Ipswich

Ipswich, the county town of Suffolk, 69 miles NE. of London by rail, is situated on the side of a hill on the left bank of the river Gipping, which, here taking the name of the Orwell, becomes tidal, and after a south-easterly course of 12 miles more falls into the German Ocean at Harwich. In the older portions of the town, principally grouped near the river, the streets are narrow and irregularly built, and still retain many picturesque old buildings, decorated with carved work, such as Sparrowe's House (1567), the Neptune Inn (1639), Archdeacon's Place (1471), and Wolsey's Gateway (1528). Of public buildings the principal are a town-hall (1868), in the Italian Renaissance style of architecture, surmounted by a clock-tower 130 feet high; post-office (1881), and corn exchange (1882), both close by, and in the same style; public hall (1868); museum, schools of science and art, and free library (1881-87), the first of which, founded in 1847, is notable for its splendid collections of Suffolk Crag fossils and British birds; custom-house (1845); mechanics' institute (1824); hospital (1835-69-77); barracks; and a theatre (1891), on the boards of whose predecessor Garrick, Mrs Keeley, and Mr Toole made their début. The churches are sixteen in number, mostly built of flint, and in the Perpendicular style, having as the principal or 'metropolitan' church St Mary Le Tower, with a tower and spire 176 feet high, and a fine peal of twelve bells. Of educational establishments the principal is the grammar-school, dating from at least 1477, reorganised by Queen Elizabeth in 1565, moved into new buildings, of which the foundation-stone was laid by the Prince Consort, in 1851, and reconstituted under a new scheme in 1881; it has an income from endowment of £500, and eight scholarships of an aggregate annual value of £233. Near it are two arboretums, charmingly laid out, and Christchurch Park, with its fine Tudor mansion (1549). Another favourite resort is the promenade by the river-side, skirting the west side of the dock. This latter, opened in 1842, covers 30 acres, and is approached from the Orwell by an entrance lock (1881) capable of admitting vessels of 1400 tons. The principal manufactures are those of agricultural implements, railway plant, artificial manures, and clothing. In the history of Ipswich the chief events deserving mention are its pillaging in 991 and 1000 by the Danes; the granting in 1199 of its first charter by King John; the appointment of its first and only suffragan bishop (1525); visitations of the plague (1603 and 1666); partial destruction by fire (1654); and visits of Elizabeth (1561 and 1565), George II. (1736), and George IV. when Regent. Cardinal Wolsey, Dr William Butler (physician to James I.), Bishops Brownrigg and Laury, Clara Reeve, and Mrs Sarah Trimmer were natives, and Gainsborough the painter a resident for fifteen years. Ipswich has returned two members to parliament since 1447; and its population, in 1801 only 11,336, had risen in 1841 to 25,264, in 1881 to 50,546, and in 1891 to 57,360. See works by Clarke (1830), Wodderspoon (1842-50), Glyde (1850-87), and Dr J. E. Taylor (1889).