Ipswich Maritime Trust

04/10/2026

How the media reported the story …

Here's why it was in town 🚢

03/10/2026

Great photos from IMT members and friends as the good ship Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sailed down the East Coast, into the river Orwell and moored in Ipswich for the afternoon.

Huge thanks to the charming captain, Claas Fischer, to whom we presented copies of Ipswich A Hanseatic Port by Pat Grimwade, and a print of Stephen Patterson's drawing of The Port of Ipswich Today.

All About Ipswich Ipswich.Love The Waterfront Ipswich Ipswich Star East Anglian Daily Times
Maritime Heritage Trust

02/10/2026

It’s Hanse ‘Week’ in Ipswich!

Look out for MV Hanseatic Spirit, a Hapag Lloyd cruise ship, as she sails along the Orwell tomorrow morning (Saturday 3rd October) and docks at Cliff Quay in Ipswich. She’s en route from Iceland and will be calling next at Greenwich before disembarkation in Hamburg, one of the Hanseatic League power bases.

IMT will be making a special presentation to the captain in the afternoon, of Pat Grimwade’s booklet Ipswich A Hanseatic Port, and Stephen Patterson’s drawing of The Port of Ipswich Today, which was selected after a competition organised by Ipswich Art Society to be included in the HANSEArtWorks 2026 exhibition in Stargard, Poland in June this year. Thanks to ABP, Ipswich's port operator, for enabling this presentation.

Guests on board ship will be taken on a walking tour of Ipswich (England’s oldest continually occupied port) or on a coach tour to Colchester (England’s oldest recorded town). Special attention will be drawn to Ipswich’s Hanseatic links.

And on Wednesday, we will be welcoming Phillip Eke, England’s Hanse Commissioner, as our speaker on Wednesday 7th October at 7.30pm in the Methodist Church, Black Horse Lane.

Copies of Ipswich A Hanseatic Port will be available at £2.50 and there will be a display on Ipswich and its Hanseatic connections.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises All About Ipswich Ipswich.Love The Waterfront Ipswich Ipswich Star East Anglian Daily Times Ipswich Borough Council Maritime Heritage Trust

01/10/2026

In medieval times Ipswich was a headport within the Hanseatic League.

If you have no idea what this means, our talk on Wednesday 7th October will be an ideal opportunity to find out more about this highly significant era in Ipswich's long maritime history!

All About Ipswich OGA - The Association for Gaff Rig Sailing Ipswich Beacon Marina Sailing Barge Victor Pioneer Sailing Trust Thalatta Excelsior Trust Maritime Heritage Trust The Waterfront The Ipswich Society Ipswich.Love Ipswich Star Ipswich Sea Cadets

30/09/2026

Ipswich holds a remarkable place in maritime history.

A port since the seventh century, a head port in the Hanseatic League, and home port of two of the earliest English circumnavigators, Ipswich was also where traders to the New World sailed from. The largest Wet Dock in England was built here, it became one of Britain’s busiest modern commercial estuaries, and most recently, has been awarded Heritage Harbour status.

No surprise then that the world’s No.1 podcast dedicated to all of maritime and naval history focuses on Ipswich, the only Hanseatic port and Heritage Harbour!

You can listen to this Mariner’s Mirror podcast, from The Society for Nautical Research, here: https://snr.org.uk/the-mariners-mirror-podcast/the-ports-that-made-britain-ipswich/

NB our talk on Wednesday 7th October, by Hanse Commissioner Philip Eke, will look at Ipswich and the Hanseatic League.

Photo: from left to right, maritime historian and IMT trustee Cathy Shelbourne; sailing barge Victor skipper Wes Westwood; podcast presenter and broadcaster Dr Sam Willis; and IMT trustee and previously Regional Director, ABP, Andrew Harston MBE.

Heritage Harbours Group UK Maritime Heritage Trust The Waterfront Ipswich Ipswich.Love Ipswich Star Sailing Barge Victor Ipswich Beacon Marina Mariner's Mirror Monumental Maritime Heroes

17/09/2026

BUY OUR GUIDANCE MANUAL

The National Historic Ships UK guidance manual 'Conserving Historic Vessels' is considered the bible for historic vessel conservation.

A richly illustrated 200 page printed publication, the manual is an invaluable resource, designed to explain the key principles behind conservation, which will help specialists and non-specialists alike develop an understanding of their project, its significance and the most appropriate conservation route to adopt in each circumstance.

30% discount for:
Owners of vessels on the Registers
Members of: The Society for Nautical Research
OGA - The Association for Gaff Rig Sailing
International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM)

Read more & buy:
www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/paypal

15/09/2026

The latest episode of the Mariner’s Mirror Podcast series (from the The Society for Nautical Research), Heritage Harbours: The Ports That Made Britain, is available now.

This week, the podcast visits Bideford and neighbouring Appledore—two North Devon ports with remarkable histories of overseas trade, shipbuilding and maritime resilience.

Bideford grew wealthy by exporting woollen cloth and importing goods from Europe and across the Atlantic. During the seventeenth century, it became one of Britain’s principal to***co ports. Nearby Appledore developed into an important shipbuilding centre, producing vessels ranging from wooden sailing ships to modern commercial and naval ships.

This maritime story continues today. In the episode, we meet John Puddy, founder of the Steamship Freshspring Trust, to discuss why preserving working historic ships matters. Hannah Nash of the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere explains how marine conservation can be balanced with the needs of communities and the maritime economy. We also hear from Navantia apprentice Jack Partridge about the skills supporting the future of British shipbuilding.

Listen to “The Ports That Made Britain: Bideford and Appledore” here:
https://snr.org.uk/the-mariners-mirror-podcast/the-ports-that-made-britain-bideford-and-appledore/

Next week, the series travels to IPSWICH and meets members of the Ipswich Maritime Trust ! We will of course be bringing you details nearer the time.

Heritage Harbours Group UK Maritime Heritage Trust All About Ipswich Sailing Barge Victor Monumental Maritime Heroes

14/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who made our Heritage Open Days maritime festivities such an enjoyable weekend! It was wonderful to see the Heritage Harbour Heritage Harbours Group UK full of people and boats Sailing Barge Victor Excelsior Trust Pioneer Sailing Trust Thalatta - and the Old Custom House, courtesy of ABP, full of life!

Photos show what the Old Custom House looked like in 1962 - and the line-up this year. Photos from IMT's Image Archive.

Ipswich Beacon Marina The Waterfront Ipswich Ipswich.Love The Ipswich Society OGA - The Association for Gaff Rig Sailing All About Ipswich

13/09/2026

Join us on the waterfront today from 11am-4pm for more maritime festivities during Heritage Open Days.
Sailing smack Excelsior Trust and sailing barge Thalatta are on Common Quay, free to visit.
And we’re in the Old Custom House, courtesy of ABP, with some fantastic black and white photos - some of the earliest in the world - of Ipswich docks and people in Victorian times.
Plus, an exhibition on Ipswich and its position in the Hanseatic League; and a self-guided tour and quiz (with prizes!).
The Waterfront Ipswich Ipswich.Love All About Ipswich Heritage Harbours Group UK Maritime Heritage Trust Ipswich Star The Ipswich Society Heritage Harbours Community National Historic Ships UK Thames Sailing Barge Trust (TSBT) East Anglian Daily Times East Coast Gaffers BBC Suffolk

12/09/2026

Great to have Pioneer with us today.Tomorrow we’ll be welcoming Sailing Barge Thalatta, as well as Excelsior again.
If you’ve never been on board either of them, now’s your chance! Free. 11am-4pm. Common Quay, outside the Old Custom House.
Heritage Open Days The Waterfront Ipswich Heritage Harbours Group UK All About Ipswich Maritime Heritage Trust Ipswich.Love Excelsior Trust Thalatta Thames Sailing Barge Trust (TSBT) Pioneer Sailing Trust