By Tim Lambert
1101 The Bishop gives the people of King’s Lynn the right to hold weekly markets and annual fairs
1204 King John gives King’s Lynn a charter (a document granting the town certain rights)
1348 King’s Lynn is a large and important town with a population of 5,500-6,0000. Wool, grain, and salt are exported and pitch, fish, and iron are imported.
1406 St Georges Guildhall is built
1475 The Hanseatic Warehouse is built
1485 Red Mount Chapel is built
1500 Kings Lynn is declining in importance although the port is still busy
1524 Kings Lynn is given a corporation and a mayor
1534 A grammar school is founded in Kings Lynn
1537 The king takes control of the town from the bishop. From then on it is known as Kings Lynn instead of Bishops Lynn.
1572 Thatched roofs are banned in Kings Lynn to reduce the risk of fire
1605 Greenland Fishery House is built
1643 During the Civil War Kings Lynn is captured by a parliamentary army
1665 Plague strikes Kings Lynn
1683 The Custom House is built
1720s Daniel Defoe describes Kings Lynn as ‘Beautiful, well built and well situated’
1784 The first bank opens in Kings Lynn
1801 The population of Kings Lynn is 10,096
1832 Cholera strikes Kings Lynn
1835 The Lynn and West Norfolk Hospital opens
1847 The railway reaches Kings Lynn
1861 The County Court is built
1869 Alexandra Dock is built
1883 Bentinck Dock is built
1904 A museum opens in Kings Lynn
1905 A public library opens
1910 The first cinema opens in Kings Lynn
1962 It is decided Kings Lynn should be an overflow town for London
1982 Lynnsport opens
1991 True’s Yard Fishing Museum opens
1992 The Town House Museum opens
2003 A new skate and bike park opens
