TF6119 : West Window, King's Lynn Minster
taken 7 years ago, near to West Lynn, Norfolk, England
The Minster and Priory Church of St Margaret, St Mary Magdalene and all the Virgin Saints was founded as a Benedictine Priory in 1101, by Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich. For 400 years it was the monks' home as well as the Parish Church for the town and always known as St Margaret's.
The only surviving remains of the Norman church are the internal arches of the west towers and at the base of the southern one outside. The rest of the church seems to have been totally rebuilt in the 13th century but again, only the magnificent chancel arcades survived 15th century enlargements. The northwest tower had to be rebuilt in 1453 as subsidence into the soft ground had caused its predecessor to lean dangerously. The nave and aisles had to be rebuilt completely after a gale in 1741 blew down a spire which formerly crowned the southwest tower. In 1874, the church was restored under the direction Sir George Gilbert Scott (Link King’s Lynn Minster History).
St Margaret's Church was made King's Lynn Minster by the Bishop of Norwich in December 2011 in recognition that it provides a ministry far wider than that of a normal Parish Church. It is the civic church for West Norfolk and frequently holds services and events for the western part of the Diocese of Norwich (Link King’s Lynn on-line).
St Margaret’s is a grade I listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 384315 Link British Listed Buildings).