The Ipswich Project

The Regeneration Team and Suffolk Mind are working together on an innovative project to create a centre for relaxation and calm in the beauty of medieval St Mary at the Quay.

 

The plan

 

Listed building consent and planning permission has been granted so we can build a modern extension to the church which will house complimentary therapies.

 

 

 

 

We will also be putting a light modern touch to the interior which will create a fantastic venue for events or a place to enjoy your morning coffee.

 

 

Suffolk Mind’s commitment to this project will link the idea of well being with our historic environment to create a long term future for a building which is suffering the ravages of age. The huge investment of Suffolk Mind and this project can allow the Trust to conserve the nave columns and build a new concrete floor to keep the building safe for the future.

 

 

Funding

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has supported the development of this £4.1 m project with stage one funding and we are currently fundraising in support of the second stage application, with a target of £142,000.

With the help of this fundraising, the building will host creative and fun ways to learn about its history and that of Ipswich.

Donate now

 

 

SuffolkMind

Suffolk Mind, established in 1991, is an independent, flexible, not-for-profit charity working collaboratively with service users and other partners.

It provides a comprehensive range of services catering for a wide spectrum of mental health needs and for the well-being of people. This includes a range of residential services and community resource centres in rural and urban areas of Suffolk.

Suffolk Mind promotes service user empowerment linked to services that encourage self-confidence, self-determination, and building self-esteem.

Learn more about their work

The church

Built in the 1450's, St Mary at Quay is one of twelve medieval churches in Ipswich. It is also one of three mariners’ churches in the old dockland area, once the home of Ipswich’s thriving merchant community, a source of wealth and prosperity for the city - as the decoration and carving in the spectacular double hammerbeam roof inside the church was intended to reflect.

 

Since 2003 the surrounding area has seen a transformation - the former docks and warehousing areas adjacent have been redeveloped for housing and new uses. There are new communities of residents and St Mary's has remained amongst this sea of change...but only just.

Without significant intervention work now, Victorian innovation in concrete will determine a crumbling fate for the building. A concrete floor laid to stop tidal water flooding the building through the floor has actually had a worse effect - there is nowhere for the tidal water from the nearby dock area to evaporate other than through the 15th century nave columns. As the water evaporates, salts from the water wick up the columns and cause the stone to crumble. We need to get the concrete floor up, and soon!

Find out more about St Mary at the Quay

 

Help us

If you would like to volunteer to help in the church or with this project apply online now.

Volunteer