Downham Market
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Map sources for Downham Market at grid reference TF6103
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Downham Market, also known simply as Downham, is a town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 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.[1]
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.[2]
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 and Victorian clock tower, constructed in 1878. The town is also known as the place where Charles I of England hid after the Battle of Naseby. The town has recently undergone a regeneration project on the market place, switching it to the town hall car park.
Downham Market railway station, which serves the town, is located on the Fen Line from London to King's Lynn.
Downham Market has one High School, Downham Market High School and one sixth form college, Ryston Sixth Form College. There are two primary schools in town, Hillcrest and Clackclose.
[edit] References
- ^ Ordnance Survey (1999). OS Explorer Map 236 - King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham. ISBN 0-319-21867-8.
- ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved December 2, 2005.
[edit] External links
- Map sources for Downham Market.
- Information from Genuki Norfolk on Downham Market.
- Downham Market High School
