Hundreds of people ran, jogged and walked around Lynn’s historic park at the weekend as they marked an important part of the town’s history.
Sporting crowns and tiaras, a total of 345 people took part in a special King’s Lynn parkrun at The Walks which commemorated 500 years since King Henry VIII granted a charter to the town.
West Norfolk mayor Cllr Paul Bland was also in attendance and officially got the run under way.
The charter - granted on June 27 1524 - was one of the most important in the town’s history, setting the structure for the council for years afterwards by granting the town certain powers, privileges and exemptions such as the right to set taxes.
It also allowed the town to appoint a recorder, town clerk, nine constables, two coroners, four ‘sergeants-at-mace’, and a clerk of the market. The first of two, the charter granted the town the right to a mayor, 12 aldermen and 18 common councillors, giving the town more autonomy over the bishop in Norwich.
The second of his two charters was not until 1537, when he finally broke with the Catholic Church and changed the name of the town from Lynn Episcopy to Bishops Lynn, to Lynn Regis, and then finally King’s Lynn.
King’s Lynn parkrun event director Gary Walker said: “We really felt we should mark this very historic occasion in King’s Lynn’s history and many of the 345 runners who took part were sporting crowns and tiaras, giving the event a real regal feel to it.
“It was also great to have the mayor present which added in making the run a very special occasion.”
Parkrun is a free, timed, weekly 5k run which takes place in The Walks at 9am every Saturday morning and is open to all regardless of age or ability.
Those wishing to participate can register at the parkrun website .
Reporting by Beatrice Feaviour