Churches

St Margaret, King's Lynn

First appeared in Let's Talk! Norfolk, May 2005

The Black Prince, son and father of English kings, fought and ruled in parts of France and Spain

Norfolk's third largest town, after Norwich and Yarmouth, and as rich in history and tourist attractions as anywhere in East Anglia, King's Lynn still feels like the bustling, friendly market town it is.

Though today it seems to have turned its back on the sea, it was once one of England 's most important ports - important enough for Henry VIII to lay claim to it.

Before that, it was Bishop's Lynn , its priory having been founded in 1101 by Herbert de Losinga as penalty for the sin of having bought the new bishopric of Norwich for cash.

After Henry abolished England 's monasteries, what was left of the priory became St Margaret's, which remains the town's chief parish church.

It is a big, rather ungainly building - more quaint than grand, intriguing rather than awe-inspiring.

Its profile is dominated by its two west towers, which are certainly not twins; it would look very different if the planned central tower had ever risen to more than a squat stump.

On that west face you can see the famous and remarkable tide clock - a 17th-century work that tells the time of each high tide.

And on the doorway you can see the importance of those tides. Here are the marks that show how high above the Great Ouse the flood waters rose in 1953 and - still higher - in 1978.

Inside, the greatest interest is in seeking out the many medieval faces you can find.

They are there on the 14th-century brass monuments to Adam de Walsoken and Robert Braunche - the largest brasses in England. On the Walsoken brass, look out not just for Adam and his two wives, but for the feasting figures at their feet, with their attendant musicians and serving wenches.

Then there are the stone carvings high up in the chancel, which include musicians, drinkers and a woman in what may be a form of scold's bridle - a vicious implement designed to stop her talking.

Finally, look under the lift-up misericord seats in the choir. Among the various figures to be found there are the warrior king Edward III, who reigned from 1327-77, and his equally military-minded son Edward, the Black Prince.

Time and tide - the 17th-century tide clock	Is this a scold's bridle - or some other curious form of medieval attire?	Warrior king Edward III spent much of 50-year reign fighting wars in France and against the Scots