IPSWICH, a market and borough town, the capital of the county of Suffolk, sixty-nine miles from London. It stands on the side of a gentle elevation rising from the banks of the river Orwell, which is navigable for vessels of the smaller size to the bottom of the town. The country around it is fertile, and the banks of the river present most pleasing prospects. It is a place of great antiquity, and many of the houses still bear marks of their ancient erection. The streets are well paved; and there is a good market-place, well frequented four days in each week. It formerly contained nineteen parish churches, and still retains twelve, besides several places of worship for dissenters from the establishment. There is a town and a shire hall, and an extensive county jail. A college was
Irak. established hereby Cardinal Wolsey, a native of this place; but it fell with the founder. There is, however, an endowed classical school. Ipswich was formerly celebrated for its woollen manufactures, but that branch of industry has been removed to the northern counties. The chief trade at present is in building ships, and in exporting ship timber, corn, and malt; but it has a considerable import trade for wines, spirits, timber, ship-stores, and other commodities, the duty on which, in 1833, amounted to L.32,323. It is a corporate town, governed by two bailiffs chosen annually, a recorder, two chamberlains, two coroners, and twenty-four common councilmen. It returns two members to parliament, chosen by the freemen; and has an admiralty jurisdiction on the Essex coast beyond Harwich, and on the Suffolk coast to the boundary of the county. The population amounted in 1801 to 11,297, in 1811 to 13,670, in 1821 to 17,186, and in 1831 to 20,454.