Ipswich, a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, is situated in East Anglia, roughly 10 miles from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea, approximately 67 miles northeast of London. It is also England’s oldest Anglo-Saxon town.
Under the Roman Empire, the area around what is now Ipswich was an essential route to rural settlements and towns by way of the river Orwell. In the early 7th century, Ipswich was a small but quickly-thriving trading settlement. It was perfectly well-located for trade with Germany, and indeed, whetstones and millstones were imported into Ipswich from Germany and wool made in Ipswich was exported to Germany.
Due to its location in the east of England, Ipswich was vulnerable to attacks by the Danes, who occupied Ipswich from 879 until 917, at which time the land was recaptured by the English. By the time of the Battle of Hastings, in 1066, the settlement had a population of more than 2,000.
In 1200, King John granted the town is first charter, laying out the path to the civil government based on its medieval. During the next 400 years, the town and townspeople amassed their wealth. Priories including St. Peter and St. Paul and Holy Trinity were established by the Augustinians, and the Ipswich Greyfriars as well as the Ipswich Blackfriars, and the Ipswich Whitefriars were also founded. The famous pilgrimage destination, the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, became famous for, among other things, having King Henry VII and his then-wife Catherine of Aragon as pilgrims.
"The Canterbury Tales," a satire of the merchants in Ipswich, was written by Geoffrey Chaucer around 1380; and Thomas Wolsey, who would one day defend Henry VIII's claim for annulment from Catherine, was born in Ipswich in 1473. In the early 16th century, nine people were persecuted and burned at the stake in Ipswich for their Protestant beliefs. These people are known, collectively, as the Ipswich Martyrs.
Between 1611 and 1634, spurred on by English Puritan minister Samuel Ward, Ipswich was a major emigration centre to New England. Samuel's brother Nathaniel Ward was the first minister of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Painter Thomas Gainsborough lived and painted in Ipswich, as did Charles Dickens, who reportedly based various locations in his novel The Pickwick Papers" in Ipswich.
During World War II, German bombing raids were focused on Ipswich. At least 80 civilians died in the area during that time. The last bombs to hit the town landed on Seymour Road on March 2, 1945, where 6 houses were razed and 9 people were killed.
Today, the waterfront is used mostly for leisure use and consists of residential apartments and the campus of the University of Suffolk. It is home to numerous artists, and there are art galleries scattered across the town. Such galleries include Christchurch Mansion, a Tudor brick mansion built in the mid-16th century.
Recommended Resources
Sets forth information about Ipswich and the Ipswich Borough Council. Information such as election results, upcoming festivals and other events, and nearby places of interest. Also gives the user the opportunity to report, request, apply, or make payments online at any time on the user’s personal account.
https://www.ipswich.gov.uk
unfurnished units. Presents details about items of interest to landlords and property management firms in and around Ipswich. There is a tool which a user may use in order to find available rentals by using the preferred postcode, minimum or maximum price, and the number of bedrooms. There is also a tool by which a landlord may find out the worth of a property.
https://www.rents.co.uk
Displays information about a boutique hotel situated on the Ipswich waterfront, offering numerous videos and text information as well as photographs of various rooms and suites each of which is individually designed. The latest offers and packages are listed along with details, and there is also an online booking tool.
https://www.salthouseharbour.co.uk
Suffolk Family History Society
Has shared this website for amateur genealogists interested in local and family history since 1975. Information includes details about the groups, current projects and monthly meetings, as well as research resources and publications. The site also has a section where a user can purchase publications and lifetime memberships.
http://www.suffolkfhs.co.uk/https://suffolkfhs.co.uk/index.php/
Constructed for those who visit Ipswich, this website has a free visitors guide which can be downloaded. It also lays out the history of the area, a food and drink finder which allows the user to choose the type of establishment and an entertainment finder based on the same model and the food and drink finder. Additionally displays directories for stores, hotels, and upcoming events.
https://allaboutipswich.com
Ipswich’s longest established estate agency, founded in 1850, prides itself on their selling of fine classical period and model homes in and around Ipswich. The establishment has been a family-run agency for five generations and provides property listings and contact information on the website.
https://woodcockandson.uk
