The Old Custom House

The Old Custom House, built in 1844 for the Corporation of Ipswich, stands near the location of an earlier custom house. Designed by Ipswich architect J.M. Clark, it’s an imposing red brick structure with grey gault brick dressings. The south frontage, facing the docks, features a tall single storey above a high arcaded basement with brick rustications and a stone blocking course. A central projecting Tetrastyle Tuscan portico, topped with a sculptured pediment, is the focal point, flanked by pavilions also marked by grey brick rustications. A Palladian staircase with double flights of stone balustrades leads to the portico, which includes a semi-circular domed arch with rusticated brick voussoirs, a keystone, and a small central doorway with massive rustications. A panelled and studded door with a semi-circular arched head and stone architrave is flanked by two Venetian-style windows with stone surrounds. Tall casement windows with stone shouldered architraves, pulvinated friezes, and pediments are also present. The end pavilions are distinguished by windows with pilasters and cornices, surmounted by semi-circular, domed recesses featuring shell ornamentation. A string course runs at window sill level, with panelled brick aprons beneath the windows. The east and west frontages each have two storeys above the arcaded basement, with a three-window range featuring casements in grey brick surrounds. The north front rises to four storeys, with an eight-window range of double-hung sashes with glazing bars in grey brick surrounds on the second and third storeys, set within recessed brick panels with semi-circular heads on the ground and first storeys. The central section of rusticated brick breaks forward slightly, incorporating a semi-circular arched doorway, a fanlight, and a Venetian-style window within grey brick rusticated pilasters, cornice, and a voussoired brick arch. An east end pavilion projects slightly, and a tall square tower stands at the west end. This tower features three storeys of open arches (some now blocked) and a clock on each face, all set within recessed brick panels. The pantiled roof has a wide overhanging eaves soffit on brackets, extending over the portico, pediment, and tower.