King's Lynn: The Other Buildings

   I thought I'd share some more of the photos I took on my visit.  I suppose you could say that King's Lynn is a obviously liminal place - an over used word of late.  And there lies some its uniqueness.  I've decided to put the photos roughly  in historical order, starting with St George's Guildhall on King St., late Medieval and now a theatre and the home of the Arts Centre.  Plays were staged here quite early in its history; it's said that Shakespeare played here.

   Close by a narrow lane takes you down to the swirling, eddying River Ouse and the ferry over the river to West Lynn.

   The other surviving guildhall in the town belonged to the Guild of the Holy Trinity, so powerful it became the basis for the town council.  The Hall (with gable) dates from 1421, the porch to the left is Elizabethan, on the right is Gaol, 1748, by William Tuck, and on the extreme left is part of the Town Hall by Tree and Price (never heard of them), 1895.

   This is the Customs House by Henry Bell, 1683, originally a Merchant's Exchange.  A lovely building, small but suitably monumental.

   At the far end of King's Street from The Custom's House, is the vast Tuesday Market (the building on the left is the former Corn Exchange, 1854, by Cruso and Maberly), and beyond that is the North End, which housed the fishing community, and the Chapel of St Nicholas, currently closed for restoration work.

Behind the Corn Exchange, on Common Staithe Quay is the Pilot's Office

   Back down King St, and over the Purfleet and opposite the Custom's House, is the very picturesque King's Staithe Square.

   And finally back to the Town Hall. This really is a gem of a building. A design that is both rigorous and full of charm. It will only improve with age.