Downham Market

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Downham Market
Downham Market shown within Norfolk
Population	6,730 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	TF6103
District	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DOWNHAM MARKET
Postcode district	PE38
Dialling code	01366
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
European Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	South West Norfolk
List of places: UK • England • Norfolk

Coordinates: 52°36′N 0°23′E / 52.6, 0.39

Downham Market, also known simply as Downham, 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.^[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 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.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Father Oswald Baker (1915–2004)
• Downham Town F.C.

[edit] External links

• Map sources for Downham Market.
• Information from Genuki Norfolk on Downham Market.
• Downham Market High School
• Downham Market Chamber of Trade
• Downham Market Town Council
• St Edmund's church
• [1] - twinning with Civray, in the French département of Vienne.

v • d • e River Great Ouse, UK Administrative areas: Northamptonshire · Buckinghamshire · Milton Keynes · Bedfordshire · Cambridgeshire · Norfolk Flows into: The Wash Towns (upstream to downstream): Brackley · Buckingham · Old Stratford Milton Keynes (Stony Stratford, Wolverton, New Bradwell) · Newport Pagnell · Olney · Kempston · Bedford · St Neots · Godmanchester · Huntingdon · St Ives · Ely · Littleport · Downham Market · King's Lynn Major tributaries (upstream to downstream by confluence): River Tove  · River Ouzel (or Lovat) · River Ivel River Kym · Old Bedford River · New Bedford River · River Cam · River Lark · River Little Ouse · River Wissey Major bridges (upstream to downstream): Harrold bridge · A428 Turvey bridge · A428 Bromham bypass A6 Bedford Town Bridge · A421 Bedford bypass · Great Barford Bridge A428 Bridge St Neots · St Neots Town Bridge · Godmanchester Chinese Bridge A14 bridge, River Great Ouse · Huntingdon Old Bridge · St Ives Bridge Longest UK rivers: 1. Severn 2. Thames 3. Trent 4. Great Ouse 5. Wye 6. Tay 7. Spey 8. Nene 9. Clyde 10. Tweed 11. Eden 12. Dee