It is now home to a firm of solicitors.
Theatre Royal The Theatre Royal () is situated in St James Street next to the Greyfriars Tower. It is no longer used as a theatre and is now the home of Gala bingo. The present building replaced a previous structure that burnt down in May 1936.
The Majestic Cinema One of King's Lynn's more 'modern' buildings. The cinema, situated in Tower Street, was built and run by Ernest, Ralph, Adams in 1927. Mr. Adams worked closely with architects Carnell and White, in its design and construction, buying the contents of the Empire, Leicester Square, London, which following restoration, were installed in the interior of the Majestic. The Majestic officially opened on 23 May 1928; It was later owned by Union and subsequently ABC Cinemas. this year is commemorated in the stained glass window at the front of the building.
Hanseatic Warehouse Located on St Margaret's Lane, the Hanseatic Warehouse () is the only surviving
Hansa building in England. It was constructed in 1475 following the
Treaty of Utrecht, allowing Hansa to establish a trading depot in Lynn for the first time. It was used as such until 1751, by which time the river had receded. It was then sold to Lynn merchant Edward Everard for £800. He added the Georgian town house at the East side of the building which is now known as St Margaret's House (and Grade I listed), after the nearby church. In 1971 it was renovated as part of a preservation project and converted into offices by the
Norfolk County Council. It is currently used by the council for various functions, including weddings, as it houses Lynn's register office.
Hampton Court Located near to St Margaret's Church, Hampton Court () is a Grade I listed group of buildings forming a quadrangular shape which were built up over a period of 300 years. The South Wing was constructed first, consisting mainly of a 14th-century merchant's
hall house and is thus the earliest surviving section. The West Wing was constructed towards the end of the 15th century, probably as a warehouse to better service and extend the business part of the merchants premises. When it was constructed, it was on the edge of the river bank, but by the 17th century the river had receded and the warehouse was converted into a house.
Clifton House Clifton House () is a Grade I listed building located at the heart of King's Lynn. A former merchant's house, it retains an amazing series of historic interiors dating from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Features of interest include two tiled floors from the later 13th century (the largest in-situ tiled floors in any secular building in Britain); the 14th-century vaulted undercroft; the five-storey Elizabethan tower and a series of rooms created by the architect Henry Bell in 1700. The house is a privately owned family home, but is open to visitors on a number of occasions during the year.
Marriott's Warehouse Marriott's Warehouse, was originally an old Tudor Warehouse built on the quayside late in the
Elizabethan Era (1533–1603). Thomas Clayborne funded its construction. It was used to store corn from visiting ships, and is believed to have been constructed with robbed out materials taken from monastic properties confiscated by the crown during the
Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of
Henry VIII of England (1491–1547). Restored in the early 2000s as The Green Quay the building has now reverted to its original name. It is now used as an educational facility, with exhibits about
The Wash,
The Fens and local heritage on the upper floors, while the ground floor has become a popular restaurant.
St Anne's Fort Built in 1570. Located in the northwest corner of the town where the Fisher Fleet joined the Ouse, it was the major fortification in Lynn until replaced by defences outside the town in 1839. It was originally just an earthwork platform for cannons, some buildings, a section of wall and a gate giving access to the Fisher Fleet. In 1625 pirate raids on Lynn led to the town petitioning the King for 12 guns for the battery. These were delivered. Even as late as 1778, when the ten guns in the fort were replaced by ten 18-pounders, the battery had no protective parapet. Troops were billeted here for many years. Decommissioned in 1839, it was never more than a coastal battery. Today there are only fragmentary remains of walls and the pilot's office. Until the late 1930s a small square lock-up stood nearby where drunken sailors and townspeople were incarcerated for the night.
The Lattice House This pub (originally a 15thC town house) situated in Chapel Street, not far from the Tuesday Market Place, uses the name acquired in 1714, when this ancient building first became an inn. Previously, it had been used for centuries by the clerks of the nearby Chapel of St Nicholas. The growth of Lynn, in the 18th century, saw the building of new taverns, as well as the conversion of shops or workshops. The Lattice House is an example of the latter, becoming a public house in 1714. For many years it was called Ye Olde Lattice Inn, until its closure in 1919. It became a public house once again in 1982.
The Grampus An old hostelry in Pilot street. It ceased to be a public house in 1921 and is now a private residence.
The Valiant Sailor A 15th-century building in Nelson street. It probably became an inn in the late 1600 but ceased to be licensed in 1925. The well-known artist
Walter Dexter lived here until his death in 1958.
The Exorcist's house This house was attached to St Nicholas's church. The position of exorcist in olden times was one which a Catholic priest could hold as he progressed up the church career ladder. It has a reputation of being haunted. It is believed that a previous occupant dabbled in the black arts here. It is also the former residence of author and broadcaster
F. R. Buckley.
Jewish cemetery The Jewish Community in King's Lynn was founded in about 1740, but ceased to exist by the middle of the nineteenth century, although it was briefly revived during World War II.
Grade I listed buildings • Guildhall of St George • Nos 28, 30, 32 King St •
Thoresby College •
Clifton House == Modern buildings ==