Access at Christchurch Mansion
Everybody should have the opportunity to be inspired by our museums. We are committed to supporting that, which means listening to our visitors and continually finding ways to improve.
Simply scroll down for useful access information, such as when the museum is quieter, what to expect when you arrive and what facilities we have. If you cannot find the answers you are looking for, please contact our Access Champions on 01206 282931 or email museums@colchester.gov.uk and the team will be happy to help.
Useful Information
To open our Visit England Accessibility Guide, simply follow the link below:
Getting Here
Christchurch Mansion is situated within Christchurch Park to the north of Ipswich town centre. Gravel paths wind from various gated entrances through the park and up to the Mansion. The path up to the front door is paved with stone. Click here to see a map of Ipswich.
If you are travelling by car, please use IP4 2BE for sat navs. The closest car park is William Street (IP1 3HX) or Crown carpark (IP1 3HS), where Blue badge holders can park for free for up to 3 hours. For further information, please visit the Blue Badge Parking pages of the Ipswich Borough Council website.
If you are travelling by taxi you could be dropped off at Soane Street or Bolton Lane entrances to the Park. The Mansion is then a short walk away. Details of wheelchair accessible taxi’s can be found here.
Please note we are closed on Mondays.
When You Arrive
Entry to Christchurch Mansion is via the front door, which is held open during visiting hours. Passing through it, and a second set of glass doors, will bring you into the Main Hall.
Inside the Main Hall you will find a floorplan of the Mansion. Alternatively, you can purchase a £1 guide from the shop.
You may have to wait a short while to be served. If you are accompanied by someone who finds queuing difficult, please let us know and we will do our best to prioritise you.
Getting around
There are different types of flooring inside the Mansion, from smooth tiles in the Great Hall to stone tiles in the Kitchen and Servant’s Quarters, polished wood in the the Wolsey Art Gallery to carpet in the Library. Please note the floor can be uneven in places.
The rooms are spread across two floors with some small sets of steps around the ground floor. There is no lift to the first floor, so images and information are available in the Estate Office and at the bottom of the East Staircase.
To enter the Lower Tudor Room, there is a large glass door, which can be opened by pressing a button to your right.
Where it is not possible for visitors to enter all or part of a room, there will be a rope barrier so you can still see the space.
Some of our rooms may seem bright while others might appear quite dark.
- The Great Hall
- The Lower Tudor Room
- The Ceramics and Glass Gallery
- The Wingfield Room
- Wolsey Art Gallery
- The Green Room
- The Dining Room
- The Queen Anne Room
- The Library
- The Rococo Drawing Room
- The State Bedroom
- The North Corridor
- The Upper Chamber
- Porch Chamber
- The Learning Room
- 17th Century Room
- Suffolk Artists Gallery
- Toys and Games
- Victorian Parlour
- Early 19th Century Sitting Room
- Early 19th Century Dressing Room
- Victorian Bedroom
- Music Room
- Dolls Houses
- Servant’s Hall
- Passageway
- The Estate Office
- The Butler’s Room
- The Wash House
- The Kitchen
- The Scullery
- Café
- The Shop
The Wolsey Art Gallery
While the majority of Christchurch Mansion is comprised of permanent displays, the Wolsey Art Gallery houses temporary exhibitions, so changes a few times a year.
The current exhibition is called Animals at the Art Gallery and features a selection of artworks and taxidermy animals from the Ipswich collections. Further details about the exhibition can be found by following the links below.
From inside the Mansion, the route to the gallery involves a short flight of steps. An accessible entrance is located from Christchurch Park, with a low-level buzzer to alert staff.
Quieter times
The Mansion can be busy at weekends and during school holidays. It is typically quieter in the afternoons, particularly after 3pm on weekdays once school groups have left for the day.
The Great Hall is a large open space, which the first floor gallery surrounds. The sound of other visitors may be louder here.
If you or a member of your group require a quiet space during your visit, we have a room available on request. Please speak to our Visitor Services team and they will be happy to assist you.
The Tea Room at Christchurch Mansion
The Tea Room serves a range of hot and cold drinks, which are also available to take away. Throughout the day you can choose from a selection of fresh sandwiches, tea cakes, scones, chocolate bars and crisps. The menu can change seasonally and depending on availability.
If you would like to know more information on what is on offer or for any special requirements please contact Brad and Kate Firkins on 07772 834198.
The Tea Room can be accessed externally from the park. Alternatively, it has level access from inside the Mansion. Please note, the doorway is narrow, which may be difficult for some wheelchair users.
Toilets
Christchurch Mansion has a unisex toilet to the right of the stairs off the Great Hall. We also have an accessible toilet, which is down the corridor to the left as you enter the building.
The accessible toilet includes baby changing facilities.
Christchurch Mansion does not have a Changing Places facility. The nearest can be found at Sailmakers Shopping Centre cafe (0.4 miles/ 9 minute walk) or Punch Studios (0.8 miles/ 17 minute walk). A full list of Changing Places Toilets is available on the Changing Places website.
Care
Assistance dogs are welcome.
We welcome breastfeeding.
If you have a refillable bottle, Museum staff are happy to top it up with tap water.
If you or a member of your group require medical attention whilst at the Mansion, please alert our Visitor Services team and they will contact the emergency services.
The nearest defibrillator is located on the Reg Driver Centre in Christchurch Park.
Hand sanitiser is available.
Contact Us
We want all our visitors to have the best possible experience. If you’re planning to visit Christchurch Mansion and have any questions or concerns, our team are more than happy to help. You can contact us on:
Tel: 01473 433554
Welcoming Visitors With…
Visual Story Film
This short film will highlight some of the key sensory features of your visit to Christchurch Mansion. We recommend visitors with particular sensory needs, such as people with ASD or dementia, watch this film before they come. It is also useful for anyone who could benefit seeing what the venue is like before making a visit.
For subtitles, click the link in the bottom left corner that says Watch on YouTube. Once loaded, you will need to click the icon in the bottom right corner of the video to enable Subtitles/closed captions.
Christchurch Mansion Sensory Map
Below is a floorplan of the Mansion, showing where visitors might encounter sensory stimuli.
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| Video or sudden moving visual | Unexpected noises | Change in light level |
