Early period
A dock was in operation in Ipswich on
a bend in the River Orwell in the 8th century, and was
probably established during the 7th century under the
protection of the ruling house of the Kingdom of East
Anglia, which reached its summit under King Raedwald. The
importance of this dock, and the surrounding town which
served it, has been recognized through excavation over the
past fifty years. The early town of Ipswich (then called
Gipeswic), centred upon the quay, extended over more than 52
hectares, the area later enclosed by the Viking age ramparts
(which curtailed the Anglo-Saxon township), making it one of
the largest new early post-Roman townships and emporia in
northern Europe. Imported pottery of Rhenish Merovingian
types, imported lava quern-stones and barrel-timbers
dendro-dated to 8th century Germany, and finds of
continental coinage such as 'porcupine sceattas' indicate
trade through the Rhine port towns including Domburg,
Dorestad and Andernach, as part of the cultural engagement
of Anglo-Saxon England with the Frisian, Frankish,
Alamannic, Saxon, Thuringian and Burgundian worlds. The
important 'Ipswich Ware' pottery industry, established in
the town's north-east quarter probably in the late 7th
century, reflected shapes and kiln technologies based on
Frisian prototypes, either in imitation of imports arriving
at the quay or set up by migrant Frisian workers. The
Gipeswic dock was therefore the trade capital of the East
Anglian Kingdom, situated not far from its royal centre at
Rendlesham and Sutton Hoo. During the 7th and 8th centuries
the two greatest English ports were York (Eoforwic) and
London, and two principal new ports were Gipeswic in the
east and Hamwic (Southampton) in the south. Like Hamwih,
Gipeswic dock was therefore a point of departure and arrival
for continental travel.
The early waterfront of Ipswich Dock
ran from approximately St Peter's Church, near the present
Stoke Bridge, eastward behind the present quay or marina
embankment and past the present Custom House. It lay
originally nearer to the line of College Street and
Salthouse Street, with new revetments being built
successively further out into the river in order to achieve
a sufficient depth of water for ships to moor, as the
earlier embankments became silted. The area between the road
and the quay, formerly occupied by warehouses and now by new
building developments, represents this area of successive
embankments built upon river-mud. An extensive area of early
Medieval waterfront construction was found by excavation
during recent works to demolish the old industrial
waterfront, and showed the footings of many projecting
boardwalks, in a similar way to the contemporary waterfront
at Dorestad, one of its principal trading partners in those
times.
The original crossing was a ford, east
of Stoke Bridge, linking Great Whip Street (on the south
bank) with Foundation Street to the north, which then
immediately branched into Lower Brook Street. The area north
of the road, between St Peter's church and St Mary-at-Quay
(and east of that), is thought to represent the site of the
Anglo-Saxon industrial waterfront development. Its first
urban catchment area extended north up to Falcon Street, Old
Cattle Market, Dog's Head Street and Tacket Street, with
burial grounds on rising land to the north. Probably during
the 8th century the Stoke Bridge crossing was created,
establishing the importance of St Peter's Street as the main
northern route, and urban expansion spread over the burial
grounds north to include the street called Buttermarket, the
Cornhill area, and the line of the prehistoric road now
represented by Westgate Street, Tavern Street and Carr
Street. Discoveries of early sceattas in this area, and a
dedication to St Mildred, suggest that this new layout was
planned during the reigns of Kings Ealdwulf (664-713) and
his son AElfwald (713-749). The street plan represented by
this early Medieval development still largely survives in
use in the modern town of Ipswich, and is one of the oldest
post-Roman street-plans to survive anywhere in Europe. Both
dock and town have remained in continuous use and occupation
since that time.
In 991 a fleet of 93 Viking
ships swept up the river Orwell and sacked the town.
During Edward III's reign Ipswich was
one of the richest and most important ports in the country.
Wool from Norfolk and Suffolk was in great demand by the
weavers of Flanders and the Netherlands. 300 ships massed in
the river to carry soldiers to fight and win the battle of
Cressy. In 1588 Ipswich built, fitted out and manned two
ships to sail against the Spanish Armada.
1700-1950
John Kirby reported in 1732 that the
trade in the town had recently reduced and that there had
been 20 ships a year built in the town and having seen over
200 ships belonging to the town in the port during the
winter.
The dock was 'improved' in 1805 and
then in 1837 an Act of Parliament allowed the Ipswich Dock
Commissioners to construct a new wet dock whilst also
placing certain conditions on them. In addition to building
the wet dock and providing a diversion for the river Orwell
along a 'New Cut' to the west of the dock the commissioners
were to allow all persons, with cattle and carriages, may
thereby have free access to the dock and quays and the sides
of the said new cut and channel and also to contribute to
the health and recreation of the inhabitants [of Ipswich].
The Ipswich Dock Commission was provided with investment of
£25,000 and the right to borrow a further £100,000 but
needed a further loan of £20,000 and also an additional levy
of six pence per tonne on all imported coal to fund the
project. The dock opened in 1842; the original lock gates
entered the dock from the New Cut opposite Felaw Street. The
new custom house (now known as the 'Old Custom House') was
completed in 1845.
The Ipswich Docks Act of 1877 allowed
for the construction of a new lock in their present position
to facilitate access to the dock and allow trams to operate
along the length of the 'Island' between New Cut and the
dock. The new lock gates were constructed by the time of the
1898 Act which authorised the construction of a swing
bridge.
Ipswich Docks Act of 1913 allowed for
the construction of a new entrance to the docks comprising
inner and outer gates and a swing bridge, a quay and various
tramways and also allowed for the 'stopping off' of various
rights of way. There was however a condition that work had
to be completed within 10 years and following World War 1 an
extension was granted by an Act of Parliament in 1918.
1950-present day
The Ipswich Dock Act 1971 authorised
the development of the West Bank to allow ro-ro ships to
dock. The Ipswich Dock Commission was reconstituted as the
Ipswich Port Authority in 1973 when the first stage of the
development was completed, further work was carried out in
1977 and 1979 and then again in 1998.
In 1997 the port was sold by Ipswich
Ports Ltd to Associated British Ports. In 1998 new
facilities were constructed for handling grain and timber
followed by a Timber Treatment Centre in 1999. A new 7,500
square metre bulk storage shed with equipment for bagging
and blending of fertilizers and other bulk products was then
developed in the site of the old Cliff Quay Power Station.
In 2000 there were a number of further developments; a
£1.9million agribulk storage facility opened; new automated
lock gates were completed; a 180 berth Ipswich Haven Marina
opened and the Old Custom House was refurbished and restored
with the former bonded warehouse on the ground floor
converted into the 'Waterfront Conference Centre'.
Many new buildings have been
constructed along the northern and eastern quays since 1995.
The Salthouse Hotel, the town's only 4 star hotel, opened in
2003 and was extended in 2009. The University Campus Suffolk
opened on the waterfront in 2008 with further construction
in progress in 2010.[24] A 23 story 234 ft tall landmark
building which was 'topped out' in late 2008 by town's
member of parliament, Chris Mole and Dance East opened their
new £8.9m Jerwood Dance House in 2009 within the building.
The dock today
The Waterfront
There are a number of activities
around of the dock area including:
The Jerwood Dance Centre (on the
ground floor of 'The Mill' - a 23 story 'landmark' building)
The Old Custom House (grade II listed
with a new conference centre on the ground floor and the
offices of the Ipswich Port Authority above)
Salthouse Harbour Hotel
The University Campus Suffolk
Holy Trinity Church
The 'Orwell Lady' runs excursions
within the Orwell Estuary from the waterfront
A variety of restaurants and bars
National Cycle Route 1and National
Cycle Route 51 pass along the waterfront. Ipswich Waterfront
Action (previously known as the Ipswich Waterfront Community
Group) has been working for a friendly, thriving and vibrant
community on the Ipswich Waterfront since 2007.
The Port of Ipswich
The dock is owned by Associated
British Ports who operate both the 'West Bank' terminal (to
the west of the New Cut) and 'Cliff Quay' (to the east of
the Orwell). West Bank has two transit sheds totalling 6,377
sq m, plus areas available for open storage and operates a
ro-ro service. Cliff Quay handles and stores liquid and dry
bulks with 89,000 cu m of petrochemical storage tanks and
has 67,583 sq m of covered storage and additional open
storage. There is a twice daily freight ferry service
linking Ipswich with the Port of Ostend and a regular
service from Ipswich to Wilhelmshaven. The container
terminal is equipped to handle all types of containers and
can also accept out-of-gauge and heavy lift cargoes and is
equipped to accommodate short to mid-sea operations.
There is also the Neptune Marine with
mooring for 250 private boats, a chandler and two boat
builders (Fairline Yachts and Spirit Yachts).
Duke Street Junction Improvements
Location Ipswich
Proposer Suffolk County Council
cost estimate £3.5 million
start date 2010
Ipswich Wet Dock Crossing
Ipswich Wet Dock Crossing Location
Ipswich
Proposer Ipswich Borough Council
Status proposed
Type road
cost estimate £28 million
completion date 2018
The Borough Council has proposed to
build a new road across the entrance to the Ipswich dock.
The route is from Hollywells Road across a swing-bridge by
the lock gates and then across the New Cut to Hawes Street.
The stated objective is to "reduce congestion on the Star
Lane/College Street gyratory and support pedestrian and
cyclists". The scheme is included in the draft Local
Development Framework (September 2009) at an estimated cost
of £28 million and a completion date of 2018. Ipswich
Borough Council highlights significant uncertainties about
the deliverability of this road and indicates that the Wet
Dock Crossing and the Northern Bypass could be mutually
exclusive transport schemes. However this scheme is not
supported by Suffolk County Council (who are the transport
authority) and they do not include it in their 2006-2011
Suffolk Local Transport Plan or their plans for the
subsequent Local Transport Plan. The Ipswich Waterfront
study completed in 2006 for the county council also
recommended that traffic demand management on the Star
Lane/College Street should be tackled urgently without
waiting for a new crossing. The Waterfront study estimated
the cost at £60m and the county council estimate it at £79m.
Restricted Byways
Proposed restricted byways Suffolk
County Council have created legal orders to create a number
of restricted byways around the waterfront.
Ipswich Waterfront Action
The Waterfront Action (previously
known as the Ipswich Waterfront Community Group) was
established in 2007 as a community initiative with the
purpose of working towards a friendly, thriving and vibrant
community on the Ipswich Waterfront. The organisation was
set up by the Ipswich Waterfront Churches. A constitution
has been drawn up so that funding can be sought to push the
work forward.[citation needed]
Waterfront Action has organised
several successful events which were held to help develop a
relational and vibrant
Ipswich Waterfront Community for both
residents and visitors.
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About Ipswich Waterfront
For a decade now Ipswich Waterfront has
been the site of intense construction activity, beginning
back in 1999 with the completion of 69 luxury apartments at
Neptune Quay by developer Bellway Homes.
More recently, huge demolition and construction has taken
place on the various large-scale developments, which are now
moving towards completion. More apartments and townhouses
have been created and many sold prior to their completion,
highlighting the Waterfront's appeal, both from a customer
and developer perspective.
But what is so special about Ipswich Waterfront?
Once well known as the biggest wet dock in Europe, today the
area is the site of the largest single regeneration project
in the East of England, with over a billion pounds already
spent on, or earmarked for, this development. The once
industrial dock area is now the focus of this huge
investment, aiding growth in both jobs and housing.
Every place needs a focal point and Ipswich Waterfront, just
a short walk from the town centre, is fast realising its
potential. There are a real variety of schemes taking shape,
including housing, retail, restaurants, offices and
community areas that are turning this once tired industrial
area into a vibrant new cultural, residential, business and
leisure area, complementing the marina facilities already
available.
The impressive new developments have been deliberately
designed to integrate new buildings with the historic
architecture that is being preserved, so retaining much of
the Waterfront's special character.
The large-scale regeneration of Ipswich Waterfront has also
encouraged increased interest from businesses. On the
western bank of the river, Felaw Maltings and the hi-tech
IP-City Centre are both now in high demand for their top
quality business space, whilst on the Waterfront itself, a
top Ipswich law firm led the way, relocating its offices to
pride of place in Waterfront House.
Key projects at the Waterfront include:
DanceEast;
Isaac Lord Complex;
Orwell Quay;
Regatta Quay;
Salthouse Harbour Hotel;
St Peter's Church;
University Campus Suffolk.
The Ipswich Waterfront picture is changing on a daily basis
and there is always something new to see - why not come and
explore for yourself?
[taken from Ipswich Borough Council
Website -
link]
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IPSWICH, a borough, port, and market-town, and the head of a
union, in the liberty of Ipswich, E. division of Suffolk, 25
miles (S. E. by E.) from Bury St. Edmund's, and 69 (N. E.)
from London; containing 25,384 inhabitants. This place had a
mint in the early period of the heptarchy, and was fortified
with walls, and surrounded by a moat: of the walls there are
still some remains in a garden near the church of St.
Nicholas, and of the moat a memorial is preserved in the
name of the northern suburb, called the Ditches. Though of
considerable antiquity, it is not distinguished by any event
of historical importance prior to the Conquest: in Domesday
book it is named Gypiswic, and Gyppeswic, from the river
Gyppen or Gypping, which falls into the Orwell, near the
town. The walls, which were greatly damaged in 991 and 1000,
when the town was plundered by the Danes, were repaired in
the reign of John, and had four gates. Soon after the
Conquest a castle was erected here, which Hugh Bigod, Earl
of Norfolk, defended against Stephen, to whom he at length
surrendered it, and which was afterwards demolished by Henry
II. Isabel, queen of Edward II., who had made a visit to
France, landed here on her return, with a force of nearly
3000 men, and, being joined by the discontented barons, laid
siege to Bristol, where she put the elder Spencer to death,
and compelled the king to take refuge in Wales. In the 26th
of Henry VIII., Ipswich was made the seat of a suffragan
bishop, who was consecrated by Archbishop Cranmer, and had a
mansion in the parish of St. Peter, the remains of which are
now used as a malthouse. During the reign of Mary, several
individuals suffered martyrdom in the town. Queen Elizabeth,
in her progress through Norfolk and Suffolk, remained at the
place for four days, and sailed down the Orwell in great
pomp, attended by the corporation. Among other sovereigns
who have visited Ipswich may be noticed George II., when on
his way from Lowestoft, upon which occasion a congratulatory
address was presented to him by the corporation; and George
IV., when Regent.
The town is pleasantly situated on an acclivity, bordered on
the west and south by the river Orwell, over which is a
handsome iron bridge, and another bridge at the entrance
into Ipswich from the London road; the streets are
irregularly formed, and were once inconveniently narrow.
Under an act passed in 1816, the town was paved, and is
lighted with gas; a fund, also, has been raised for its
general improvement. The houses, many of which are ancient
and ornamented with carved work, are for the most part well
built; and the erection of several good ranges of building,
and the construction of some handsome streets, have added
much to the appearance of the town. The inhabitants are
supplied with water from the river and from springs. The air
is salubrious, and the temperature mild, the place being
sheltered from the colder winds by hills on the north and
north-east. The environs are pleasant; and the higher
grounds command a fine view of the town, the river, and the
adjacent country, which abounds with pleasingly diversified
scenery, including Christchurch Park, in which are some of
the finest Spanish chesnut and beech trees in the kingdom,
and which, from its extent and the beauty and variety of its
scenery, forms a delightful promenade. The cavalry barracks,
a neat building at the entrance from the London road,
contain accommodation for six troops, but three only are
usually stationed there. A philosophical society was
established in 1818. There is a library for the use of the
free burgesses, founded by Mr. W. Smart in 1612, and
originally attached to the free grammar school, but now
removed to the Literary Institution, at the town-hall; and a
public subscription library is supported, together with
three subscription newsrooms, a mechanics' institute
established in 1824, and a horticultural society. A museum
is in course of erection, which will contain a library,
apartments for specimens now being collected, and various
other rooms, with a spacious lobby: the building was
commenced in 1847. The theatre is opened twice in the year,
for a few weeks, by the Norwich company of comedians;
Garrick made his first appearance on the stage here, in
1741. There are some subscription assembly-rooms, elegantly
fitted up; and races take place in the first week in July.
On the quay are commodious baths.
The borough has a jurisdiction extending for a considerable
distance on both sides of the Suffolk coast, and beyond
Harwich on the coast of Essex. A very good foreign and
coasting trade is carried on at the port, which is rising in
importance; the number of vessels of above 50 tons' burthen
registered here being 119, and their aggregate tonnage
12,339. The coasting-trade consists chiefly in corn and
malt, and in timber for shipbuilding, with which Ipswich
supplies the dockyards. Very extensive improvements have
been lately effected, which greatly facilitate commercial
enterprise. The river, which was only about 14 feet deep up
to the town at spring tides, has been deepened to 17 feet;
and the mercantile premises in the town being mostly
situated on the eastern side of the river, where it turns at
nearly a right angle from its previous course, a space of 33
acres at this point has been inclosed as a wet-dock, which
forms one of the most spacious and advantageously situated
docks in the kingdom. The rivers Orwell and Gipping, which
were thus arrested in their progress, were again connected
with the river by a new cut that may be termed the chord of
which the old channel formed the bow, so that the river
proceeds in a rather more direct course than before. The
Stow-Market canal, constructed in 1793, at an expense of
£26,380, affords great facility for inland navigation; it is
formed in the channel of the river Gipping, from Stow-Market
to Ipswich. The line of railway from Ipswich to Colchester
was opened in June 1846, and that from Ipswich to Bury, in
December: the terminus here stands in a beautiful spot,
close to the town, surrounded by rural scenery, and
commanding a view of the Orwell and the adjacent country.
Boats sail with every tide to Harwich, affording an aquatic
excursion of twelve miles, which derives much interest from
the beauty and variety of the scenery on the banks of the
river. The principal articles of manufacture are snuff and
tobacco, paper, patent ploughs, and ploughshares. The town
was formerly celebrated for the manufacture of broad-cloth
and Ipswich doubles, and the best canvass for sailcloth;
branches now transferred to the West of England.
Shipbuilding is carried on to a considerable extent, and
several of Morton's patent-slips are in use. There are
ropewalks for the supply of the shipping, a manufactory for
stays, affording employment to upwards of 700 women and
girls, an extensive pottery, a manufactory for Roman cement,
and several ale and porter breweries: a great quantity of
grain and malt is sent to the London market; and there are
extensive chalk-pits in the neighbourhood. The market-days
are Tuesday and Saturday, the former for corn: the fairs are
on May 4th, called St. George's fair, for toys and lean
cattle; August 26th for lambs; and Sept. 25th, for butter
and cheese, which last has almost fallen into disuse. The
corn-market is held in the corn-exchange, a large building
erected at the expense of £3300, on the site of the old
shambles, said to have been built by Cardinal Wolsey. The
market-place, constructed in 1811, at an expense of £10,000,
comprises two spacious quadrangular ranges of building
supported on columns of stone, adjoining which is an
inclosed cattle-market. A building for a custom-house and
excise office, called the Hall of Commerce, was completed in
July 1845; it is 125 feet by 44, the principal front, having
a bold Tuscan portico, facing the quay.
Ipswich was a borough at the time of the Norman survey, and
obtained a grant of a free market from William the
Conqueror. Its burgesses were first incorporated by King
John, who bestowed upon them extensive privileges; and since
that time the inhabitants have received seventeen charters,
the most important being those of Edward IV. and Charles
II., under which latter the government was vested in two
bailiffs, twelve port-men, and twenty-four
common-councilmen, with a high-steward, recorder,
town-clerk, two coroners, a treasurer, two chamberlains, and
inferior officers. The corporation, by act of the 5th and
6th of William IV., now consists of a mayor, ten aldermen,
and thirty councillors; the borough is divided into five
wards, and the number of magistrates is eighteen. The
freedom is inherited by all the sons of a free burgess, born
after the parent has taken up his freedom, and is acquired
by servitude to a freeman. Among the privileges which it
confers, is, exemption from all tolls and other customs,
and, for the resident burgesses, from serving on juries at
the assizes or sessions for the county. Heirs are here
considered of age when fourteen years old. The borough
obtained the elective franchise in the 23rd of Edward I.,
since which time it has continued to return two members to
parliament: the right of election was formerly vested in the
burgesses at large not receiving alms, in number about 1100,
of whom not more than 400 were resident; but by the act of
the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., cap. 45, the non-resident
burgesses were disfranchised, and the privilege was extended
to the £10 householders of the borough, containing 845
acres, the limits of which are unaltered: the mayor is
returning officer. The corporation hold courts of session
for the determination of all civil and criminal causes,
except capital offences, twice in the year, prior to the
assizes; and a court of record on alternate Mondays, for the
recovery of debts to any amount. Petty-sessions are held
weekly. The townhall was built on the site, and partly with
the materials, of the ancient parochial church of St.
Mildred, which was a building of extraordinary solidity.
Courts of justice have been lately erected, the exterior of
which is very elegant, light, and chastely ornamented; and a
house for the accommodation of the judges has been built,
the summer assizes being now held here, as are also the
quarter-sessions for a portion of the county. The powers of
the county debt-court of Ipswich, established in 1847,
extend over the registration-districts of Ipswich, Sampford,
and Bosmere and Claydon. The borough gaol comprises six
divisions for the classification of prisoners, exclusively
of two solitary cells; the house of correction for the
borough contains two wards. The common gaol and house of
correction for the county, in the parish of St. Helen, is a
spacious building of brick, and one of the first erected on
the plan of Mr. Howard. The treadmill, as an instrument of
prison discipline, was invented by Mr. W. Cubitt, an
inhabitant of the town.
Ipswich comprises the parishes of St. Clement, containing
5945 inhabitants; St. Helen, 1352; St. Lawrence, 570; St.
Margaret, 4539; St. Mary-at-Elms, 851; St. Mary-at-the-Quay,
988; St. Mary Stoke, 992; St. Mary-at-the-Tower, 967; St.
Matthew, 3458; St. Nicholas, 1698; St. Peter, 2420; and St.
Stephen, 503; and, within the limits of the borough, part of
the parish of Whitton with Thurleston, 422; part of that of
Westerfield, 324; part of Bramford, 881; and part of
Rushmere, 564; likewise the extra-parochial places of
Warren-House, Cold Dunghills, Globe-Lane, Shire Hall Yard,
and Felaw's-Houses. The living of St. Clement's is a rectory
not in charge, held with that of St. Helen's, valued in the
king's books at £8. 13. 9., and in the gift of the Rev. J.
T. Nottidge, who has lately erected an additional church at
his own expense, dedicated to the Holy Trinity [one of the
few "open" churches on the Ipswich Waterfront/Ipswich Docks
website] : the tithes of St. Clement's have
been commuted for £280, and of St. Helen's for £58. The
church of St. Clement is a neat edifice of freestone; that
of St. Helen is an ancient structure. The living of St.
Lawrence's is a perpetual curacy; net income, £175; patrons,
the Parishioners. The church was erected in the early part
of the 15th century, by John Bottold, and the chancel built
by John Baldwyn: in 1808, Sir Robert Kerr Porter, in six
days, executed a painting of Our Saviour disputing with the
Doctors in the Temple, which he presented to the parish. St.
Margaret's is a rectory; net income, £115; patrons, the
Trustees of the Rev. Charles Simeon. The church, a handsome
and spacious structure, was materially defaced and stripped
of its decorations by the parliamentary visiters, who
destroyed the paintings, and removed some statues of the
Twelve Apostles: the edifice has been greatly improved of
late, particularly in 1846. The living of the parish of St.
Mary-at-Elms is a perpetual curacy; net income, £80;
patrons, the Parishioners. The church is a small edifice of
brick, erected on the spot where St. Saviour's church
formerly stood. The living of the parish of St.
Mary-at-the-Quay is also a perpetual curacy; net income,
£103; patrons, the Parishioners. The church was rebuilt,
soon after 1448, of stone given for that purpose by Richard
Gowty, whose will is dated in that year. The living of the
parish of St. Mary Stoke is a rectory, valued in the king's
books at £12, and in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of
Ely: the tithes have been commuted for £460, and the glebe
comprises 49 acres. The church is an ancient edifice, on the
south side of the Orwell. The living of the parish of St.
Mary-at-the-Tower is a perpetual curacy; net income, £103;
patrons, the Parishioners. There is also a lectureship,
endowed by the corporation, who attend divine service here
upon all public occasions. The church is spacious, and had
formerly a lofty spire; a handsome marble tablet has been
erected by subscription among the inhabitants of the town,
to the memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Cobbold, a lady
distinguished for her literary talents. St. Matthew's is a
discharged rectory, valued in the king's books at £5, and in
the patronage of the Crown. A gallery has been erected in
the church, and 140 free sittings provided: it contains the
tomb of John, Lord Chedworth, many years chairman of the
quarter-sessions. The living of St. Nicholas' is a perpetual
curacy; net income, £150; patrons, the Parishioners. The
church, an ancient structure, sustained considerable injury
from the parliamentarians, in 1648. The living of St.
Peter's is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of Simeon's
Trustees; net income, £138. The church is an ancient
edifice, and contains a large font of great antiquity and
curious design; the Incorporated Society granted £50 towards
repairing the church in 1841, when 252 sittings were added.
The living of St. Stephens is a discharged rectory, valued
in the king's books at £4. 12. 8½.; net income, £82; patron,
the Rev. Mr. Burgiss. Within the precincts of the borough
are also the churches of Whitton and Westerfield, and the
remains of the chapel of Thurleston, which last have been
converted into a barn. There are places of worship for
Particular Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents,
Wesleyans, Primitive and Association Methodists, and
Unitarians; a Roman Catholic chapel; and a synagogue.
The Free grammar school is of uncertain foundation: it was
endowed by Henry VIII. with £38. 13. 4. per annum from the
fee-farm rent of the borough, which endowment was confirmed
by a charter of Elizabeth in the eighth year of her reign,
and subsequently augmented with legacies. There are two
scholarships at Pembroke College, Cambridge, for boys
educated in the school, with pensions of £3 per annum each,
given by William Smart, in 1598; four scholarships with £5
per annum each, founded by Ralph Scrivener, in 1601; two
scholarships in Jesus College, Oxford, founded by Thomas
Redrick, in 1616; and two exhibitions to the University of
Cambridge, one of £14 and the other of £6 per annum, founded
in 1621, by Richard Martin, for boys educated in the school,
who are also entitled to share with the school of Bury St.
Edmund's in a scholarship founded at Trinity College, by Dr.
Mopted, in the year 1558. The Blue-coat school was
established in 1709; the income amounts to £500. The
Red-sleeve school was established in 1752, and is supported
by subscription. Henry Tooley, portman of Ipswich,
bequeathed estates, in 1550, for the erection and endowment
of almshouses for ten aged persons; the revenue is nearly
£1000, and, in addition to those maintained in the
almshouses, there are sixty out-pensioners. William Smart,
in 1598, bequeathed lands now producing about £480 per
annum, for the maintenance and education of children, for
the employment of the poor, and other charitable purposes.
Christ's hospital, for maintaining and educating children,
founded by the corporation in 1569, has an endowment of
about £400 per annum, arising from a portion of Mr. Felaw's
gift, and from other benefactions; the building, which is
near the site of a monastery of Black friars, is also
appropriated as a bridewell or house of industry for the
employment of the poor. Twelve almshouses were founded in
the parish of St. Mary-at-Elms, for aged women, in pursuance
of the will of Mrs. Ann Smyth, who, in 1729, bequeathed
property now vested in old South Sea annuities, producing
£132. 19. per annum. Fifteen almshouses were built in 1515,
by Mr. Daundy, in the parish of St. Matthew, to which two
were added in 1680, by Mr. Sheppard; and there are also five
houses in the churchyard of St. Clement's. Mr. John
Pemberton, in 1718, bequeathed estates to establish a fund
for paying £25 per annum each to widows and orphans of
clergymen of the Established Church; the income has been so
far increased by donations and subscriptions, as to enable
the trustees to distribute annually £1500, in sums of £30
each. A similar institution, called the Suffolk Benevolent
Society, was formed in 1799, by the dissenters; the funds of
which have accumulated to £4000. A loan fund has a capital
of £3394, the consolidation of several benefactions, for the
purpose of lending upon security, without interest, sums of
£20 or £25, for ten years, to young persons entering into
business. There is also an hospital called the "East Suffolk
Hospital." The poor-law union of Ipswich comprises the 12
parishes of the borough, together with Whitton and
Westerfield, and contains a population of 25,254.
Among the monastic establishments existing here were a
priory of Black canons of the order of St. Augustine,
originally founded in 1177, in Christ-Church, and which,
being destroyed by fire, was refounded soon after, by John,
Bishop of Norwich, for a prior and six canons, whose revenue
at the Dissolution was £88. 6. 9.; and a priory of Black
canons, founded in the reign of Henry II. by Thomas Lacey
and Alice his wife, in honour of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Cardinal Wolsey suppressed this latter, and erected on the
site his college for a dean, twelve secular canons, eight
clerks, and eight choristers, with a grammar school intended
as a nursery for his college at Oxford; but upon that
statesman's fall, the building was demolished, and only the
gateway, an elegant edifice of brick, now remains. A
monastery of Black friars, in the parish of St.
Mary-at-the-Quay, was founded in the reign of Henry III., of
which the existing portions present the most perfect relic
of antiquity in the town; they are appropriated to the use
of Christ's Hospital, and for the purpose of Tooley's
endowment. An hospital for lepers was founded here in the
reign of John, and dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene and St.
James, There was a monastery of White friars in the centre
of the town, of which no vestiges exist; also a house of
Grey friars, founded in the reign of Edward I., by Sir
Robert Tybetot, of which some portions of the walls are
still remaining. In the neighbourhood are several mineral
springs; and an ancient warm spring, called Ipswich Spa, was
in great repute during the last century, though now not
used.
Of distinguished natives of Ipswich, have been, Cardinal
Wolsey, who was born in the parish of St. Nicholas, and
received the rudiments of his education in the grammar
school of the town; Dr. William Butler, physician to James
I.; Dr. Laney, successively Bishop of Peterborough, Lincoln,
and Ely; Ralph Brownrig, Bishop of Exeter, of which see he
was deprived at the commencement of the parliamentary war;
Clara Reeve, authoress of The Old English Baron and other
works, whose father was for many years minister of St.
Nicholas' parish; Mrs. Sarah Trimmer, the ingenious
authoress of elementary works for young people; and Thomas
Green, author of Extracts from the Diary of a Lover of
Literature, and a liberal and enlightened critic. Among
eminent persons who have resided here, may be named, Sir
Anthony Wingfield, one of the executors to Henry VIII.; Sir
Christopher Hatton, lord high chancellor; Sir Harbottle
Grimstone, speaker of the house of commons during the Long
Parliament; Nathaniel Bacon, grandson of the lord keeper Sir
Nicholas Bacon, and author of the Annals of Ipswich, now in
the possession of the corporation; Jeremy Collier, master of
the free grammar school, and author of an Ecclesiastical
History of Great Britain; and Capel Lofft, a learned
civilian, elegant writer, and patron of literature. Ipswich
gives the title of Viscount to the Duke of Grafton.
From: 'Ingrave - Ipswich', A Topographical Dictionary of
England (1848), pp. 614-620. URL:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51063
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