Ipswich Things to Do

3 more images

Christchurch Park, the large area north of Christchurch mansion, is the city's main park. Located within walking distance form the city center, it is a very convenient place to relax on a sunny day. On a day which just pretends to be sunny and suddenly changes while you were sleeping on the lawn, it is less convenient, of course... Anyway, Christchurch Park has all a city park has to offer: Fountains, duck pond, the one or other odd monument here and there. Just like a normal park - a place to relax, totally free of charge.

By the way, the park has an unusual variety of bird species. Therefore, restriction to dogs are kept more strictly than on similar places anywhere else. and with some luck, you may spot one of the little birdies in the trees.

1 more image

Giles was a famous British cartoonist and maybe Ipswich's most famous son. Although he was not born in Ipswich, he spent most of his time there and was - of course - also a supporter of the local football team. But unlike Sir Alfred Ramsey, the statue dedicated to him does not show the artist. It is a bronze figure of Giles' cartoon character "Grandma", who was maybe the most popular of them. Giles was still alive when the figure was unveiled in the 1990s, but was already bound to a wheelchair. He also first objected against such a monument, but later allowed it to be placed under the condition that no tax money should be wasted on it. Giles died in 1995 at the age of 78.

3 more images

Ipswich’s former port has lost its significance during the centuries. Although Ipswich was a welathey trading town in the late medeival age as well as in the Tudor era, its significance as a port town vanished when overseas trade began to flourish in London, Bristol and other places in England. A couple of machinery factories settled down in Ipswich during the industrial revolution, but by then it was clear that the port was to become a victim of sand. The port authority building of 1842 was built at a time when Ipswich’s maritime trade days were long gone and the port was only used for local transport. Today, the port has become a marina. But around the old harbour, you’ll still see some interesting spots. For example, Wherry Lane (A wherry is a kind of cart), an alley with old storage houses as well as a building complex (usually called "Isaac Lord complex" after the man who bought it in 1900) which is now used as a restaurant.

Once, five monasteries (two convents and three friaries) stood in Ipswich and none of them survives today. In fact, only the ruins of the Blackfriars Monastery give an idea of how a medieval monastery looked like while the others have completely disappeared. In 1263, the friary was founded and remained there for over 250 years. Like everywhere else, Henry VIII also ordered to dissolve the monasteries in Ipswich and give their property to the state. After the closing in 1537, the monastery buildings were left standing - unlike their church of St. Peter and Paul whose ground was used to build a college. But in the 17th century they fell into disuse and some of them were quickly pulled down. After some decades, only the four arches remained visible, giving upcoming generations a hint that there was once a religious building on this site. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the rest of the monastery was uncovered again and preserved. This measures also uncovered one of only three surviving stone altar structures in Suffolk. Sometimes it just needs a city redevelopment project to preserve the past – even if it’s a 1980s one which includes a car parking lot.

1 more image

Although St. Matthews is still a running church, services to not take place regularly here and the church is not open to normal visitors (by appointment only). That's a pity as it houses a medieval font (seven sacrament fonts of which only around forty remain in the UK, most of them in Suffolk and Norfolk) which is among Suffolk's best-known church treasures. The 15th century church has maintained its medieval style and during the restoration and extension work of the 19th century, the style wasn't changed either.
St. Matthews Church is a little isloated from the city center due to road construction works of the 1960s. Although this looks scary enough when you look at it, another constrcution is even scarier: The church school is built on the former graveyard...

1 more image

Although Ipswich’s reputation was quite low in the twentieth century, there is one field where this Suffolk town gained considerable respect at this time. Ipswich Town was one of the leading clubs in English Football in the 70s and early 80s. This was preceded by Ipswich’s sole Football League Champions Title in 1962. The manager of the victorious team was Sir Alf Ramsey, who was Ipswich’s coach from 1955 to 1963. Later on, he went on to lead England’s Three Lions to its sole World Championship in 1966. Another famous Ipswich manager is Sir Bobby Robson who won the UEFA cup, one of the highest european club titles, as Ipswich’s manager in 1978. He also later became manager of the english national football team. So, it is no wonder that football still plays a great role in Ipswich’s culture. Look around the stadium and see the statues of Sir Alf and Sir Bobby. And if you plan well ahead, why not visit a home game of Ipswich Town?

1 more image

Although Ipswich has 13 medieval churches still standing, St. Margaret’s is seen as the finest by far. Unlike the other twelve, it has kept most of its medieveal style. The masterpiece is the double hammerbeam roof which is known well beyond the town borders.

St. Margaret’s was built as the church of the Augustinian monastery in the late 13th century and quickly grew into the most popolous parish of Ipswich. It maintained this status even after the dissolution of the monasteries during Henry VII.’s reign when the augustinian monastery was destroyed. Although church attendance has declined in the 20th century, it is still in function as a parish church.

2 more images

Half-timbered houses are not uncommon in Ipswich’s town center. Only few of them are from medeival ages, most of them were built in a medieval style in the latter centuries. The Thoroughfare, a small alley in the town center, is the place so see many of such buildings and to get a medieval feeling for a couple of minutes. As you may assume, this is also an area with many pubs :)