Visitors to King’s Lynn, the major town at the heart of West Norfolk, will discover a town rich in heritage and maritime history. The history of the town, coupled with the impressive Norfolk coastline, (much of it an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the intrinsic charm of the surrounding countryside and pretty villages, makes it a great place to visit.The town has recently celebrated a special milestone in its history with the 800th anniversary of the signing the King John Charter. It was this charter that granted Lynn its borough status, giving it self governing powers – which all reflected the town’s importance as a key trading centre.
King’s Lynn was one of England’s foremost ports as early as the 12th century, and was perhaps as important in the Middle Ages as Liverpool was to become during the Industrial Revolution. Aptly described as ‘The Warehouse on the Wash’ it maintained its prominence as a port until the railways robbed it of much of its traffic in the mid 19th century.Originally known as `Linn’, the town is thought to have derived its name from the Celtic word for a lake or pool, and it is recorded that a large tidal lake originally covered this area. By the early 13th century with the granting of the charter, the town became Bishop’s Lynn.
