The Old Custom House

1. 1260 KEY STREET

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

II*

1. 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