Tuesday 20 December 2011

Old Lynn In The Cold Light Of Dawn

I travelled up to the North Norfolk coast today and found myself with a little over an hour to wait to make a connection between the train- and the bus parts of my journey. I decided to keep warm by taking a stroll around King's Lynn, or Lynn as the locals call it. The only problem with my plan was that it was still almost dark.


Believe it or not, Lynn was once the third largest seaport in England and was a very wealthy place; the old town centre has many buildings which testify to its former glory. It also was the home of one of the country's finest yet largely forgotten sea-faring heroes - more of him later.



The sun was slowly making its way over the horizon, throwing St Margaret's Church into a striking silhouette. The church was founded by the Bishop Of Norwich in 1101 but very little of that building remains having been largely rebuilt in the 13th century and then again in the 18th. It was also further restored by the Victorians.


The church is nevertheless an impressive structure as it soars above the Saturday Market Square.



Not far away stands the only remaining part of the Franciscan Friary known as "Greyfriars". But what an amazing survival it is; it looks as though it could be blown down by the first strong wind but here it has stood proudly since Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1538.





Parts of the beautiful Town Hall date from 1421 and though it's been added to over the centuries the unusual "chequerboard" pattern of the stonework has been used throughout giving the structure a sense of unity. It shows better than any other building the wealth and style that the historic town possessed.


There are some fine streets too where many of the merchants houses survive intact.


All this grandeur was paid for by money earned by the port much of which can still be seen today though most of the commercial activity has moved a few hundred yards downstream. The little ferry still plies its trade, taking people across the River Great Ouse to West Lynn on the opposite bank. It can be seen behind the larger vessel in the picture above.



The 17th century Customs House was described by the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as "one of the most perfect buildings ever built". In front of it, among the old chains and anchors stands a small statue of George Vancouver.


Captain Vancouver, as his name suggests, was almost certainly descended from a Dutch family. There were close trading links between King's Lynn and  the Low Countries so it would not be surprising if some of them settled in Norfolk. He is mainly remembered, when he's remembered at all, as the man who led the expedition to chart the Pacific coast. His survey was extremely accurate though he somehow failed to chart the outlet of the Columbia River. But this oversight, important as it was, was not the reason that George Vancouver died in obscurity and was largely forgotten in English history. His problem was that he had disagreements with influential people on his return to England. The link above gives a fairly full account of the Captain's life.

A nearby monument lists those with King's Lynn connections:

 CAPTAIN GEORGE VANCOUVER 1757 - 1798
SEARCHED FOR NORTH-WEST PASSAGE
ACQUIRED BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR THE CROWN

CAPTAIN
SAMUEL GURNEY CRESSWELL
1827 - 1867
FIRST MAN TO NAVIGATE
THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE

 ADMIRAL
SIR W EDWARD PARRY
1799 - 1855
 ARCTIC EXPLORER

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH
1580 - 1631
VIRGINIA PIONEER
FOUNDER OF NEW ENGLAND

FRIAR NICHOLAS OF LYNN
DIED 1369
VOYAGED TO ICELAND
REPUTED DISCOVERER OF THE AMERICAS

ADMIRAL LORD NELSON
1758 - 1805
HERO OF
 THE NILE, COPENHAGEN & TRAFALGAR

KING EDWARD IV
1442 - 1483
FLED TO FLANDERS
FROM THE PORT OF KING'S LYNN IN 1460

ADMIRAL JAMES BURNEY
1750 - 1821
EXPLORED WITH COOK AND VANCOUVER

Just to prove me wrong about Vancouver being forgotten by the rest of the country when I got on the train to return home this evening I glanced at the nameplate - "Captain George Vancouver". 

Take care.









                     


14 comments:

  1. Another of your fascinating and educational posts today, John. You sure used your free hour well in King's Lynn. I can see the sun rising rapidly as you took your tour.

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  2. Thanks, John. Lynn certainly has a distinguished history. Perhaps we remember Captain Vancouver better than the UK does. His name is immortalized in British Columbia's largest city and Vancouver Island. Both, by the way, are beautiful and fascinating places to visit. And of course Captain John Smith is very much part of the legends of North America. I love the early morning light for photography, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) after retirement I rarely see it. Jim

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  3. I must get my son to take me to King's Lynn. I've only been once many years ago and that was by accident, I was actually trying to get to Norwich and couldn't find the right exit off the big roundabout. I gave up and went to Kings Lynn and had a quick look round while I geared myself up for a second (successful!) attempt at the roundabout. I liked what I saw of it and would like to explore it properly one day. That second photo of St Margaret's church is really nice.

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  4. Wewere in Kings Lynn earlier this year - coming as I do from Lincolnshire Lynn was never very far away. Lovely photos in the breaking dawn John.

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  5. Oh, my goodness, those first two photos are gorgeous. I'd love to visit. It's looks like a really fun place to explore!

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  6. What a great way to spend an hour - just as the new day was breaking - your pics are lovely John with the soft morning light.

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  7. Wonderful town to roam as morning breaks! Beautiful skies and handsome architecture.

    Well, on this continent, Captain Vancouver is still famous. After all, Canada's third-largest city is Vancouver.

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  8. It's so good to see a town captured before it wakes up. i love the little customs house especially! Jane x

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  9. I'm glad you recorded and shared your early morning. Winter has some of the lovliest daybreak colors of any season.
    I believe that one branch of my family lived long ago in the Norfolk/Lincolnshire region.
    I enjoy your 'armchair' geography.

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  10. Beautiful captures of the morning light and such distinguished buildings. I have enjoyed reading and refreshing my knowledge of Captain Vancouver, and regret that he wasn't afforded his rightful due on account of that rascal Pitt!! Vancouver is a beautiful city, about four hours from where we live in the Similkameen Valley of British Columbia.

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  11. When we lived in Spalding we would often have a day out in Kings Lynn and I always enjoyed being there. One time we were there they were making a film and the dock side had been transformed to 18th century Boston - I just remember seeing actors Robbie Coltrane and Dorothy Tutin sitting in a carriage and the marching red coat soldiers on the street in your photo of the merchant houses:)

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  12. A tour of Kings Lynn - what a great way to start my day. Thanks for the outing. The pictures are great, as always.

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  13. Thank you for all your comments. Outside of King's Lynn itself I doubt if one person in a thousand has heard of Capt Vancouver though many will have heard of the city and the island which bear his name.
    In Lynn he now has a shopping centre named in his honour.

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  14. Beautiful place--the photos certainly captured the essence of it. Thank you, John, for sharing a beautiful hour with us.

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