County Borough of Ipswich

Ipswich ( (listen)) is a town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about 9.9 mi (16 km) away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. The town is the third-largest population centre in East Anglia (after Norwich which is 40 mi (64 km) to the north, and Peterborough which is 70 mi (110 km) to the north-west). The town is both on the Great Eastern Main Line railway and the A12 road; it is 67 mi (108 km) north-east of London. The Ipswich built-up area is the fourth-largest in East of England region and the 42nd in England and Wales. It includes the towns of Kesgrave, Woodbridge, Bramford and Martlesham Heath.First recorded during the medieval period as Gippeswic, the town has also been recorded as Gyppewicus and Yppswyche. The town has been occupied continuously since the Saxon period, and is contested to be one of the oldest towns in the United Kingdom. The settlement was of great economic importance to the Kingdom of England throughout its history, particularly in trade, with the town's historical dock (Ipswich Waterfront) known as the largest and most important dock in the kingdom.The town is divided into various quarters, with the town centre and the waterfront drawing the most footfall. The town centre is home to the town's retail shopping and the historic town square, the Cornhill. The waterfront is located south of the town centre on a meander of the River Orwell and is a picturesque setting housing the town's marina. The waterfront is a trendy area of the town housing luxury yachts, and lined with high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants and cafés. The waterfront is also home to the University of Suffolk campus. Ipswich is surrounded by two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB): the Suffolk Coast and Heaths and Dedham Vale. The town has a tourist sector with 3.5 million people reported to have visited the town in 2016. In 2020, Ipswich was ranked as an emerging global tourist destination by TripAdvisor.

St Mary-le-Tower is the civic church of Ipswich and a Grade II* listed building. It was in the churchyard of St Mary that the town charter of Ipswich was written in 1200.

Ipswich Castle was a medieval castle, now vanished, in the town of Ipswich, Suffolk, England.

Sailmakers shopping centre (formerly known as Tower Ramparts) is a small multi-story shopping centre located in Ipswich, England. It was opened to the public in November 1986. It is currently owned and operated by LaSalle Investment Management, who purchased the centre in 2011.

The Great White Horse Hotel is a historic inn in the town centre of Ipswich, Suffolk, England. A hotel has existed on the site since 1518. Previously the site – located on the corner of Tavern Street and Northgate Street – had been used as a tavern in medieval times. It is a 16th or 17th century timber framed building refronted in the early 19th century. It featured in Charles Dicken's Pickwick Papers. On 19 December 1951 it became a Grade II* listed building. It is on the Heritage at Risk Register and is priority A. It is in the Central Conservation Area. The Great White Horse Hotel has hosted George II, Lord Nelson and the Beatles.

Crown Pools is a swimming venue in Ipswich that opened in 1984.

St Lawrence Church is a Grade II* listed church in Ipswich, Suffolk, that is now used as a community centre. The 15th-century church has the oldest ring of five church bells in the world.

The Cock and Pye is public house in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It is located in Upper Brook Street. It was included in the 1689 list of pubs in Ipswich, where it was stated to be in St Margarets Parish, Ipswich. The pub was formerly a large coaching inn, but by the late nineteenth century, was much smaller. As the name might suggest, the pub was setting for frequent cockfights and traditionally had a distinctive pub sign featuring a large pie upon which a cock was perched. When Cock fighting was banned in 1835 with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, a Mr Birch, the proprietor at the time endeavoured to sell the premises.

The Ancient House, also known as Sparrowe's House, is a Grade I listed building dating from the 15th century located in the Buttermarket area of Ipswich, Suffolk, England. In 1980 the building was acquired by Ipswich Borough Council. The building sports detailed pargeting, and also elaborate wood carvings around the front of the house. Four panels of pargeting show a Tudor impression of the world. The continents Africa, America, Asia and Europe are shown—notably lacking Australia, which had not been discovered at the time. Africa is represented by a naked man holding a spear, Asia by a horse and a mosque-like building, Europe by a woman with a horse and a church-like building, and America by a man with a dog at his feet. The building features the Ipswich window.The front of the building as it can be seen today (in a restored state), was not an original feature—it was added by Robert Sparrowe between 1660 and 1670. It bears the Royal Arms of King Charles II, and the words "Honi soit qui mal y pense". This is Old French for "Shame upon him who thinks evil of it", and is also the motto of the Order of the Garter.

Christchurch Mansion is a substantial Tudor brick mansion house built in Ipswich, Suffolk by Edmund Withypoll (also written "Withipoll") around 1548–50. The Grade I listed building is located within Christchurch Park and sits by the southern gates close to the town centre of Ipswich. The mansion belonged to various noble families throughout its history but was purchased by the Ipswich Borough Council in 1884. Since 1885, the building has been used as a museum and is today run by the municipally run Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service (CIMS)organisation. The museum's rooms are preserved as past inhabitants would have known them, complete with original items such as furniture, fine clothing and children's toys. The museum also holds a collection of paintings by renowned local artists including John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough. The Mansion is free to enter and booking is not required.

The Central Area, Ipswich is one of five administrative areas in Ipswich, through which Ipswich Borough Council divides its spending and enables feedback from local residents, businesses and community groups.The area is composed of three wards, each represented by three councillors. Each ward is also a Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA). As of the 2019 Ipswich Borough Council election, the councillors are as follows: These Councillors form the Central Area Committee of which Julian Gibbs is the chair. They are joined by three Suffolk County Councillors: The area is also covered by a Neighbourhood Watch network which comprises 35 neighbourhood watch schemes.

The Cornhill in Ipswich is a historic town square in the centre of Ipswich, Suffolk. The square has been a gathering place for many centuries in the town, the earliest recorded event was the execution of the Ipswich Martyrs in the 16th century. In the present-day, the Cornhill hosts various events such as Christmas markets, live music shows, and outdoor screenings of notable broadcasts, such as the proms. The square is surrounded by grand Victorian buildings built as the town's wealth was booming from sheep wool and dock trade. The prominent Ipswich Town Hall building is located on the Cornhill.