IPSWICH THINGS TO DO

Ipswich Town Hall and Corn Exchange tours – Heritage Open Days

Ipswich Town Hall, Ipswich

Information - Ipswich Town Hall and Corn Exchange tours – Heritage Open Days

Guide tours Of Ipswich Town Hall Mayors Parlour and Corn Exchange, by the Ipswich Town Sergeant.

The Present Town Hall stands on the site of St Mildred’s Chapel mentioned in the Doomsday Book. The Chapel was dedication to a saint connected to the Saxon royal family of East Anglia.
By the 1300 hundreds the parish and chapel had ceased to function and following a Royal Charter from King John in 1200 it is then believed to have been occupied by the governing body of the Town.

The Town Hall remained the same for hundreds of years, being remodelled in 1818, then demolished and rebuilt in 1866, on an enlarged site. The new building included a police and fire station, session court, library and council chamber with office space for the running of the Town.
It was opened by Mayor John Patterson Cobbold on January 28th 1868, In a mock venetian style. Its roll changed in the early 1970’s to an arts and entertainments area, but still holds its civic head, council meetings along with the Ipswich registry office and is a wondaful wedding venue.

The Cornexchange was opened in 1882 and was also remodeled in the early 1970’s to include 2 cinemas and large function hall and theatre, the “Grand Hall”
All these areas will be part of the guided tours with special access to backstage and the Mayors Parlour.