King's Lynn is a typical English town on the east bank of the Ouse, 2.5mi/4km from its outflow into the Wash. It was once the fourth largest town in England and a member of the Hanseatic League. This period of prosperity is still recalled by a 15th century Hanseatic warehouse. The original name of the town
was Lynn: the prefix "King's" was added when Henry VIII granted it the right to hold an additional market. Hence there are two market places in the town, the Tuesday Market and the Saturday Market, around which the older houses are clustered.
King's Lynn holds two music festivals each summer as well as literature and poetry festivals. There is a large urban park in King's Lynn known as the Walks, currently undergoing restoration.
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