Ipswich Local Information: 10 top things to know... more
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1. History
The position of Ipswich has made the town a gateway to Europe for centuries. It was also a centre for emigration to America throughout the 1600s. Ipswich’s history is on display through its buildings including town centre medieval churches, the Ancient House, Christchurch Mansion, Isaac Lord merchant's house on the Waterfront and the timber-framed Unitarian Meeting House. A...Read more
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2. Now
Ipswich Waterfront is being transformed, and has new marinas, restaurants, bars and homes. This area was formerly a Victorian wet dock, opened in the 19th century. The town has the most significant collection of works by Constable and Gainsborough outside London. The collections are housed in Christchurch Mansion. University Campus Suffolk has its main hub in Ipswich, forming...Read more
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3. Events
The Ipswich Arts Festival, also known as Ip-art, is one of the main events on the town’s annual calendar. The festival celebrates film, music, literature and visual art. Foxhall International Raceway, just on the outskirts of Ipswich, is a Spedeworth track. Car racing takes place on Saturday evenings, some Sundays, bank holidays and the annual Spedeweekend in July. Regular c...Read more
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4. Attractions
Jimmy’s Farm, as seen on TV, is in Pannington Hall Lane, Ipswich. It is a working farm and is open seven days a week. The farm also has a nature trail, woodland walk, gardens, farm shop, adventure play area and field kitchen. Christchurch Mansion is a fine Tudor manor house in the town centre surrounded by beautiful parkland. Period rooms show history from the 16th century t...Read more
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5. Things To Do
Football fans can arrange a tour of Ipswich Town Football Club’s Portman Road Stadium and see parts of the ground that are usually off limits, including the dressing room. Cruises are available on the River Orwell aboard the Orwell Lady. These leave from the town’s Waterfront area. Orwell Country Park covers about 200 acres and offers visitors walks, wildlife and scenery....Read more
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6. Business
The two modern shopping centres in the town are TowerRamparts and The Buttermarket. Tavern Street is known as the “golden mile” and contains many high street stores as well as local businesses and specialist shops. The Walk, St Peters Street and St Nicholas Street have boutiques, delicatessens, antiques shops, art shops and much more. Weekly markets are held in Cornhill in...Read more
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7. Transport
By car, the major trunk roads leading to Ipswich are the A12 from London and the South, and the A14 from the Midlands and the North. Trains travel to Ipswich from London’s Liverpool Street and take just over an hour. The main East Coast line (serving the North of England and Scotland) connects with an Ipswich service at Peterborough. The nearest airport to Ipswich is Stanst...Read more
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8. Entertainment
Eastern Angles is a touring theatre company from Ipswich. When in the town they perform from their base, the Sir John Mills Theatre. This theatre space is available for hire at other times. The Ipswich Regent and Corn Exchange has a varied programme of events throughout the year, including live music, dance, theatre and comedy. The New Wolsey Theatre is a 400-seat theatre off...Read more
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9. Famous Landmarks
Ancient House is a Grade I listed building from the 15th century that sits in the town centre. It has impressive decorative plasterwork and carving, which was added in the 17th century. The Unitarian Meeting House is a Grade One listed building and is one of the finest surviving Dissenters' Meeting Houses in the country. The interior has many original features including the spy...Read more
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10. Interesting Fact
Many Ipswich Football Club players were in the 1981 film Escape to Victory, including John Wark, Russell Osman, Laurie Sivell Kevin O'Callaghan, Robin Turner Paul Cooper and Kevin Beattie.
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Ipswich Blog
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Nearly £4,000 raised for charity by Jazz bands
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Rave On, Jazzshades and The Martells, East Anglian Air Ambulance is better off to the tune of £3,925.50. The local jazz bands raised money for the worthy cause at the fourth annual fundraiser at...
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Buttermarket shopping centre could include new cinema
A new multi-screen cinema could be coming to Ipswich as part of a major redevelopment of the town’s Buttermarket Centre. Nationwide cinema chain Vue is thought to be in talks with the owners of the old TJ Hughes department...
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Donation from university history graduate who lost battle with cancer
University Campus Suffolk has been left a significant donation by a former history student. Sally Williams passed away in 2010 and has left a legacy fund to the history department. The money will be used to “enhance the experience of...
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Nearly £1,000 raised at auction for picture postcards
A series of historical postcards and photographs taken in a bygone era have been auctioned off for nearly £1,000. The images depict Suffolk across the decades and date as far back as wartime in the 1930s and 1940s. The pictures...
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