Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Previously recorded under NHER 5480.

1972. Listed Grade II.
Town Hall. 1895 by Tree & Price (of London). Stone and flint. Slate roof with cupola on ridge. Elizabethan and Gothic Revival styles. Two storeys. Heavily chequered to imitate the Guildhall immediately south. Elevation divided horizontally: plinth course, a row of 3-light double-transomed windows, a chequerwork band, and a further row of 3-light double-transomed windows. The lower two zones interrupted to south by an arched and ogeed porch entrance. The upper two zones have a central canted oriel. Tall gable to north in which is a 9-light panel-tracery perpendicular window under an ogeed round arch. Between each bay, of which there are nominally 9, rises stepped buttresses to the chequerworked parapet. Two of these buttresses cut through the large Perpendicular window.
Interior. Grand but unadventurous. Entrance passage leads to staircase hall lined with small-framed panelling. Closed string staircase. Various rooms to first floor panelled for official use, including courtroom with complete fittings of 1895.
Information from (S1).
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 11 February 2020.

(S2) reports that this building was erected on the site of the Town Arms public house.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 11 February 2020.

At northwest (rear) corner of 1895 Town Hall, new garage built.
Foundation trenches about 0.9m (3ft) across. 0.45m to 0.6m (18'-2ft) deep. At northeast corner of garage, square platform or foundation of limestone. At slightly lower level, running southwest from this, long foundation or floor of brick laid on edge. Possibly corresponds with outbuildings behind Lynn Arms which preceded Town Hall. Beyond end of brickwork to southwest, three or four blocks of limestone loose in soil found by workmen. Post medieval sherds include two Westerwald.
Plan in file.
Slides KLM.
E.M. James (KLM).

August 1997. Watching Brief.
A watching brief on structural investigations at King's Lynn Town Hall indicated that the footings of the building were 1.10 metres deep and sat on 14th century land fill. The dimensions of a small vault at the western end of the Hall's kitchens were recorded and the vaults relationship with the Hall examined.
Medieval and Late medieval pottery sherds recovered (Context 500).
See report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2018.194).
A. Shelley (NLA), 12 August 1997. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 27 April 2019.

February 2011. Planning Application.
Proposed refurbishment of former Town Hall museum area to create registrars office and facilities.
Upgrade entrance and reception area and convert Mayor's parlour.
See (S5).
Z. Dack (HES), 21 April 2011.

Monument Types

• COURT ROOM (19th Century to 21st Century - 1895 AD to 2050 AD)
• TOWN HALL (19th Century to 21st Century - 1895 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records