Tag: King’s Lynn

A King’s Lynn Walk

An account of a walk in an around King’s Lynn.

This walk started and finished at my compact town centre flat, and with frequent photography stops occupied two and a quarter hours.

I was on my way down the stairs that take me to street level when I took my first pic of the day, the top of the Clifton House Tower…

????????????????????????

From there I crossed the Baker Lane Car Park, took the bridge over the upper Purfleet and headed for the lower Purfleet and the Custom House…

????????????????????????

Just in shot above you can see part of the statue of Captain Vancouver…

????????????????????????

Where the lower Purfleet joins the Great Ouse is a glass sculpture…

????????????????????????

The next point of interest is the new jetty on the Great Ouse, not in use at the moment in deep midwinter…

????????????????????????

Hot on the heels of this comes Marriott’s Warehouse, which required two shots to do it justice…

???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Next up was the carcass of the old Somerfeld and Thomas building…

????????????????????????

After crossing the lower Millfleet on the bridge that has a high water mark from December 2013 the next site was the remains of Boal Quay…

????????????????????????

A few minutes later came the meeting of the Nar and Ouse, and the structure I have dubbed ‘Cormorant Platform’. Sadly none of the birds in question were there today, but still the picture is a fine one…

????????????????????????

My next port of call was Hardings Pits…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Crossing the Nar as I headed towards the next stage of the walk I got this picture…

????????????????????????

Next, as I headed towards the parkland areas came one of King’s Lynn’s most distinctive landmarks, the South Gate…

????????????????????????

From here I walked along London Road as far as the light controlled crossing, crossed and headed through Terrace Court and an alleyway to the Seven Sisters entrance to the parkland area…

????????????????????????

As I headed towards Guanock Gate and the Vancouver Garden I got a sight of The Walks, home to King’s Lynn Town FC (only two more promotions needed to gain league status)…

????????????????????????

The Guanock Gate came next, closely followed by a shot of the Red Mount Chapel looking along the upper Millfleet…

???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Next came the Vancouver Garden, which I entered via one bridge and left via the other (these are the only two means of getting in or out unless you fancy a dip in open water – definitely not recommended in an English January! This area is always worth a good few photographs, and so it proved once again…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

A few minutes after this I arrived at Tennyson Road, and two more interesting things, the educational fence, a sample fo which I photographed and the King’s Lynn signal box…

???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

From there until Lynn Sport, a few minutes later, there is nothing of great significance, though for the first part of that distance the path runs between two academies for those interested in such things. Lynn Sport has some interesting stuff outside it, notable the brickwork bus and the ornate mile post. It also boasts an elaborate weathercock…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Shortly after this comes the first glimpse of Bawsey Drain, which I was going to follow all the way back to town, but I started with a shot looking the other way…

????????????????????????

The walk along Bawsey Drain did yield a few interesting (for me at least) shots, reproduced below, the large number of flying birds as approached the town end of it being particularly impressive…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Getting a good shot of St Nicholas Chapel is a challenge because you need to be far enough away to get it all in. Also, it is undergoing repairs/ renovations at the moment. I was pleased with this one…

????????????????????????

From St Nic’s it was on to the Tuesday Market Place, where as well as getting a full shot of the Corn Market I also noticed a glass sculpture on the same lines as the one where the lower Purfleet meets the Great Ouse…

???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Finally, I delayed my return home just sufficiently to get some shots of the Guildhall (8 in total) and King’s Lynn Minster…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

I enjoyed doing this walk, and enhancing my photo collection.

Places to Visit in King’s Lynn

A personal (and therefore idiosyncratic) view of places to visit in King’s Lynn

I am inspired to write this because some pictures I posted on twitter helped to convince one of my followers (@MrStuchbery) that King’s Lynn would be worth a visit. Thus post will comprise a personal list of the places I think should not be missed on a visit to King’s Lynn:

  1. King’s Lynn Minster, nee St Margaret’s Church. This vast Norman edifice dominates the recently revamped Saturday Market Place, which is at one end of the High Street.
  2. The Custom House & Lower Purfleet. I am treating these two together because the Custom House backs on to the Lower Purfleet. The Custom House is King’s Lynn’s most iconic building and calls for little comment from me. As well as being generally scenic, the Lower Purfleet is home to two favourites of mine, the statue of Captain George Vancouver after whom the Canadian City is named and the compass shaped display of King’s Lynn navigators, including Friar Nicholas who may have reached the Americas over a hundred years before Christopher Columbus.
  3. The Tuesday Market Place. Revamped fairly recently and now possessing much more open space, this is surrounded on all sides by historic buildings, the Corn Exchange first among equals.
  4. St Nicholas’ Chapel. This building, currently under repair is remarkable both inside and out.
  5. Bawsey Drain. In spite of the uninspiring name and the fact that it is too often used as a dumping ground, a walk along the banks of this waterway, one of the four that keeps King’s Lynn from being submerged, can be very rewarding.
  6. Lynn Sport. This is a modern building, but outside it there are some interesting things, including a brick bus and a very ornate mile post. Also it represents the start of a parkland section of walking if you have gone out along Bawsey Drain.
  7. The Walks, The Red Mount Chapel, The Vancouver Garden, Guanock Gate and Seven Sisters. This parkland area is home to a wide variety of bird and animal life, the Red Mount Chapel and Guanock Gate are highly scenic, while leaving via Seven Sisters keeps on track for my next site. For more on the Red Mount Chapel, see the post dedicated to it in my series on Heritage Open Day: https://aspiblog.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/heritage-open-day-9-the-red-mount-chapel/
  8. The South Gate. Rather than write further about this here, I simply direct you to the appropriate blog post: https://aspiblog.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/heritage-open-day-8-the-south-gate-a-medieval-tardis/
  9. Harding’s Pits. This is lovely to walk through and it gets to you to the banks of the Great Ouse for you route back to the town, which is a useful bonus. There are various wooden sculptures that may take your fancy, and there will be trees laden with fruit at all times of the year.
  10. “Cormorant Platform”. Situated where the Nar joins the Ouse, I have named this structure in honour of its most frequent users, and if you are keen on bird life it provides many opportunities for superb pictures, with West Lynn Church on the opposite bank being ideally situated for providing a backdrop. Pictures from here feature regularly in my blog posts, e.g: https://aspiblog.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/kings-lynn-in-two-moods/
  11. Old Boal Quay/ The Dike. This immediately follows or precedes “Cormorant Platform” depending on your direction of travel, and is always enjoyable.
  12. The Millfleet and South Quay. This takes us back to the Lower Purfleet, and completes a long but manageable circuit. Between the carcass of Somerfeld and Thomas, Marriott’s Warehouse, the new jetty, and of course the Millfleet itself, the bridge over which is now adorned by a high water mark from the December 2013 storm surge this is a very interesting little area.
  13. King’s Lynn Public Library. This extraordinary building sits at the top end of Millfleet, looking across the start of the Broadwalk (another way in to the parkland areas). Adjacent to the library are the main King’s Lynn war memorial and Greyfriars Tower, the remnants of the Franciscan Friary.
  14. Separated from these by the width of Millfleet is the tiny Jewish Cemetery, worth a brief diversion because it is so unusual.
  15. Coming back to where we started, facing King’s Lynn Minster across the Saturday Market Place is the Guildhall, with its unique chessboard frontage. This is a building that everyone should see.
  16. Last of all, at the bus station you will find the Lynn Museum, prize exhibit “Sea Henge”.

I have some photos from today, which bear some relation to what I have been writing about…

A minor landmark that did not get mentioned in the test
A minor landmark that did not get mentioned in the test

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

A classic FA Cup match and Some Other Stuff.

Last night’s FA Cup 3rd round match between AFC Wimbledon and Liverpool was thoroughly enjoyable. Although two goals from Steven Gerrard were enough to prevent what would have been an almighty upset, there were moments in the match when memories strayed back to 1988.

The BBC’s Assistant Political Editor, Norman Smith suffered yesterday for parroting the Tory line, a hecklers shout of “Get back to London” being one of the politer comments. The full story can be read at: http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/01/06/pillock-bbc-reporters-duff-nhs-question-makes-milibands-day/

One of the pictures I tweeted yesterday on @aspitweets was of one of the new buildings at Hillington Square, and I received a response from the official Hillington Square twitter account, @HillingtonSq thanking me for doing so.

I have plenty of photos to share…

From yesterday in King's Lynn.
From yesterday in King’s Lynn.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

No not the Hillington Square shot mentioned in the text - this was taken a day later.
No not the Hillington Square shot mentioned in the text – this was taken a day later.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

The first of a few pics from Sunday.
The first of a few pics from Sunday.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

The Hillington Square shot that was praised on twitter.
The Hillington Square shot that was praised on twitter.

Winter Sun and the Lower Purfleet Freezes Over.

We are in a post Christmas cold snap. There has been nothing yet to approach the icebergs on the Great Ouse of half a century ago, but at 11:30AM today under a bright sun the lower Purfleet was frozen. Birds of various species have been enjoying the conditions in spite of the cold. “Cormorant Platform” where the Nar joins the Ouse had no fewer than nine visitors today.

I have two days worth of pics to share with you (got some good ones yesterday too)…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Gulls and terns walking on water!
Gulls and terns walking on water!

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

This is the first of today's images.
This is the first of today’s images.
The next two images show the improvements happening at Hillington Square.
The next two images show the improvements happening at Hillington Square.

????????????????????????

Now we have some cormorant images.
Now we have some cormorant images.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Behold - the lower Purfleet frozen!
Behold – the lower Purfleet frozen!

Christmas and a New Light Show at the Custom House

A quiet Christmas day at my aunt’s house yesterday. We went out at 4PM to watch the new light show that is being projected on to the Custom House. This one is entirely devoted to mechanical devices such as can be seen at Thursford, and is every bit as compelling as the original…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

The first of two views of my aunt's latest creation
The first of two views of my aunt’s latest creation

????????????????????????

Just a few pressies on display.
Just a few pressies on display.
All the rest of the pictures are from the light show...
All the rest of the pictures are from the light show…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Running an Auction and a few Other Bits

The December auction of James and Sons took place at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich yesterday. As the person running the company database it was a particularly full-on day for me, and I have decided to take you through it in chronological order:

5:45AM: Left the flat to be sure of being at bus station in time for 6:00 bus to Norwich (although the sale does not being until 10, with my responsibilities it is mandatory that I be at the auction venue by 8 at the latest and this is the last bus that will enable me to do that)

7:35AM: Bus arrives at Norwich bus station bang on schedule (not even a British bus company can contrive to be running late at this stage of the morning) and I head straight but unhurriedly for the Maids Head Hotel.

7:45AM: Arrive at the hotel and find my way to the Erpingham Room where I will be based for the next few hours.

8:30AM: By this stage the setup and layout are complete and viewers are starting to arrive. My computer is set up in a location that ensures that no punters will have access to confidential information and the internet connection is working, although it will still be necessary to phone the shop in Fakenham every time someone wants to pay by card as the connection does not extend to our portable card reader. Before attending to my own specific tasks I print out a listing of commssion bids that have been registered online via http://www.the-saleroom.com. Between the information on the registrants page of http://www.the-saleroom.com and the written and printed records of bids received in advance I am able to ensure that my database is as up to date as it can be before the auction starts.

10:00AM: Kick off, and the auction starts with a bang as lot 1 sells for £130 against an estimate of £50. This is the occasion for the first of various live tweets I manage to post in between doing the work I am paid for.

The lots come and go very fast, and it is significantly before 11 that the first lot I am interested in, number 171, two postcards of East Rudham and West Raynham churches goes under the hammer. I stick in a bid but then realise I am up against the proprietor of Lynn Gold and recognising that he has much greater financial firepower decide not to bother contesting further.

After 250 lots the auctioneer takes a brief break and I have my first problem of the day, when instead of printing out an invoice as I require my computer wants to print out the entire Auction Form record (fortunately I am able to cancel the job before a single page has been wasted). I resolve the problem by the tried and tested if unscientific method of closing the database down and reopening, and as it happens there will be no further technical malfunctions that day.

Approx 12:30PM: We have now been through 500 lots, and are about to move on to coins and banknotes, with militaria, ephemera and some misecllaneous items still to come. This is a sensible point at which to take a 15 minute break, as planned by the auctioneer. Lot 441 in the meantime had been knocked down to me for £12.

A combination of the speed at which auctioneer David is getting through the lots and the frequency with which I have to produce invoices causes me to fall behind, but with only two room bidders other than myself still left this is not actually as serious an issue as it feels at the time.

14:18PM: Lot 786, the last item in the sale goes under the hammer.

14:40PM: The clear-up is complete and I take my leave. A call at the Glasshouse just down the road for some liquid refreshment and a visit to the library (which I regard as a must when I am in Norwich) mean that I end up on the 16:40 bus back to King’s Lynn. The front of the bus provides a sight I have not previously been treated to: although we are in Norwich and the bus is terminating at King’s Lynn the intermediate destinations listed are those between Peterborough and King’s Lynn! This causes a degree of confusion among my fellow passengers, especially those travelling to intermediate destinations, as you might imagine.

It is just a shade under thirteen hours after setting off in the morning that I finally arrive back at the flat. Come Dine With Me via 4OD followed by Strictly on iplayer complete the day. It was semi-finals week on the latter, meaning that each couple had two dances to perform. The best was saved till last as Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev produced the routine that finally persuaded Craig to flourish the 10 paddle.

I have a few pictures for you…

This is the Dereham Christmas tree.
This is the Dereham Christmas tree.
Part of the sale as laid out before the start.
Part of the sale as laid out before the start.
More of the sale.
More of the sale.
The Christmas tree in the Erpingham Room at the Maids head Hotel
The Christmas tree in the Erpingham Room at the Maids head Hotel
The last four images are of my purchase, taken this morning, this full picture and three close ups.
The last four images are of my purchase, taken this morning, this full picture and three close ups.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Taking Part in a Research Project

Yesterday I travelled to Norwich to take part in a research project relating to Asperger’s Syndrome/ Autistic Spectrum Conditions. The project, being run by Graham Bradley of UEA, involved three stages: an abbreviated version of the diagnostic test that confirms whether or not one is on the spectrum, then a two part intelligence/ reasoning test, first attempting to define words and then a pattern recognition exercise (I was got by one word, pavid, but as you might expect handled the pattern recognition exercise with considerable ease), the final part of the session being a computer based exercise, again themed on pattern recognition. This last involved identifying the letter H or L according to what came up on the screen. The two fundamental variants: sometimes the key letter was a large letter made up of a collection of smaller (irrelevant) letters organised in appropriate array, and sometimes it was the smaller letters that were key and the large letter they formed that was irrelevant.

Anyone who is able to get to Norwich and interested in taking part in this project can contact Graham Beales. His email address is G.Beales@uea.ac.uk and he can also be contacted on 07851 319347.

I do also have some pictures for you…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

This is a sample of my aunt's knitting skill - these pieces will form a blanket.
This is a sample of my aunt’s knitting skill – these pieces will form a blanket.
Swaffham church on a sunny but cold day
Swaffham church on a sunny but cold day
This is from just beyond Swaffham
This is from just beyond Swaffham
This shot was taken in Hockering.
This shot was taken in Hockering.
The first of the Norwich shots
The first of the Norwich shots

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Full circle - this set of pictures started in King's Lynn and we are back there now with the Christmas lights.
Full circle – this set of pictures started in King’s Lynn and we are back there now with the Christmas lights.

????????????????????????

King’s Lynn Bird Life and Twitter

I did not allow the fact that is a bleak, rainy November day to prevent me from getting out and about, and I have some good pictures, particularly of birds to share with you. My twitter following continues to grow, 450 having being reached today.

Now for some pics…

There is a small bird on this branch.
There is a small bird on this branch.

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

An adventure playground for arctic terns!
An adventure playground for arctic terns!

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

The Nar/Ouse area and VJB Day

To start with the second part of my title: VJB Day stands for Victory over Julien Blanc Day – it has been confirmed today that this vile specimen of Homo sapiens will not be admitted to Britain.

Today has been ridiculously sunny for November, so I have been out and about taking photographs, many of which my twitter followers have already seen. I now share some of the finest with my blog readers…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????

Monday in King’s Lynn

Having been confined to barracks all morning as I was waiting for two deliveries (both materialised – my new tenancy agreement, and a Christmas present for a cousin that I then had to send on to Australia) I was glad to get out and about immediately after lunch, especially as the weather was pleasant for an English November.

Therefore, having taken the package for Australia down to the post office, forked over a noticeable amount of cash and obtained proof of posting I set off on a walk in the course of which I obtained some decent photos even while restricted to the old Samsung (a phone call to the shop in Dereham revealed that the components were delivered at the end of last week, so I really should not have much longer to wait).

My twitter following continues to grow at a satisfying rate, with 400 rapidly approaching.

Now for some pictures…

???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????