History of Downham Market

From BarrowayWiki

1 Overview
2 Early Downham
3 Downham Landmarks
4 External Historical references
5 Airfield
6 Mills

Overview

Downham Market, also known simply as Downham (literally meaning a settlement on a hill), is a town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, some 20 km south of the town of King's Lynn, 60 km west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of Cambridge.

The civil parish has an area of 5.2 km² and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,730 in 3,258 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. It is part of South West Norfolk parliamentary constituency.

It was an agricultural centre, developing as a market for the produce of the Fens with a bridge across the Ouse. During the Middle Ages, it was famed for its butter market and also hosted a notable horse fair.

Notable buildings in the town include its mediaeval parish church, dedicated to St Edmund and Victorian Clock Tower, constructed in 1878. The town is also known as the place where Charles I hid after the Battle of Naseby. The town has recently undergone a regeneration project on the Market Place, moving the market to the town hall car park. The decorative Town Sign depicts the crown and arrows of St Edmund with horses to show the importance of the horse fairs in the town's history.

Downham Market railway station, which serves the town, is on the Fen Line from London to King's Lynn.

There are two primary schools in Downham Market, Hillcrest and Clackclose. The town has one High School, Downham Market High School and a sixth form college, Ryston Sixth Form College. Captain Manby (1765-1854), the inventor of a lifesaving rocket, was educated in the town.