_Plan your stay to King's Lynn and Royal Norfolk

Plan your stay in King’s Lynn and Royal Norfolk with recommendations for places to visit, places to stay and things to do.

From as early as the 13th century, maritime King's Lynn was one of England’s most important ports. Nicknamed ‘The Warehouse on the Wash’ it quickly established links with cities in northern Europe through the Hanseatic League, set up in 1241 by the German cities of Hamburg and Lubeck whose ships travelled in convoys to deter pirates. King’s Lynn became the first British port to join the Hanseatic League. The town is still a proud member of the modern-day Hanse association of cities.

The town's merchants grew rich importing fish from Scandinavia, timber from the Baltics and wine from Gascony in France. Its ships went as far as Iceland, Russia and Venice. Exports included wool, salt and corn. Its whaling fleet sailed to Greenland every Spring.

Today it is a thriving riverside town with a rich cultural and historical vibe, close to the Royal estate at Sandringham, excellent birdwatching reserves and beaches – and with an exclusive link to William Shakespeare.

Where is King’s Lynn and Royal Norfolk in England?

King’s Lynn is in Norfolk in East Anglia, 50 miles north of Cambridge, 43 miles west of Norwich and 34 miles from Peterborough. King’s Lynn has regular fast trains from London.

Why is King’s Lynn famous?

St George's Guildhall on King Street is the oldest working theatre in the UK, dating back to 1410, and has the last surviving stage on which William Shakespeare performed. Timber floorboards have been found under the existing auditorium, dating back to the 15th Century, and there is strong evidence that Shakespeare acted at the venue in 1592 or 1593 with The Earl of Pembroke’s Men.

It’s also probable that King John left from King’s Lynn on his ill-fated journey across The Wash when he lost the Crown Jewels. There’s a statue of him in the town looking fed up.

Can I visit the King’s Residence?

Since The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 the public have been able to visit 600 acres of the private estate, as well as the house itself and museum.

Queen Victoria bought the 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate near King’s Lynn in 1862 for the future King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, and his soon-to-be-wife Alexandra of Denmark.

The Sandringham House we know was built in 1870 for Prince Albert Edward. It was intended to be a comfortable and modern country home for the prince and his family. Throughout the years, the building has been extended and renovated by subsequent generations of the Royal Family, including King George V (1865-1936) and King George VI (1895-1952).

King George V called it ‘the place I love better than anywhere else in the world’.

In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) gave her first televised Christmas message from Sandringham. ‘I wish you all, young and old, wherever you may be, all the fun and enjoyment and the peace of a very happy Christmas,’ said the young Queen.

Sandringham House and Estate: Your Questions Answered

How long does the Royal Family stay at Sandringham?

The Royal family have traditionally spent Christmas at Sandringham, walking to the local St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day where there are always crowds of well-wishers. When in residence, the public cannot visit the house or gardens.

One of the highlights of Sandringham’s year is the annual Flower Show in July, traditionally attended by Prince Charles, now King Charles III.

How much are tickets for Sandringham?

Details can be found here.

What makes King’s Lynn special?

Would you believe that King's Lynn, a treasury of historic buildings, has more Grade 1 listed buildings than York. The 15th century South Gate is a grand entry point. Spend time 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 remaining in England. 

The Custom House on Purfleet Quay, built in 1638, was described by architectural building historian Nikolaus Pevsner as 'one of the most perfect buildings ever built'. The classical pilasters, petite dormer windows, balustrade and cupola are heavily influenced by the Dutch style.

On the quayside, by the giant boat-chains, is a statue of King’s Lynn-born Captain George Vancouver, famous for mapping the west coast of America in the late 18th century.

What's there to do in King’s Lynn?

Explore the cobbled lanes, quays and merchants' homes by the Great Ouse that leads to The Wash and North Sea, from where King’s Lynn found its prosperity.

Here you’ll find King Street, the town's most elegant thoroughfare - it was eulogised by Sir John Betjeman as one of the best walks in England - with the Georgian Hanse House, one of England's most significant historic buildings, spanning the 15th to 18th centuries, and the Holy Trinity Guildhall from the 1420s with its stunning flint chequerboard patterned front, now home to Tales of the Old Gaol House which also displays the town's regalia, including the superb 14th century King John Cup.

Close by is Saturday Market Place, which hosted the Lynn Fair, one of the most important in the eastern counties and a major attraction for German and other European traders seeking wool and cloth in the 14th century, and King's Lynn Minster, formerly St Margaret's Church, and founded in 1101. Look out for the flood level markings by the west door.

What attractions are in Royal Norfolk?

As well as Sandringham, Royal Norfolk has other impressive stately homes.

Holkham Hall and Estate has wonderful parklands with deer tours, walled garden, adventure playground, cycle hire, restaurants, lovely pub and, close by, Holkham Nature Reserve and huge sandy beach.

Holkham Hall is one of the finest examples of the Palladian style in the country with strong influences from classical Roman architecture. The house was built for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (1697-1759) by the architect William Kent (1685-1748) who is recognised as having brought the Palladian style to England.

The oaks in the grounds are from acorns used in packing crates of art, books and sculptures from Thomas Coke’s Grand Tour of Europe between 1712 and 1718.

Houghton Hall, built for the first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, is building a national reputation for its exciting art and sculpture installations.

Visit Castle Rising Castle, built around 1140. The most famous period in its history was when Queen Isabella, mother of Edward III, took over ownership following her part in the murder of her husband Edward II. She spent a lot of time at the castle and was visited regularly by Edward III. After her death in 1358, the castle passed to Edward The Black Prince and remained in royal hands until 1544.

Castle Acre Priory and Castle has an impressive range of 12th century buildings.

If you want to go on safari, try Watatunga, and for a vineyard tour try Burn Valley.

Walk the King Charles III Coastal Path along The Wash for some of the best birdwatching in the UK, particularly in winter. The RSPB Snettisham Spectacular is a must-see – but you must be there at daybreak.

His Majesty, The King is patron of Norfolk Wildlife Trust which has many nature reserves along the Coastal Path. Scenes for the film Spencer (2012), featuring Kristen Stewart as the late Princess of Wales and Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins, were filmed on Hunstanton beach.

WWT Welney is a wetland nature reserve of 1,300 acres that attracts wildlife year-round, with large numbers of ducks and swans in winter and waders in spring and summer.

Does King’s Lynn have museums?

In the town centre Lynn Museum invites visitors to discover the mysteries of Seahenge, a 4,000-year-old timber circle which was preserved in peat and revealed at a low tide at nearby Holme-next-the-Sea in 1998.

True's Yard Fisherfolk Museum is dedicated to the heritage and lives of the people who lived in the old fishing quarter 'The North End' and features the town's last Victorian smokehouse.

On the quayside is Marriott's Warehouse, a beautiful 16th century brick and stone warehouse now converted into a restaurant and heritage centre featuring displays about the history and development of King's Lynn.

Frequently asked questions about King’s Lynn and Royal Norfolk

Where do William and Kate stay in Norfolk?

The Prince and Princess of Wales have Anmer House on the Sandringham Estate as a family home. They often spend their summers here and the Princess posts Father's Day photos from Norfolk.

What does King’s Lynn mean? 

A ‘lin’ or ‘linn’ is thought to have derived from the Celtic word for an estuarine lake or pool, and it is recorded that a large tidal lake originally covered this area. It was created as a new town by the Normans. In 1204, with the granting of a charter by King John, the town became Bishop’s Lynn, under the protection of the Bishops of Norwich. The locals changed its name, wisely, to King’s in 1536 after Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries.

What events take place in King’s Lynn? 

Every year there’s the two-week King’s Lynn Festival of art, literature and music, plus the two-week Festival Too. The King’s Lynn Mart in February is a local institution, dating back to the 13th century when King John granted the town a charter, and Heritage Open Day in September is a big deal in the town too.

When’s market day in King’s Lynn? 

It’s on a Tuesday at, fittingly, Tuesday Market Place.

What’s been filmed in King’s Lynn? 

The fine cobbled streets between the Purfleet and Millfleet inlets were used as a fish market in The Personal Life of David Copperfield (2019), Armando Iannucci’s Dickens’ adaptation with Tilda Swinton, Dev Patel and Game of Thrones’ Gwendoline Christie. The spot doubled as a violent eighteenth century New York for the film Revolution (1985), with Al Pacino and Donald Sutherland.

What’s the best beach near King’s Lynn in Royal Norfolk? 

Old Hunstanton has an enormous sandy beach backed by stripy cliffs and there are other great beaches at Holme-next-the-Sea, Brancaster and Holkham.

Where do the Royals go to the beach in Norfolk? 

That would be telling, wouldn’t it? All we can say is the Royal Family love spending time in Norfolk, on their estate at Sandringham, on our beaches and often in local pubs and restaurants, and the reason for that is that we respect their privacy and leave them be. We hope visitors will too if they see them.

How many bedrooms does Sandringham House have? 

The house has more than 100 rooms but it’s not known how many bedrooms there are.

When is the Royal Norfolk Show? 

The two-day Royal Norfolk Show is held at the end of June each year and takes place at the Norfolk Showground near Norwich. There’s often a member of the Royal Family in attendance.