Description

1.
1260 KEY STREET

The Old Custom House
TM 1644 SE 4/98 19.12.51.

II*

2.
Erected in 1844 for the Corporation of Ipswich close to the site of the earlier
custom house, it was designed by J M Clark an Ipswich architect. It is an
imposing red brick building with grey gault brick dressings. The main frontage
faces south towards the docks and comprises a tall single storey above a
high arcaded basement with brick rustications and a stone blocking course,
a central projecting Tetrastyle Tuscan portico with a pediment with sculptured
tympanum and end pavilions marked by grey brick rustications. The central
portico is approached by a Palladian staircase with a double flight of stone
balustraded steps on each side and a deep semi-circular domed arch in the
centre, with rusticated brick voussoirs and keystone and a small central
doorway with massive rustications. A central panelled and studded door with
a semi-circular arched head and stone architrave has 2 flanking Venetian
style windows with stone surrounds under the portico. The outer windows
are tall casements with stone shouldered architraves, pulvinated friezes
and pediments. The end pavilions have windows with pilasters and cornices
surmounted by semi-circular, domed recesses with shell ornamentation. A string
course runs at window sill level with panelled brick aprons beneath the windows.
The east and west fronts each have 2 storeys above the arcaded basement
3 window range, casements, in grey brick surrounds. The north front has 4
storeys. 8 window range, double-hung sashes with glazing bars, in grey brick
surrounds on the 2nd and 3rd storeys and set in recessed brick panels with
semi-circular heads on the ground and lst storeys. The centre part of rusticated
brick breaks forward slightly with a semi-circular arched doorway and fanlight
surmounted by a Venetian style window with grey brick rusticated pilasters,
cornice and a voussoired brick arch. At the east end a pavilion of one window
range breaks forward slightly and at the west end there is a tall square
tower with 3 storeys of open arches and one with blocked arches surmounted
by a clock on each of the faces, all set in recessed brick panels. The roof
is pantiled with a wide overhanging eaves soffit on brackets which is carried
out ever the portico and pediment and is repeated on the tower.

Listing NGR: TM1668344092

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535282

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings