Scroll through Lynn

The story of King’s Lynn, or Bishop’s Lynn or the Linn, is a tale of salt, sea and success. A port town which grew in the 13th century to rival London and Bristol, because of its situation as a midpoint for goods coming out of England by river, and goods crossing the North Sea from Europe.

It was a thriving port with bustling markets and two fairs, a success story that drew people in and attracted the attention of King John, who in 1205 granted Bishop’s Lynn a charter. Which means that it is one of the very few places in England to have a good opinion of a “Bad King”.

Commissioned to complement a scroll showing the history of King’s Lynn, our play follows the fortunes of two local chancers as they try to make a success of the changing situation of the “Warehouse on the Wash” through its history. From the foundation of the first port sometime in the 12th century to the Victorian innovations that reestablished its declining economy, the story of King’s Lynn is a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs in one sense, but at the same time a tale of a respectable town looking to maintain its place in the local and national economy by adapting to change. A three-hander with all the usual trademark TWT touches.

In 2020 – during the pandemic – Historic England Education department and Heritage Schools funded the filming of the play which is to be used in partnership with Stories of Lynn museum and taken to schools in the Kings Lynn and West Norfolk region.

The commissioned scroll was created by Nicola Marray-Woods. Website: www.nicolamw.co.uk Instagram: @NicolaMW_Artist

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