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Ipswich is one of England's oldest Anglo-Saxon towns. It was founded in the late 6th or early 7th Century, where the estuary of the River Orwell meets the freshwater River Gipping. The town developed into a prosperous port and trading centre with an important pottery industry.

During Roman Britain there had been some kind of villa at Castle Hill, Whitton, but the first real inhabitants kept to the north bank of the River Orwell. During the Middle Saxon period they spread over the area of the present town centre and then south over the river into Stoke. Ipswich's Anglo Saxon name was Gipeswic. These Saxons were invaded by Vikings who came up the River Orwell over and over again burning and looting the early town. Danes occupied Ipswich from about AD 879. In 918 the East Anglian Danes surrendered to King Edward son of Alfred The Great, who called himself "The King Of England".. In 1010 Danes lead by Thurkill landed at Ipswich, and by 1013 the Danes once again masterered England. By 1066 Ipswich was a prosperous area the Traders + Husbandmen owed Duties to this Lord or that, and also had to pay Queen Edith + Earl Gyrth the Royal rent of honey + £15. No one knows what happened in the next 20 years but by 1086 only 110 burgesses could pay their normal dues to the King. Another 100 could only pay 1d a year. 328 homes who had paid in king Edwards time had gone. Richard Bigod was the Sheriff and held the borough on behalf of William the Conqueror.

After a period of Viking occupation, Ipswich continued to flourish and it was given its own mint on the 970s. King John granted Ipswich its first Charter in 1200, one of the first towns in England to be granted this privilege. The Middle ages were a time of great prosperity for Ipswich and the surrounding area. For centuries Ipswich exported first wool then cloth to the continent.

A reminder of the wealth generated from this trade can be seen in the many fine Tudor buildings still in existence today. A decline in the town's fortunes in the 17th Century was brought about by the general collapse of the East Anglian wool trade. A slow revival of the coastal shipping trade in the mid-18th Century led to the development of malting, milling and shipbuilding. Economic recovery was further stimulated by the addition of agricultural engineering and brewing industries.

Ipswich today is a major regional centre, proud of its long history and looking forward to the challenges of the 21st Century.

Places to visit: Ipswich Regent Theatre, Corn Exchange, Wolsey Theatre, Odeon Cinema, Liberty's Nightclub, Hollywood Nightclub, Crown Pools.

Sports Centres: Northgate, Maidenhall, Gainsborough, Whitton, Alton Water Sports Centre, Ipswich Town Football Club, Ipswich Witches Speedway, Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich Museum, Tolly Cobbold Brewery.

HISTORY OF MUSEUMS IN IPSWICH.
The Rev. William Kirby an entomologist from Barham near Ipswich suggested a local natural history institution in 1791 but nothing came of it.
In 1824 "The Mechanics Institute" was founded first in the Buttermarket and then it moved to Tavern St.

The Ipswich Literary Institution had a museum room on the upper floor of the Town Hall.

Both these museums did well but by 1846 they were both a bit run down so a group of local philanthropists proposed the idea of a new museum.

On the 30th November 1846 a committee was elected at a General Meeting held at the Town Hall.

President Rev. Kirby.

Treasurer WH Alexander.

Secretaries George Ransome + Mr F.W. Johnson.

Honorary members Rev. Professor John S. Henslow + Professor George Biddell Airy.

They decided to lease a purpose built museum in a new street called Museum St. Dr Clarke a local naturalist was appointed as Curator in December (Salary £100 per year) The Museum was opened on the 15th December 1847. It was normally only open to members or paying visitors but it was open free on Wednesday 11am to 4pm, 7- 10pm and Friday evenings There was great interest and over 53,400 people visited it in 1848 Different specimens continued to be donated to the growing collection.

Rev Kirby gavea piece of oak beam perforated by death watch beetle.
A hornets nest from Helmingham.
A migratory locust caught near Ipswich
In 1848 the Ipswich Literary Institution sold the contents of its museum to the new museum for £150.

The elderly Rev. Kirby died in 1850 and was succeeded by Professor Henslow. The curator Dr Clake resigned in the same year because of a row about admission on free evenings Dr David Wooster became the new curator in February 1851.

On July 4th. the museum was honoured by a visit from His Royal Highness Prince Albert. After his visit Queen Victoria remarked that he spoke of nothing else for several days.

Sadly subscriptions from members began to go down as people lost interest in the museum and by the annual meeting in 1852 no money was left. Luckily because of the Public Libraries Act of 1850 it was possible to support the Museum from the rates, but two thirds of the rate payers had to agree. On February 4th 1853 the vote was held which resulted in a overwhelming result in favour (709 for 69 against).

The Museum had debts totalling £517 which had to be cleared before the transfer could take place.

Mr Robinson Taylor gave a lecture on Ipswich of the last 20 years at the Corn Exchange which raised £154 to start the ball rolling.

Prince Albert, so impressed by his earlier visit promised £100 when the fund reached £400>

An inventory also had to be prepared before the corporation would take over the Museum for the town. The Museum was re-opened on Monday 6th June 1853 with free admission for all. In November a new Curator Mr George Knights was appointed as Mr Wooster had to resign due to illness. The Museum Library got bigger, and eventually became a free Public Library. The Museum also grew so it was enlarged in 1868 by the addition of a house next door.

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