The Ancient House

The Ancient House, also known as Sparrowe’s House, is a Grade I listed building dating from the 15th century located in the Buttermarket area. In 1980 the building was acquired and restored by Ipswich Borough Council.

The earliest reference to a house on the site can be found in the 14th century, when it was owned by the knight, Sir Richard of Martlesham. In the 16th century the house was owned by a string of local merchants, including George Copping who acquired the property in 1567. It was Copping that commissioned the paneling of the ground floor room at the front of the house. He also built the 'long gallery'. The Sparrowe family became the owners of the house in 1603, and continued ownership for the next 300 years.

The decorative plasterwork (pargeting) and carving added in the 17th Century is one of the finest examples in the UK. The interior includes 16th Century wall paintings and further examples of carving and pargeting, and is also home to occasional art displays and exhibitions. The building features four panels representing the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe and America, (Australia hadn’t, at the time, been discovered).

The house also has the Royal Arms of King Charles II on the side of the building which was added in around 1660.