В Кингс-Линне начнется реставрация исторического Таможни для создания доступного общественного пространства

The fascinating story of King’s Lynn’s Custom House As conservation starts at the Custom House to preserve this heritage gem for future generations, David Wiles, a member of the project team, tells the fascinating story of a town icon… When the Custom House was built in 1683, a very different King Charles was on the throne, the building had a different name, and it looked rather different too. At the time, Lynn’s merchants, who had dominated the town’s social, political and economic life for centuries, were continuing to make their mark through architecture that displayed their wealth, cultural sophistication and global trading outlook. The two people behind the Custom House, or the Merchants’ Exchange as it began life, were among that class. It was commissioned by John Turner MP, a local wine trader and three times mayor of Lynn, who lived opposite at Number 1 King Street. Turner was later knighted by King Charles II, whose life-sized statue is positioned in a niche of the building, above Sir John’s coat of arms. The other principal figure in this story is his architect, Henry Bell, the son of a rich Lynn merchant who took up architecture as a serious hobby, later inheriting the family fortune and continuing the trading business alongside his architectural commissions. Bell saw himself as a man of high taste and fashion. After leaving Cambridge, he took the Grand Tour of Europe and saw classical architecture first-hand. An admirer of Sir Christopher Wren, his style was influenced by the architectural trends in London and Holland at the time. The Custom House was the town’s first classical building and a land deed from the time described “a faire and ornamental building or structure called the Exchange”. The classical design features keystones of Bacchus, the god of wine, and Ceres, the goddess of agricultural fertility, representing some of Lynn’s main trading goods. Built from ashlar limestone, the Exchange opened for business in 1685. Unlike today, the ground-floor arcades were completely open (except on the west side) as a meeting place for merchants to trade, while the upper floor was let to the Collector of Customs. Historically, the Purfleet was Lynn’s principal anchorage for ships, and the town was one of England’s busiest ports for wool and cloth, and importing wine, timber and luxury goods. When the Fens began to be drained for farming in the mid-17th Century, Lynn grew prosperous from the export of corn, while coal and wine continued to be imported for distribution inland until the railway age. After 18 years, the merchants relocated to be nearer the marketplace; the building was sold to the Crown in 1717, the arcades filled in, and it continued as the Custom House until 1989. The building was also reshaped in 1741, when a gale damaged the upper timber structure, requiring it to be re-designed. The inlet beside the building was used to moor the Revenue Cutter, a fast-sailing vessel used by the customsmen to intercept and board ships as they approached town and check the manifests lined up with what was on board. Speed was necessary to check the cargo and make sure no goods were unlawfully thrown overboard or unloaded before they could be taxed. The Custom House was Bell’s first major commission in Lynn, and he made his mark on the town, with other works including the Market Cross (demolished 1831), altarpieces of St Margaret’s Church and St Nicholas’ Church, and possibly the Duke’s Head in the Market Place. One of the surveyors who supervised the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire described him as 'One Bell...an ingenious architect, a witt'. He went on to become an alderman and serve twice as mayor. Today, the Custom House is considered by Historic England to be Bell’s “masterpiece” and was considered by the late architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as “one of the most perfect classical buildings in provincial England”. It stands proud – a Grade I listed town landmark, a symbol of Lynn’s rich maritime heritage. Looking ahead, the building has a bright future. After careful project development work, the Borough Council is starting a light-touch revitalisation, for the benefit of residents and visitors, protecting Lynn’s heritage – and the legacy of Sir John Turner and Henry Bell – while investing in the future. The Custom House will come back into sustainable use as a flexible, accessible space, as a key part of the Government-funded Town Deal regeneration programme and the council’s wider vision to maximise the destination potential of the historic riverfront, while protecting, respecting and preserving its unique heritage. Over the coming year, the historic fabric will be carefully restored, repaired and conserved, including works to the stonework, windows, roof and iconic cupola. Upgrades will include an accessible toilet, a platform lift taking visitors to the first floor so they can appreciate the beautiful Long Room, plus improved toilets and a new kitchenette on the top floor. Then in spring 2027, there will be a series of complementary improvements to Purfleet Quay, upgrading lighting and bringing in electrical provision. When conservation is complete in a year, the Custom House will become a flexible, welcoming and accessible space that residents and visitors alike can enjoy, bringing so many benefits for our community, alongside boosting visitor numbers and hopefully further investment along the riverfront. • If you have a personal or family connection to the Custom House, or own an old photo of the building you’d like to share, please email [email protected]