Take the train from King’s Cross and in under two hours you can be in the ancient Hanseatic town of King’s Lynn. No changing trains or juggling timetables and, if you fall asleep on the way, you can’t miss your station as we are the final stop! (See bottom of page for transport links).
Arrive in King’s Lynn around 5.00 pm.
Check into your hotel – King’s Lynn has a range of accommodation to suit every budget and which are all within comfortable walking distance of the town centre.
We suggest a two night stay at the Duke’s Head Hotel; an impressive Georgian building designed by famous local architect, Henry Bell (more of him later). It’s reputedly one of Lynn’s most haunted buildings – although you won’t get the staff to tell you which room has a spectral occupant… could it be yours?
Alternatively, The Globe Hotel and Pub, diagonally opposite across Tuesday Market Place from the Duke’s Head, offers safe and comfortable accommodation. Owned by JD Wetherspoon it has been described on Trip Advisor as “brilliant and quirky”. Once a 17th century coaching inn it also claims to have at least one ghost, believed to be that of a yardman nicknamed “The Boxer”, who was killed after a fight in the stables with another man at the end of the nineteenth century. The stables are long gone, having been converted into extra dining space in the 1960s – but, while jolly and enjoyable in the evenings, staff have sometimes reported a cold, uneasy feeling over the years, as if they were being watched, when they had to spend time in this part of the building during the daytime…
Stay at either of these hotels, you’ll be in the heart of things and a short stroll from a wide choice of eateries.
Speaking of hearts – as you leave your hotel be sure to take a look up at the building on the right hand side of the square. Above a window at numbers 15 and 16 Tuesday Market Place you will see a crudely carved diamond with a heart in it.
Legend has it that this commemorates the execution of an alleged witch, Margaret Read (aka “Shady Meg”) in 1590. One version of the story has it that, as Meg’s body was consumed by flames, her wicket heart burst forth from her body, flew up and hit the lintel between the two houses before rolling into the river, where it sank with much hissing and steaming. Another version says that the accused woman went to her death steadfastly declaring her innocence and predicted that “her heart would fly forth and perch above the window of the magistrate who had condemned her”. (1)
We know that accused witches were hanged in England, not burned, but there is at least one record of a woman being boiled to death in Tuesday Market Place for murdering her mistress – perhaps the story is a misremembering of this event. Whatever the grain of truth contained in the legend, nobody knows how the mysterious carving of a heart took up residence in Tuesday Market Place.
(1. We are indebted to Alison Gifford’s Ghosts and Legends of Lynn for the quotation).
Spend the morning strolling around the medieval quarter, where you will find many well-preserved buildings. King’s Lynn has over 300 listed buildings, with the finest medieval architecture anywhere in the country for a town of its size. It even has the only remaining Hanseatic warehouse, or steelyard, remaining in England (the much larger London steelyard complex burned down during the Great Fire of London in 1666).
Admire the Custom House on Purfleet Quay, designed by our friend Henry Bell in 1683 and described by architectural historian, building historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, as “one of the most perfect buildings ever built”.
Visit the Stories of Lynn Museum (which also houses the TIC) and find out about the Hanseatic League and why it was so important to the development of King’s Lynn as a major international medieval trading port. Discover some of Lynn’s most celebrated daughters, including Margery Kempe and Fanny Burney. And listen to the tale of a Victorian schoolteacher who was convicted for murder – you can see his skull preserved in the Old Gaol House.
Stop for lunch in one of Lynn’s many independent cafes serving freshly cooked food using locally sourced ingredients.
Visit the multi award-winning Whatahoot Gin Distillery, housed in a 16th century warehouse on King Street for a guided tour, or even a gin-making workshop or cocktail masterclass (book in advance). Sample the Signature Dry Gin, which features the local flavours of Norfolk samphire and lavender.
Or take a boat trip on the Baden Powell, a restored cockling boat from the 1900s and one of the last on the East Coast. Take in the lovely riverfront buildings and past open countryside towards the river mouth where you may see seals and other wildlife. The round trip takes between 1½ hours and 2 hours.
Alternatively, take a stroll down to the old North End part of town, which was historically the home of King’s Lynn’s fishing community for several centuries. In Chapel Lane you will find a tiny, 17th century Dutch-gabled house that is still referred to as “The Exorcist’s House”, believed to have been built on the site of a much older dwelling that was once the medieval home of the local priest and exorcist. Rumours of ghosts abound (naturally!), and it was home in the 1970s to colourful local celebrity, F R Buckley, a writer of pulp fiction, painter, BBC broadcaster, student of the occult – and self-styled warlock. (The house is now a private home so please respect the owners’ privacy by not peering through windows or trespassing).
A little iron gate to the side of the house takes you into the churchyard of the St Nicholas’ Chapel. This was built as a “chapel of ease”, subordinate to the King’s Lynn Minster at Saturday Market Place, in the 13th – 15th centuries and is the largest, grandest chapel of ease in England. How did King’s Lynn come to have such a magnificent chapel? The building work was paid for by the wealthy merchants of the Hanseatic League and illustrates just how rich and powerful King’s Lynn once was as an inter-continental trading port.
Look carefully and you will notice the carefully preserved “consistory court”, built in 1617 as a ‘court room’ where cases concerning parishioners’ morals and church law were heard by an archdeacon. We have no proof, but, is it possible that some of those accused of witchcraft might have been dragged here to answer for their ‘crimes’ before being handed over to the secular authorities?
St Nicholas Chapel is open to visitors on certain days from April to September, and various events are held there, including exhibitions and concerts. The annual King’s Lynn Festival in July makes great use of it as a concert venue. Please check the website before visiting. However, if closed, you can still take a virtual tour of the building here.
Head back to your hotel to chill before dinner Soak up the jaunty atmosphere along the quay and dine al fresco at the Marriott’s Warehouse (another historic medieval gem with a ghost!)
Or, if you fancy something a little more formal, try the stylish Bank House restaurant and hotel nearby in Staithe Square, a grade II* listed Georgian town house hotel. Another of Lynn’s many haunted buildings, there have been many sightings here over the years of a lady in Victorian mourning dress – believed to be Louise Mary Cresswell, whose mother-in-law owned Bank House in the 19th century.
If you fancy something livelier, try the unforgettable Tipsy Teapot restaurant and cocktail bar where “you leave reality at the door and step into a world of wonderment and delight”, according to their website!
After a leisurely breakfast head to The Walks, the only surviving Georgian town walk in Norfolk. The Walks is an area of national importance and was designated a Grade II listed Landscape in 1998 by English Heritage. During summer months there are regular concerts at the bandstand on Sundays between 2.00 and 4.00 pm.
Discover the Red Mount Chapel within the park (open on Sundays from May to September), a medieval stopping off point for pilgrims on their way to Walsingham. There is supposed to be a secret tunnel which runs underneath Red Mount Chapel to the castle ruins at Castle Rising. It is reputed to be haunted (naturally!) by a ghostly fiddler who got trapped and was unable to find his way out. Sometimes, if you listen closely, you can hear the occasional strains of a violin coming from somewhere under your feet…
King’s Lynn railway station is now only a ten minute walk away, where you can board your train back to London.
We hope you’ve enjoyed your brief stay in King’s Lynn. If we’ve whetted your appetite for the curious and strange there is so much more to discover in King’s Lynn and west Norfolk. We haven’t even told you about Sea Henge, or the legend of Devil’s Alley, or True’s Yard Fisherfolk Museum – reputedly one of the most haunted buildings in the whole of Norfolk… Ah well they will have to wait until your next visit!
We heartily recommend grabbing a copy of Norfolk Coast; Myths and Legends,which will give you 13 curated adventures on the wyrd side to explore from King’s Lynn all the way up to Cromer. It’s the perfect size for popping in a backpack and, although the walks are designed for out of season exploration (when the selected destinations are at their most atmospheric!), you can do them at any time: West Norfolk always welcomes those willing to take the road less travelled….
(The distinctive cover of the booklet is designed by English artist and musician, Jodie Lowther)
You can find more King’s Lynn curiosities here.
Or, for a thorough exploration of Lynn’s darker side, why not consider taking a tour with one of our local guides?
King’s Lynn Town Guides
The Original King’s Lynn Ghost Tour
Transport Links:
From London, take a Great Northern train from Kings Cross all the way to King’s Lynn.
Fromm all other directions, connect to the King’s Lynn line from either Cambridge or Ely.
Once in King’s Lynn you can take a Coastliner bus up to Hunstanton and thence all the way to Fakenham.
You can find more public transport and greener travel information here
West Norfolk WyrdFest: 4th October – 6th November 2026
Welcome to west Norfolk’s first Festival of Wyrd!
As the nights draw in and the mists rise from the Fens, Hikey Sprites, Lantern Men, and old Black Shuck himself seek to lure unwary travellers to their doom.
But where’s the fun in sticking to the safety of the well-trodden path?
For those souls willing to step out upon the road less travelled CULTure Babylon has curated a season of events for October, celebrating the strange, the curious, and the deliciously dark.
Fear in the Fens Film Festival 23 – 25 October 2026
Fear in the Fens returns to King’s Lynn for a three-day event in 2026.
The theme for this year’s event is Bloody Kids! and we will be looking at creepy children in horror films.
Why is King’s Lynn known as the Festival Town of west Norfolk?
Discover all King’s Lynn’s festivals here.
Please note that the information provided on this webpage was accurate on the date and time it was written [17/06/26]. Details may have changed after this time and date.
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