This view of Ipswich was made by Samuel and Nathaniel Buck long before the industrial age from a viewpoint near to the Stoke windmills (close to the present-day junction of Philip Road and Belstead Road). The River Gipping is to the left, then Stoke Bridge and Ipswich docks to the right – the Wet Dock and New Cut came a century later. One of the most striking features on this colourful engraving are the twelve medieval churches, from left: St Matthew, [then Thomas Seckford's 'Great Place'] St Mary-At-Elms, St Nicholas, St Mary-Le-Tower, St Lawrence, St Stephen, St Margaret, St Peter, St Mary-At-Quay, tiny St Helen (appearing behind some trees), St Mary Stoke (just below the viewer) and St Clement.
[The above illustration appeared in the Ipswich Star, 13.1.2015 accompanying a fascinating article by local historian Dr John Blatchly.]
Courtesy
Stephen Govier, Suffolk historianAbove: Samuel & Nathaniel Buck.
[UPDATE 2.4.2018: above – the monochrome version. 'I own an original uncoloured print of the Buck Brother's Prospect of Ipswich... I note the colour copy you show has the bottom chopped off which contains a copy of the Ipswich coat of arms and then a lot of text talking about the history and administration of Ipswich together with the key to the picture. I have transcribed this for you. One item of note is the 'Bowling Green and Cold Bath' labelled as Item 3 by the river beside St Nicholas' Church. Stuart Whayman'. Many thanks to Stuart; we are pleased to reproduced his transcription of the 'prospect' below.]
Text under the Buck Prospect is as follows:
"This Town is seate on ye North side of ye River Orwell, it was anciently call'd Gippeswick & was encompass'd with a Ditch & rampart, which were demolish'd when ye Danes AD 991 invaded this Place, and plundered not only the Inhabitants here, but ravaged the whole Coast with great Cruelty and Barbarity. In K. Edw'd the Confessors Reign, Queen Editha had two Parts of this Town, and Earl Guert the third, and was so considerable that there were in it 800 Burgesses that paid Customs to the King. Will'm the Conq'r to awe the People into Subjection built among other Castles one here at Ipswich, which Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk maintain'd for some time against K. Steph'n but this Castle was so entirely destroy'd, that there is not so much as any Remains of it to be found; and is suppos'd to have been demolish'd when K. Hen'y 2d levell'd Waleton a neighbouring Castle to ye Ground because it harbour's 3000 Flemings who were invited over by some of the Nobility to assist Henry his Son (call'd ye junior King) against him. This Place is remarkable for being the Birth Place of Cardinal Wolsey. It has a comedious Haven, is divided into 4 Wards, containing 12 Parishes, and is a Corporation govern'd by 12 Burgesses call'd Portmen whereof 4 (besides the 2 Bailiffs who are annually chosen for the Chief Magistrates) are Justices of the Peace: 24 Common Council Men, who are also High Constables; 12 Headboroughs, 2 Coroners, a Recorder, and a Town Clerk. It has 5 Markets a Week for Butchers Meat, Fish, & c, but the three Chief for all sorts of Goods brought out of the Country, are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 5 Fairs yearly. The present Members of Parliament are, William Wolaston and Samuel Kent, Esq.
Sam'l & Nath'l Buck delin, et sculp. Publish'd according to Act of Parliament Jan'y 7th 1741. Garden Co't No 1 Middle Temple London"
The Borough coat of arms reproduced in fanciful style to the lower left of the prospect.
See also our page on Water in Ipswich for maps showing the Little and Great Gipping Rivers and the River Orwell, particularly John Ogilby's map of 1674 for the configuation of waterways shown on the Prospect above.
See also the Suffolk Mills Group document on Windmills in the Borough of Ipswich (click to open the PDF).
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