One of the oldest houses in Ipswich is that known as Christ Church, the dwelling place of the Fonnereaus for many generations. It is one of the oldest houses in England, and has been inhabited for 350 years. There is not a better example of Elizabethan building to be met with anywhere. More than once has Royalty been hospitably entertained there. The most celebrated Royal visitor was Queen Elizabeth, who made a tour of the Eastern Counties in 1589, and rode through Essex and Suffolk with a crowd of attendant cavaliers. Her Majesty reached Ipswich in August, and was entertained there four days. Local tradition says that the bed Her Majesty slept in may be seen to this day in the haunted chamber of the old mansion. Long before the house was built, there was on the spot the convent and priory of Christ Church, tenanted by monks, known as Black Canons of St. Augustine, who took an active part in the business of the town, and to whom King John granted a charter for a market, which became a very popular one. As regards the park, the legend is that the bowling-green on the summit, now surrounded by a double avenue of magnificent limes, was one of those places selected by the Druids for purposes of worship. It is certain that the Danes, who were much given to sailing up and down the Orwell, on plunder bent, chose this very spot as the site of what may be called a hall of justice. There is reason to believe that on this very green Charles II. played bowls. There was a celebrated Lord Rochester who visited the house, and found the park-keeper driving two donkeys for the purpose of keeping the turf in good order. Further tradition says that in order not to hurt the turf the donkeys wore boots, which induced the facetious Earl to observe that Ipswich was “a town without people, that there was a river without water, and that asses wore boots.” Christ Church is now on sale. Ultimately it is to be hoped it will be purchased by the Corporation for a people’s palace and park.