NHER 1096 (Monument record) - Site of Bowker's Warehouse, junction of Saturday Market Place and College Lane

April 1974. Observation of boreholes.
Test boreholes produced 17th century pottery and bronze fragments at depth of 6m. These were inside Bowker's Warehouse, a late 18th century building with extensions of 1884 and a drying kiln of 1946. Now demolished but recorded in (S1).
S. Dunmore (NAU) and E. Rose (NAU).

March 1976. NARG Notes.
It is unclear whether a building survey took place at this time, or whether these notes are based on a longer document produced ahead of the inquiry requesting consent to demolish this building, as suggested by (S1).
The warehouse dates from the late 18th century, although there is evidence that a building existed on this site as early as the 16th century. The name Bowker became associated with the property early in the 19th century when, as corn, seed and cake merchants, the firm operated from there. After the construction of the Eau Brink (or New Cut) on the River Ouse in 1831 it became necessary to widen the South Quay, thus meaning that the west end of the warehouse was set back from the waterside, and for this, James Bowker was awarded £1000 compensation.
One feature of the northern aspect of the warehouse was two large arched entrances approximately 4.5m in height. The western aspect of the building, facing the South Quay, was of yellow bricks in English bond, but of two different sizes. Those in the left half of the wall were only 42mm in height, compared with an average of 55mm to 60mm in the whole of the remainder of the building. The frontage of the tall building was about 15m, but there was a single-storey extension in red brick at right-angles for roughly 10m towards the river. This appears to be a partial reconstruction of an earlier building, and on its river-facing wall bore a plaque which read 'J 1884 B'. The almost illegible inscription on the name board on the main building read 'A & J BOWKER'S GRANARY'. The modern drying kiln was added in 1946.
See (S1) for further information.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 18 March 2019.

Before February 1977. RCHME building survey.
The buildings facing College Lane are built of similar materials and are the earliest buildings on the site, and are probably of early 19th century date. The southernmost building facing College Lane (Building 1) is of three storeys and attics and is build of a narrow brick. The roof is clad in part in slate and part in tile. The beams are propped throughout the whole height of the building. The roof is of nine bays. The building was certainly built for storage and was probably a granary. The adjacent building to the north facing College Lane (Building 2) was of two storeys and attics, built of the same narrow bricks as its neighbour but with narrower walls. The roof is of six bays. This building appears to have been intended for carts on the ground floor, perhaps a loading area with some storage above. The third building, to the east of those facing College Lane (Building 3), was of four storeys and attics and was certainly built as a granary, complete with sack hoists and floor traps for the distribution of grain through the building. To the east of this (Building 4) was a grain drier built in 1946, with a drying floor constructed of pierced clay tiles. The final building (Building 5) extends out onto the South Quay and is of two storeys, providing further grain storage and handling space.
See (S2) for further information, plan and photographs.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 13 March 2019.

February 1977. Demolition of warehouse.
(S3) records the start of the demolition of the warehouse, prior to the site being redeveloped for use as the Magistrates' Court.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 13 March 2019.

March 1977. NARG survey of cellars beneath Bowker's warehouse.
The cellars consisted of a main vaulted section with a blocked wall to the river which contains a filled-in archway which might have been a watergate. To the left there is a smaller arm leading to a smaller cellar which is also barrel vaulted. The bricks appear to be Ely-type bricks dating from the mid-18th century and measuring 229mm (9in) by 51mm (2in). Tiles are used to outline the groining on the arch at the junction of the two passages. In the smaller left-hand cellar there are stone footings to the walls, partly obscured by mud but thought to be about 0.45m (18in) high. The bricks above this look to be 16th-century type.
See (S4) for further details, description and dimensions.
During the demolition of Bowker's warehouse it was discovered that the brick cellars beneath the warehouse flooded at high water. This appeared to point to the existence of a watergate to enable barges to be floated into the warehouse to load and unload at high water. Any such watergate at Bowker's warehouse would have been disused since 1831, when the building lost its actual water frontage due to the widening of the South Quay. The author of (S4) thought it probable that such an entry beneath Bowker's Warehouse existed.
See (S5 and (S6) for further information.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 18 March 2019.