Friends of the Meeting House
Above: Back entrance of the Ipswich Unitarian Meeting House post-restoration
Below: Front entrance of the restored Meeting House
Both photos ©Historic England – Patricia Payne
Ready for visitors…
Lovers of the Meeting House, Ipswich’s heritage and history generally, have come together to form a Friends group for the Unitarian Meeting House, with the aim of promoting the building and its history, ensuring its sustainability for generations to come.
Having been rescued from major structural problems in 2020-21, the building has been restored for generations to come, thanks to grants and fundraising, and now we need to care for it.
In the heart of the town centre, The Unitarian Meeting House is a key part of the heritage of Ipswich. The building, so unassuming from the outside, but so breathtaking within, is loved by many in the community, as well as those who worship there. The building is unique, an oasis of calm both inside and out (the lawn is frequently enjoyed by picnicking office workers). The black glass windows of the Willis Towers Watson offices next door, also Grade I listed and erected between 1970 and 1975, cleverly reflect the Meeting House, built in 1699.
Built as a place of worship for dissenters of the established Church of England, the Meeting House still has many original features, including boxed pews and a huge Dutch brass chandelier.
Interior of the newly restored and cleaned Meeting House