Did You Know?

 In the 2001 census, Ipswich was the 38th largest urban area in England, its modern name is believed to be derived from the medieval name Gippeswick, although some local historians have surmised that this in turn comes from a small river nearby the River Gipping.

There’s evidence to suggest that Ipswich was initially founded in the early 7th century as a trading settlement.  Being connected to the rest of the country via a large river and the sea made it a great place to trade for early settlers.

By the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 Ipswich probably had a population of 2,000. It would seem tiny to us but by the standards of the time, it was a medium sized town. Later in the Middle Ages, the population grew larger and was probably about 3,000 by the 14th century.

It is on the banks of the River Orwell, which in parts can be as much as 20 yards wide and 10ft deep, the river itself is named afted the town's most famous local, George Orwel.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was born here in 1475. As King Henry VIII's Chancellor and ally, he went on to found a college in the town. By the early 16th century, Ipswich had been made a King's Port and the shipbuilding industry was well established

It is the only town in England not to have a set of traffic lights, although for the past five years, residents have been saving up for some and hope to be able to purchase a nice second hand set very soon.

Thanks to the innovative design of Sir Norman Foster, Ipswich boasted the youngest Grade 1 listed building in the whole of the UK. The glass-clad Willis Faber & Dumas building which is instantly recognisable to anyone who drives through the town centre, was built for an insurance firm which is now called Willis Towers Watson.

Ipswich is one of England’s oldest towns, if not the oldest. It dates back to Roman times, although the town only really began to take shape in the Anglo-Saxon period, thanks to trade with Europe which helped to kick-start the development of the docklands area.

St Lawrence Church, houses the oldest circle of church bells in the world. Known locally as Wolsey’s Bells, they were cast in the 15th century – meaning their sonorous chimes would have been heard by the young Cardinal himself.

The world’s first commercially available powered lawnmower was built in Ipswich. Produced in 1902 by agricultural machinery manufacturer Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, the machine was driven by an internal combustion engine.

In a further display of engineering prowess, Ipswich’s Ransomes and Rapier constructed China’s first railway. The Woosung Road, which opened in 1876, carried passenger trains through the city of Shanghai until its dismantling by the Chinese just a year later.