Norfolk: West Lynn

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

LYNN (WEST), sometimes called Old Lynn, is a considerable village, 1 mile from West Lynn Railway Station, on the west side of the Great Ouse river, opposite the town and port of King's Lynn, with which it communicates by a ferry for foot passengers; but carriages have to go round by the bridges, a distance of nearly 3 miles. It is in King's Lynn union, county court, and bankruptcy district, Freebridge Marshland hundred, and petty sessional division, King's Lynn polling district of West Norfolk, Lynn rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry.

Its parish contained 576 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises about 1300 acres of land, exclusive of 300 acres of the old bed of the river, which has been warped and cultivated. The soil belongs to Sir W.H. Ffolkes, Bart., the Dean and Chapter of Ely, Sir Lewis W. Jarvis, R.H. Household, Esq., J.P., and a number of other proprietors, each having the manorial rights of his own estate. In 1300, Alan de Lindesey, burgess of Lena (Lynn), gave to William de Gousele, farrier, the liberty of a passage or ferry-boat across the river. This ferry is now let by the Corporation of King's Lynn for £240 per annum.

The opening of the Eau-Brink Cut, which joins the Ouse about half a mile above Lynn, gave the current such a strong bias to the west side of the river as to endanger the existence of West Lynn. Mr Broadbent's house, which stood on the river bank, was washed down soon after the completion of the cut in 1822; but precautions were afterwards taken against any further encroachments of the refluent tides, by the erection of several jetties of strong framework filled with large stones.

Here is a large vinery, in which large quantities of grapes and other hothouse fruits are grown and sent to the London and other markets.

The CHURCH (St. Peter), comprises nave, north and south transepts, and square tower with one bell. The chancel fell into decay about 90 years ago and has not been rebuilt. The roof is of the hammer-beam kind, and is ornamented with carved angels. The east window is of stained glass, representing the Three Marys, and was given by the late Giles Walker, Esq., in 1844, in memory of his sister. The font has carvings of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church upon it. Here is a small brass on which is portrayed the figure of Sir Adam Outlawe, who died in 1503, and left an acre of land for the parish church. On the east gable of the nave the sanctus bell-cot still remains. The tower is of the Decorated period, but the rest of the building is mainly Perpendicular. A former church, which stood on the same site, was washed down by an inundation in 1271.

The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £9, is in the patronage of the [sic] J.P. Townshend, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Fredk. Jackson, M.A., who has 28A. 2R. of glebe, and a good residence, built in 1852, at a cost of £1000. The tithes have been commuted for above £400 per annum, exclusive of about £70 a year received in lieu of tithes payable to the rector, in the parishes of Tilney All Saints, Islington, and Clenchwarton.

The Wesleyan chapel was erected in 1870, at a cost of £210, and will seat about 100 people. The Baptist chapel was erected in 1844. The NATIONAL SCHOOL, built about 30 years ago, is attended by 80 children. In the village is an excellent fife and drum band of about 30 performers; the band-room is let for meetings, &c., and will seat 130 people. In the village is a Working Men's Club and Reading-Room.

The poor have about £12 yearly as the rent of a piece of land at Clenchwarton, received in exchange for 4 acres left by John Swaine, in 1678.

POST OFFICE at Mr. J.R. Reaches. Letters arrive at 7 a.m. and 12 a.m., and are despatched at 10.30 a.m. and 5.45 p.m., viâ King's Lynn, which is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

         Barratt   Benjamin          poultry dealer
         Bates     Wm.               parish clerk & sexton
         Boswell   Thomas William    baker
         Boswell   William Thomas    porkbutcher
         Bullen    John              baker & asstnt. overseer
         Castle    Stephen           hothouse fruit grower, The Vineyard
         Dawson    Mrs Maria         beerhouse
         Dowdy     George            hawker & shopkeeper
         Edwards   John              manager
         Ellis     Thomas            carpenter
         Ellis     William Allen     grocer
         Embling   Robt.             vict. Cherry Tree Inn
         Grummett  Isaac             cowkeeper
         Grummett  William           pork butcher
         Hart      Wm.               bootmaker & sugar boiler
         Hildon    Jas.              earthenwre. & hrdwre. dlr
         Hornigold Henry             fisherman
         Jackson   Rev. Frederick,
                     M.A.            rector
         Lee       Henry             sheep dresser
         Lee       James             farmer
         Lewis     Henry             bootmaker
         Linford   John              hawker
         Mitchley  Edw. Ambrose      schlmaster
         Palmer    Miss Sarah        shopkeeper
         Porter    John              vict. Bentinck Arms
         Reach     Jno. Rolfe        grcr. drpr. & pstmstr
         Rye       Edward            vict. Ferry Boat Inn
         Swift     Robt.             farmer & assessor of taxes
         Vincent   Mr Robert
         Walden    Mr George
                     Frederick Henry
         Walker    Robert            bricklayer
         Wardale   Major             beerhouse & coal dlr
 

See also the West Lynn parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
January 2010