King's Lynn: New walks explore darker side of town's history

King's Lynn Town Guides are offering walks exploring Lynn's less savoury history - including murders,  executions and riots.

"Our research led us to all manner of strange and, quite frankly unpleasant, happenings dating from the 13th century," said James Rye, a training officer who is involved with the development of new tours.

A new tour explores some of the darker history of King's Lynn (Image: Ian Burt)

“I must stress this is not a ghost tour. We didn’t need ghosts, there was plenty of material with duckings, burnings, hangings and quarterings - plus a new whipping post."

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Stories told include that of the murderer school teacher Eugene Aram, whose skull is displayed in the Stories of Lynn museum on the Saturday Market Place.

The skull of Eugene Aram in Stories of Lynn (Image: Ian Burt)

Aram was arrested in Lynn for the murder of shoemaker Daniel Clark and sentenced to hang in August, 1759.

As well as Aram's skull, Stories of Lynn also has a small pill box made of the wood from the gallows on which Aram ended his days.

To show their contempt for Henry Despenser, the Bishop of Norwich, in 1377 rioters in Lynn massacred 20 of the horses he and his party had arrived on in a visit to the town.

The Bishop and his party took refuge in Lynn Minster after their horses were slaughtered (Image: Ian Burt)

Despenser's group sought refuge in what was then St Margaret’s Church before fleeing on foot.

Members of the West Norfolk Militia fired into a house off Austin Street where a wedding was being celebrated in January, 1783. There were serious injuries.

The militia had gone to arrest Thomas Franklyn, a notorious Lynn smuggler who was wanted for an attack that left an excise officer blinded.

Booking details for the walks can be found at www.kingslynntownguides.co.uk.