Kings Lynn Town Wall

In the civil parish of Kings Lynn. In the historic county of Norfolk (Modern Authority of Norfolk, 1974 county of Norfolk).

South gate and scant traces survive of town wall. Murage granted 1266, 1294, 1300 and 1339, These, and levys on the towns people, resulted in masonry walls, though these may have replace timber structures. The first grant, in 1266, may have been inspired by troubles during the Baron's War (The town was attacked by the Disinherited) but the walls seem to have been mainly constructed in the early C14. Part of defences remain as bank and ditch. Some artillery defences added 1570 at St Anne's gate.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 384082; 384135; 384189; 384203)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TF62191915

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 879529; 912480; 879533; 356533; 879530; 879539; 879531; 879534; 879540; 879536; 879537; 879532; 879527
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 5486 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/culture/towns/lynn6.html
    http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MNF5486
• Books
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p18, 24, 29, 30, 37, 88, 97, 111, 129, 134-5, 156, 180, 195, 222, 227, 231, 263
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p58
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p160
    Kent, Peter, 1988, Fortifications of East Anglia (Lavenham: Ternence Dalton)
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p311
    Wilton, J.W., 1979, Earthworks and Fortifications of Norfolk (Weathercock Press) p30-1
    Carter, A., 1977, ‘The defences' in Clarke, H. and Carter, A., Excavations in King’s Lynn 1963-1970 (Society for Medieval Archaeology, Monograph Series 7) p432-8
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71 plan p63
    Parker, Vanessa, 197?, 'The making of Kings Lynn: secular buildings from the 11th to the 17th century (Kings Lynn Archaeol Survey Vol1)
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p126-9
    O’Neil, B.H.St.J., 1960, Castles and Cannon: A Study of Early Artillery Fortifications in England (Oxford: Claredon Press) p46 plate 12
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co) p230-1
• Journal Articles
  • Hoare, P.G., Vinx, R., Stevenson, C.R. and Eslers, J., 2002, 'Reused bedrock ballast in King's Lynn's 'Town Wall' and the Norfolk port's medieval trading links' Medieval Archaeology Vol46 p91-105 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    James, E.M., 1987, ‘A fresh study of the South Gate at King’s Lynn in the light of recent restoration work' Norfolk Archaeology Vol40.1 p55–72
    Kent, P., 1985, ‘King’s Lynn' Fort Vol13 p49–60
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p213
    Smith, T.P., 1976, 'The date of Kings Lynn south gate' Norfolk Archaeology Vol36 p224-32
    Smith, T.P., 1970, 'The medieval town defences of Kings Lynn' Journal of the British Archaeological Association [ser3] Vol33 p57-88
    Tingey, 1914, Norfolk Archaeology Vol18 p129-48
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • CPR (1258-1266) p596; (1292-1301) p74; (1292-1301) p491; (1338-1340) p240 [murage grants]
    CPR (1338-1340) p110; (1374-1377) p459 [power to levy subsidy for defences]
    CPR (1401-1405) p359 [commission of array compelling contribution to defences]