Ipswich

On the second  day, we travelled to Ipswich to have a look at two attractions, Christchurch Mansions and park, and the museum.   Ipswich is the County Town of Suffolk, on the River Orwell.  It was once a main shipping port, and has been used for trading since the 8th Century.

Our first stop was Christchurch Mansion, situated in Christchurch Park, and now owned by the town.   Since 1895, it has been part of the two museums of Ipswich.  As well as being a very interesting house the mansion contains collection of paintings by Constable and Gainsborough. 

There was once a priory here, which was dissolved during Henry VIII's reign, and then purchased in 1548 by Sir Edmund Withipoll, who built a mansion here.   Over the years the building was altered and added to, until it was acquired by the Ipswich City Council, from a wealthy landowner, on condition it was used for art exhibitions and that they purchase the surrounding parkland for the people of Ipswich to use.

The church tower rising above the trees and parkland.   Sorry no information on this church.

The rooms are preserved as past inhabitants would have known them.   Very realistic.  And a very comfortable house.

The Great Hall.  Very imposing.

And downstairs, the hub of the house.

The house sits within a 70 acre park, with rolling lawns, ponds, trees and a large playground.   We sat on the bench to eat our sandwiches, with a view down the hill, towards a memorial, and a park full of families enjoying the school holidays and the sunshine.

Ipswich Museum, a registered museum of culture, history and natural heritage.   Plenty of preserved animals in their collection, and a really good description of historical events, and ecological developments, over the last few thousand or so years.   There was a famous uncovering of Saxon treasures, in Sutton Hoo, excavated in 1939.  It was a ship burial site.   Many of the treasures were displayed in the museum.     Sutton Hoo is not far from Melton and Woodbridge.   I was fascinated by the collection of rocks on display, even though I have no geological training, but the explanations of the different types of rocks was excellent.

Ipswich was heavily bombed during WWII, due to its importance as a shipping port, and on the English channel.   Now it is a large city, full of haphazard development, and I think a large focus on social housing, from the number of seemingly umployed people on the streets.  We also felt the city centre needed sprucing up, with benches, trees and planter boxes, to enhance the area.   At the moment it is very drab, but I guess money needs to be spent elsewhere.

The city centre has many beautiful old buildings, such as the old town hall below.

A delightful narrow side street.

After spending many hours in the mansion and museum, and a look at the main shopping area, we found our cars, and drove happily back to Woodbridge/Melton, feeling very happy.   It was also Walter's birthday, so we finished the day with a delicious pub meal in Woodridge.