Dating from the 1500s the church became notable under the reign of Henry VIII when the Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, made it the chapel of his newly-established (but short-lived) college.
In more recent times St Peters became a mariners’ church before falling into disuse, but the historic building has now been brought back to life thanks to the incredible efforts of the Ipswich Hospital Band, using funds from by the Heritage Lottery and other sources.
As well as being a heritage centre St Peter’s is a venue for music and the arts, holding regular concerts, performances and open days. The building also offers exhibition and conferencing facilities available for hire throughout the year.
Heritage Displays
St Peter’s features unique heritage displays which cast light on the history of the church itself and the nearby Waterfront area of Ipswich, including:
- The Ipswich Millennium Charter Hangings - created by local craftspeople depict the history of the town across eight ‘ages’, from Viking to Modern; commissioned to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the granting of a Royal Charter to Ipswich by King John.
- A rare black marble font from Tournai in Belgium,dating from the 12th century
- Exhibits showing the town’s links with Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, and why there’s a statue of him outside the church
- The mysterious stone coffin that was unearthed when the vestry was added in 1904
- the Trotman hatchment and the Knapp brass – you’ll have to visit to find out what these are!
Music and Drama
St Peter’s features regular music and theatrical performances from local, national and international groups including the resident groups, the Ipswich Hospital Band, St Peter’s Band, Suffolk School of Samba and Ipswich Youth Steel Band.
The centre hosts events such as:
- Live music – from solo performers to big bands
- Craft & Gift Fairs - jewellery, cards, craft & gift supplies, children’s books and artwork all for sale, refreshments and live music.
- Jazz by the Waterfront evenings - sit back and relax to jazz sounds in an intimate club atmosphere. St Peter’s has no alcohol licence so BYOB - teas and coffees are available though.
- Festival of Remembrance – the annual event in November; rousing music from The Ipswich Hospital Band followed by a service of remembrance.
…and much more. The What’s On page on their website is the best place for up-to-date information on concerts and live performances, or why not like them on Facebook or Twitter and follow them that way?
Venue Hire
St Peters was refurbished in 2006 at a cost of over £800,000, so the facilities within the building are as modern as the building itself is ancient.
The interior is equipped with a tiered stage and a 150 seat auditorium, together with sound and light systems, underfloor heating and disabled access. St Peter’s is an ideal venue for:
- Concerts & Performances – the 5-tier stage and flexible seating can be configured in many different ways to suit any type of musical and dramatic performance
- Meetings & Conferences - St Peter’s offers modern facilities and a variety of seating styles in the main auditorium area; an unusual and memorable venue for any business event.
- Rehearsals – the building is also available as a rehearsal venue, enabling groups of various sizes to use the area for regular practices and benefit from the amazing acoustics.
St Peter’s is available for hire throughout the year. For further information about hiring St Peter’s by the Waterfront please contact Andrew Mayhew, Centre Manager on 01473 225269 or by email [email protected]
The centre is open Tuesday to Friday and most Saturdays from 10am to 3.30pm between May and September, then on Wednesdays only from 10am to 3.30pm the rest of the year.
