A-Z of Ipswich (Places-People-History)

It is easy to underestimate the county town of Suffolk. On the face of it, Ipswich is an uncomfortable mish-mash of twentieth-century buildings butting up against older properties. The new Waterfront area, boasting a recently-created university and numerous gleaming apartment buildings, hints at the town’s new-found popularity and is a perfect example of ancient and modern sitting more contentedly side-by-side. And once we scratch beneath the surface, we start to uncover clues which unlock the hidden history of Ipswich through its streets, buildings and their occupants over the centuries, such as the Ancient House and its connection with the witchfinder general, the inspiration Dickens found on his frequent visits to the town, the legacy of French prisoners-of-war from the Napoleonic Wars, the curiously named Silent Street and its most famous son Cardinal Wolsey.The ‘A-Z of Ipswich reveals fascinating facts about some of the town’s curious street names, tells of the famous people who inhabited and visited the town, and uncovers the little-known history behind some of Ipswich’s well-known places. This fascinating A-Z tour of the town’s history is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this county town of Suffolk.