IPSWICH HERITAGE OPEN DAYS SATURDAY 9TH & SUNDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 2017 The Ipswich Society 1 St Stephen’s Church, St Stephen’s Lane Fabulous light and airy 15th and 16th century church better known as Ipswich’s Tourist Information centre. Among the treasures in the chancel is a splendid monument to robert leman and his wife, Mary, WElcoME To hErITAgE who died on the same day opEn DAyS 2017 in 1637. Saturday 9am-5pm The heritage open Days weekend is a Sunday 10am-2pm fantastic opportunity to discover 2 Ipswich’s ‘hidden’ heritage Unitarian Meeting House, Friars Street The weekend is co-ordinated by the Ipswich Society with the aim of encouraging the owners of some of the town’s Built in 1699 and one of finest buildings to throw open their doors and show off the architectural gems of the treasures inside. Ipswich. original box pews, a magnificent pulpit Many of them are not open to the public throughout the carved in the style of year, so here’s your chance! We have more than 30 grinling gibbons, Dutch buildings open in 2017, along with free guided walks 17th century candelabra around some of the town’s best locations. and a clock from an even you won’t go hungry - several buildings have refreshments earlier date. Fine entrance on offer, there are independent cafes in the Saints and doors, one with a spyhole Blackfriars areas or you could pack a picnic and make a for use against visits from day of it by strolling through one of our beautiful parks. opponents of non- conformist worshippers. The Ipswich Society is grateful to all concerned for their participation. The buildings listed represent seven Saturday 10am-5pm centuries in the history of Ipswich and will be open to the Sunday noon-4pm public during the weekend, with additional opening days for some venues. Above: Stable Block, opening times were correct at the time of going to press Holywells Park but if you are travelling any distance and hoping to see a Front cover: specific building you should check details in advance of Broomhill Lido illustration by your journey. Dave Thompson Art www.davethompsonart.co.uk 3 4 5 Willis Towers Watson, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich Museum, Friars Street Civic Drive High Street This iconic building is now The building was designed A real treasure house, over 40 years old. guided by the renowned architect with the Victorian natural tours of the building will roderick ham and is history gallery (come and be given including the regarded as one of the say hello to rosie the swimming pool, one of best modern regional rhino and Wool-I-Am the the office floors and the theatres. Every seat in the mammoth) and a host of roof garden. The coffee house has an other curiosities from Bar will also be open. uninterrupted view of the around the world. Follow norman Foster gets the stage. originally opened in the Ipswich Story around credit for the Willis 1979, the theatre is now the walls of the gallery or Towers Watson building, operated by the new travel back to ancient for it was his ideas of Wolsey Theatre company, Egypt. hanging glass as curtain a charity with a mission to walls and large open plan create, develop and Saturday 10am-5pm offices that were produce a dynamic Sunday 11am-5pm revolutionary in the early programme of theatre and 1970s. however architects performance. The theatre 6 (Sir) Michael hopkins and is a national leader, Ipswich School, Ipswich born Birkin recognised for the 25 Henley Road haward (junior) also diversity of its audiences. Built 1851/52 in worked on the scheme. Elizabethan style in red Saturday and Sunday Saturday back stage tours brick. The porch entrance 10am-3pm 10am & noon and the tower provide a link with early education in the town - the former being a reproduction of the gate to college Street and the latter resembling Tom Tower at christ church, oxford. For tours - meet in Reception off Henley Road. Leave town centre via High Street or Fonnereau Road. Saturday tours at 9, 10 and 11am Left: Willis Towers Watson 9 Christchurch Mansion Christchurch Mansion, Christchurch Park Some would say the jewel in Ipswich’s crown … a 16th century mansion with rooms furnished from Tudor to Victorian periods. Its Wolsey Art 7 8 gallery houses the most Ipswich Cemeteries, Crown Pools, significant collection of Cemetery Road Crown Street constables outside london. Short tours Ipswich cemetery opened crown pools opened to a available. christchurch in 1855 and will be popular fanfare in 1984 Mansion also has a offering historic tours and combined three pools charming café and a shop. taking in the history of - a competition pool used some of the headstones by Team Ipswich Tours 11am and 2pm and families buried in Swimming club and a Please book a place by Ipswich, as well as around water polo club for calling 01473 433691 the crematorium training and events, a facilities. Staff will be on teaching pool and a leisure Saturday 10am-5pm hand to answer questions pool complete with wave Sunday 11am-5pm and give advice on family machine. crown pools was research. Take the designed by Suffolk county opportunity to visit the council's Architects 10 Temple of remembrance. Department. In 2011, the Freemasons Hall, pools were refurbished at 8-10 Soane Street Saturday 11am-3pm a cost of 3.5 million. The Masonic hall was Saturday and Sunday completed in 1870 and Temple of Remembrance 7.45am-4pm updated in 1911 by architect george henry Betram gould. In the 1970s it was extended to incorporate number 8. The main items of interest are the Temple, dining room and foyer. The Temple, in particular, contains many items of Masonic interest. Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm 11 13 St Margaret’s Church, Pykenham Gatehouse, Soane Street Northgate Street A fine medieval church in A rare opportunity to visit town dating from 1300 one of the earliest with the tower added domestic buildings in c.1400 and other parts in Ipswich. It has seen the 1450. Donations from comings and goings of wealthy benefactors over some 20 generations of the years have made St Ipswich people - at first Margaret’s fascinating, through the north gate with numerous interesting and along the street with artefacts. The c15 double the brook, and more hammer beam roof, recently past the imposing decorated in 1695, is the library built opposite it crowning glory. during the last century. Saturday 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm 12 14 15 Bethesda Baptist Church, Admiral’s House, Town Hall, Cornhill, 9 St Margaret’s Plain Tower Street Princes Street A classical style building probably built in the reign This is the centrepiece not by the architect F g of charles II (1660-1685) only of the cornhill but of Faunch. opened in 1913, with a later georgian Ipswich itself - an it seats 800 and has a front. The interior is a imposing example of high splendid gallery on three delightful mix of Victorian civic sides providing the best architectural styles. once architecture. This Town view of the interior. the home of Admiral hall opened in 1868 and Benjamin page, it was has magnificent features Saturday 10am-3pm visited by Wellington in of classical columns and 1820, so it’s about time statues. The grand you did too! It now staircase has an oak houses the Ipswich balustrade and cast iron Institute members’ work. restaurant, coffee lounge (refreshments available) Saturday, tours of the and lecture rooms. Town Hall, Mayor’s Parlour and the Corn Saturday and Sunday Exchange, lead by the 10am-4pm Town Sergeant. 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2pm. Left: Pykenham Gatehouse Meet in the foyer. Above right: The Town Hall 17 19 Christchurch United Blackfriars, Reformed/Baptist Foundation Street Church, Tacket Street Walk in the footsteps of Designed in 1856 by local Dominican Friars between architect Frederick Barnes their remaining low walls in the gothic revival style of septarian stone. Find and built in Kentish the marine worm borings ragstone with caen stone (geologists will be there to quoins. The interior has a help) that give clues to large gallery, cast iron where this ‘harwich work and a stained glass Stone’ was obtained. east window. 16 Sunday 10am-4pm Ipswich Institute and Saturday 9am-5pm Library, Tavern Street 18 Founded in 1824 by Dr 3-5 Silent Street george Birbeck, The Ipswich Mechanic’s The former book shop is a Institution moved into the grade II*, late medieval former chemist shop at 15 (probably early 16th Tavern Street in 1834. This century) timber framed hidden oasis of cultural and plastered building with and architectural heritage jettied upper storey and 20 includes a popular exposed timber framing. It Tooley’s Court, independent library in a is thought that 3 Silent Foundation Street light airy barrel-vaulted Street originally formed hall, dating from 1876. 'Let gentle Smart sleep on part of curson lodge, an in pious trust, Behold his Saturday and Sunday inn or guest house used to Charity, respect his dust' 10am-4pm accommodate the Behold his charity indeed, entourage of high status for it is the Foundation of visitors to Sir robert these almshouses that curson’s house which was William Smart, together opposite (now lost). The with a legacy from henry building retains exposed Tooley and other Tudor and carved timber beams. merchants left to the town. Tooley died in 1550 Saturday 10am-5pm and the almshouses were Sunday 11am-4pm begun, aided by Smart’s bequest in 1598. Above left: 3-5 Silent Street Saturday and Sunday Above right: Tooley’s Court 10am-4pm Left: The Ipswich Institute 23 Isaac Lord (Machine Room and the Brewery), Wherry Quay A series of grade I and grade II listed buildings, a late 15th – 16th century merchant’s house with warehouses, it is now a waterside venue and coffee tavern.