Pilgrimage Trail

Artist: Lyndall Phelps
Location: King’s Lynn, Norfolk

In 2007 King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council and the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, with the support of Commissions East, commissioned Lyndall Phelps to create a public art trail for King’s Lynn celebrating the town’s historic core. From as early as the 12th century, King’s Lynn was one of England’s most important ports, home to medieval markets and fairs, centre for religion and learning. The trail aims to provide a lighthearted and enjoyable narrative that encourages local people and tourists to enjoy and understand the town’s history.

Lyndall’s project responded to King’s Lynn’s collection of medieval pilgrim badges which were originally produced cheaply in large numbers and sold to visiting pilgrims to promote individual sites of worship. She created a series of brushed stainless steel plaques that guide the visitor to some of the most fascinating medieval buildings in the town. The designs, which are derived from medieval details from key religious buildings in King’s Lynn, reflect the kind of designs that appeared on medieval pilgrim badges: a carved ship from a wooden bench end from St Nicholas’ Chapel, encircled quatrefoils motifs from the fan-vaulted ceiling at Red Mount Chapel, a figurative gargoyle from Greyfriars, a dog from a monumental brass at St Margaret’s Church and a wooden ceiling bosse showing the seated figure of Christ surrounded by clouds in All Saints Church.

In order to reflect the function of the original medieval badges, the designs also appeared on two sets of multiples, in the form of stickers and brown recycled paper bags. These were given away free of charge at numerous outlets throughout King’s Lynn. A set of smaller plaques sit alongside the medieval pilgrim badges in Lynn Museum.

The Pilgrimage Trail public art project was commissioned by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk as part of the £4.3 million restoration of The Walks park, the only surviving example of an 18 th century town walk in Norfolk. The development of the trail was supported by King’s Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service and Commissions East.