Kings Lynn - by car

We again took advantage of having the car nearby and planned a trip out to Kings Lynn and the coastal Wash just north. It was a grey day when we set out - it was just under an hour but reasonably straightforward even if dual carriageways were a rarity.

We parked on the waterfront - Kings Lynn has long been an important port, even through it is now some distance inland on the River Great Ouse. Much of the town centre still has a majority of old buildings, many with the entrances that allowed carriages to be kept in mews behind the house.

Close to where we parked, moored on a pontoon was Baden Powell, a restored double ended cockle fishing smack that was built in 1900.

There are strong historical links with the Hanseatic League. This house is the only surviving Hanseatic building in England and was originally acquired by the German Hanse in 1475.

A short distance from the river is the open square called the Saturday Market Place.

A number of imposing buildings line the square including the Guildhall . . .

and the old Gaol. (The actual cells for prisoners were round the back in less salubrious conditions)

The largest building by far is the Minster. Not easy to get a full picture because of the enclosing buidlings and also the bright sunshine.

On one of the towers is a Tide Clock, out there so that seamen could tell when the next high tide was due.

At the entrance doorway are marks for a number of the more memorable floods. Recently, special gates have been installed all along the waterfront so that high waters can be kept from inundating the houses in the town centre.

Just inside the main door is a small chapel with this memorial to a parish priest who dies in office.

The nave is very substantial indeed but various parts of the church structure are in urgent need of extensive repairs - although some improvement in facilities will be made at the same time. The project will cost over £800K which, with a membership of just 120, is a significant challenge but the historical significance means that many trusts are willing to contribute to prevent the church from being lost to future generations.

Some statues are most effective when they are the simplest.

There are two famous very large brass memorials set unto the side aisle. So large that they are not easy to take in with a single photo.

OK,  so here is a better close up of one of them!

We had enough time to wander around the shopping main street that led up to the somewhat larger Tuesday Market Square. In the centre of the photo is the former Corn Exchange.

Back to the waterfront and the King's Staithe, a small dock with the Customs House alongside.

From here we planned to explore the coast just to the north of the town - Christine has some uncertain memories of a holiday here with her parents but memory ks a built vague on detail! We were following the road towards Hunstanton but followed signs to Castle Rising Castle. This did seem from a distance as a classic motte and bailey castle and we parked the car and took our lunch, aiming to find a good spot to sit and eat before looking around.  However, there was a Bank Holiday special event (the first poster said that it was Sat and Sun but that was an error) As a result, entrance charges were almost double the normal rates so we opted out - hence we only have a photo of the entrance gate!

Our next aim was Snettisham Beach where, as well as a view of the Wash, we were also promised an RSPB nature reserve. Alas, as we arrived we realised that a sea mist was rapidly rolling in and conditions for sitting on a beach to read had evaporated. In addition, the area which we thought was the nature reserve turned out to be a specialist angling centre!

We completed our trek along the coast at Hunstanton. However this turned out to be a very traditional 'bucket and spade' mobile home resort with plenty of slot machines, fairground riders and miniature golf! Whilst this was supposed to be a very popular resort in Victorian times and had plenty of visitors today, we found little to interest us. Even the pier which Christine thigh the resort had was washed away in storms a few years ago and was replaced with a very ugly entertainment building.

We turned around and headed back towards Peterborough, We diverted through Wisbech which has some imposing buildings alongside the river but we did not find anywhere easy to stop and take a look.

We also diverted into Thorney where atone time there was an important abbey. Alas, the church, which looks splendid from the outside. Unfortunately, it was closed so we cannot report on the interior. As you can see from the photo, once we were away from the coast the bight warm sunshine returned. It was not far from here back to the boat.