Ancient Treasure Of The East

Bryony Symes finds that Suffolk’s county capital is wearing its 2000-year history as a port well, with quirky buildings taking on the functions of modern life.

- Bryony Symes

AS A FAN of ‘fun facts’, I am always on the hunt for a place with character, just waiting for its stories to unfold, and my parents, Peter and Josie are more than happy to tag along while I seek them out. At first glance, Ipswich may seem like any old town, with plenty of high street chains and sprawling housing areas. Delve a little deeper into its centre and you’ll find a wealth of history among its narrow streets. In fact, it is one of England’s oldest towns – thought to be one of the first established by the Anglo-Saxons at the end of the Roman occupation.

Wealth of an era Having pitched our long-term Caravelair Antarès 476 at Polstead Camping and Caravanning Club Site, we jumped back into the car and headed into town. First stop was the Tourist Information Centre, housed in one of the town’s 12 medieval churches. Bizarrely, it was closed because a large, angry seagull had got stuck inside.

Running off the narrow streets are Tudor alleyways, and there are quite a few buildings of note. The one that really caught my eye, though, is known as Ancient House. This ornate building dates back to the 15th century, but its fascinating plaster reliefs (or ‘pargetting’) were added by wealthy grocer Robert Sparrowe in 1670, depicting the four continents that were known at the time – Europe, Africa, Asia and America.

We took a peek inside the grand town hall, and discovered that it is home to the Ipswich Craft Society, with all sorts of arts and crafts from local artisans being demonstrated, plus a coffee shop.