The Whalebone, Downham Market black plaque

This black commemorative plaque records: The Whalebone These licensed premises are a long-standing feature of Bridge Street. This grade II listed property is actually two buildings, combined in recent times. The taller one was originally a private residence, built in the early 18th century. The adjoining building is the original pub and was trading as The Whalebone as early as the 1740s. Its name reflects the whaling trade which once flourished in this area. Whalebones were used in ship-making and, on a smaller scale, in brush handles and cutlery. A late-19th-century sketch of these premises shows a whalebone placed upright against the front wall of the public house. Recorded plaque organisation: JD Wetherspoon.

The Whalebone is a historically significant pub in Downham Market, named after the once-thriving whaling industry in the area, which utilized whale products for ship-making and various household items. The establishment, dating back to at least the 1740s, reflects the economic ties between local businesses and maritime trades of the period.