It is the part of the town lying on the west bank of the River Great Ouse, linked to the main part of the town on the east bank by a passenger ferry or by a more circuitous 4 km road journey.

From 1894 it was the sole parish in King's Lynn Rural District.

The rest of the former parish was transferred to Clenchwarton in Marshland Rural District.

[6] West Lynn has a primary school and a range of basic services.

West Lynn Primary School received a "good" rating from Ofsted in 2019.