We are presently following the Borough Council plans to regenerate this area with great interest. In future we hope that this unique building will be given the consideration and care that it deserves within a revitalised urban setting. You can read about this project on the Vision King’s Lynn website here.
Click here to watch a guided tour of the South Gate. With thanks to Nick Sellers — Springboard TV, The College of West Anglia, Tennyson Avenue, King’s Lynn. www.springboardtv.com — www.cwa.ac.uk
Historic images of South Gate — Grade I Listed
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image
The South Gate Story
LITHUANIAN TRANSLATION — RUSSIAN TRANSLATION
The South Gate is one of the most recognisable structures in King’s Lynn, as most visitors to the town still have to pass through it. Originally constructed in the 14th century, it was rebuilt in the 1450s, much in the form that is seen today. However the ashlar front, which gives the building a much more imposing impression, is merely a façade which was added in 1520; the structure itself is actually bricks and mortar, which given the date of construction makes it one of the oldest surviving brick structures in the country. It is a Grade I listed building.
Although the gate has stood largely unaltered since the 1520, it was modified later in the 19th century with the two smaller arches to the side of the main one. Whilst the main arch was used for horse drawn carriages, the smaller arches were intended for pedestrians – mainly the lower class. However, by the end of the 19th century the traffic demands had grown so much that in 1899 London Road was widened, and now the gate only straddles half of the road.
Today, traffic still passes through the arch to enter from the south. The structure is situated on London Road, one of the busiest roads in the town, meaning there is a constant stream of traffic through it during the day. Despite this the arch can comfortably fit most forms of traffic from articulated lorries to double-decker buses.
Click here to read the English Heritage Grade I listing details
