Christchurch Mansion

About the museum

Christchurch Mansion is a Tudor brick mansion in Christchurch Park, near the centre of Ipswich. It stands on the site of the Holy Trinity Priory, which was founded in the 12th century and closed under Henry VIII. In 1545 the London merchant Paul Withypoll bought the site, and his son Edmund began building the house in 1547. Later owners included the Devereux family, Viscounts Hereford, who changed the frontage and gardens, and the Fonnereau family, who bought the house and estate in 1735.

The estate was put up for sale in 1892, and in 1894 Felix Cobbold, a member of the syndicate that had bought it, gave the mansion to the town on condition that the surrounding parkland was also kept for the public. The house was restored and developed as a museum and art gallery, and it is now run by Colchester + Ipswich Museums.

The rooms are furnished in styles from the Tudor period to the Victorian era, from the kitchen and servants' quarters to the Georgian saloon and the Victorian wing. The Suffolk Artists Gallery holds paintings by Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable, and the Wolsey Art Gallery shows temporary exhibitions. Other displays include toys, dolls' houses, ceramics and glass, and musical instruments.

Highlights

• Period rooms from the Tudor kitchen to the Georgian saloon and Victorian wing
• Suffolk Artists Gallery with the largest collection of Gainsborough and Constable paintings outside London
• Wolsey Art Gallery for temporary exhibitions
• Toys and games, dolls' houses, ceramics and glass
• Free guided Peep into the Past tours from March to October
• Setting in Christchurch Park

Permanent exhibitions

• Period rooms of Christchurch Mansion – Rooms furnished in the styles of the Tudor to Victorian periods, from the kitchen and servants' quarters to the state bedroom and Victorian wing.
• Suffolk Artists Gallery – Paintings by Suffolk artists, including the largest collection of works by Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable outside London.

Operated by

Colchester + Ipswich Museums

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and booking is not required. An entrance fee may apply to temporary exhibitions.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The mansion has two floors with some small sets of steps on the ground floor and no lift to the first floor; images and information about the upper floor are shown on the ground floor, and a filmed Peep into the Past tour with captions and British Sign Language is available on a tablet. A manual wheelchair and portable folding chairs can be borrowed, and handrails are fitted on internal steps. The Wolsey Art Gallery has an accessible entrance from the park with a low-level buzzer. There is a unisex toilet and an accessible toilet with baby changing; there is no Changing Places toilet in the building, but one is in Christchurch Park. Some exhibits are in low light. Tactile reproductions of two Constable paintings with braille, sheet magnifiers, audio-described tours and object handling sessions are available on request. Many staff are trained in basic British Sign Language. A quiet room is available on request. Assistance dogs are welcome. There is no parking at the mansion; Blue Badge holders can park free for up to 3 hours at William Street car park.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Pushchairs are welcome and there is buggy parking, but the first floor is reached only by stairs. A 50 Ways to Play challenge sheet and a pre-school guide can be downloaded from the website. The accessible toilet has baby changing facilities.

Getting there & parking

The mansion is in Christchurch Park, north of the town centre; use postcode IP4 2BE for navigation. Taxis can drop passengers at the Soane Street or Bolton Lane park entrances. Gravel paths lead through the park and the final path to the front door is paved.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Wi-Fi: not available

The Tea Room serves hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, tea cakes and scones and can be reached from the park or from inside the mansion; its doorway is narrow. The museum shop sells cards, homeware and gifts. The mansion has no Wi-Fi, so visitors who want to use the Bloomberg Connects digital guide should download it beforehand. Food is not permitted outside the Tea Room.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

The mansion can be hired for wedding ceremonies and receptions; a brochure is available on the website.

Plan your visit