A TIMELINE OF IPSWICH HISTORY
By Tim Lambert
Early 7th Century Ipswich is founded as a small trading settlement
869 Ipswich is captured by the Danes 917 Ipswich is recaptured by the English 1086 Ipswich has a population of about 2,000 1200 Ipswich is given a charter (a document granting the people certain rights). The little town flourishes and it exports wool. 1340 Ipswich has a population of about 3,000. 1528 St Marys School is founded 1548 Christchurch Mansion is built 1600 Ipswich has a population of about 4,000. The wool trade is in rapid decline. 1665 There is an outbreak of plague in Ipswich 1680 Ipswich has a population of about 7,500 1720 Ipswich gets its first newspaper 1736 Ipswich gets its first theatre 1800 Ipswich has a population of about 11,000. Shipbuilding, leather, malting and brewing industries flourish in Ipswich. The port booms. 1818 Ipswich is lit by gas 1847 A museum opens in Ipswich 1851 Ipswich has a population of about almost 33,000 1868 A new Town Hall is built 1880s Sewers are dug in Ipswich. Horse drawn trams run in the streets. 1901 Ipswich has a population of about 66,000 1903 Electric trams run in Ipswich 1915 A zeppelin raid on Ipswich 1916 A zeppelin raid on Ipswich kills 1 man 1926 The electric trams cease 1965 The Transport Museum opens 1971 Ipswich has a population of about 123,000 1982 Orwell Bridge is built 1986 Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre opens 1992 Buttermarket Shopping Centre opens 1995 Orwell Country Park opens