Habitats and features

Collage of photos of Christchurch Park

Christchurch Park is a designated County Wildlife Site and is located in one of Ipswich's conservation areas. It is on the English Heritage register of historic parks and gardens of special historic interest.

It has a variety of habitats including ponds, grassland, native and non-native plants, and woodland - including old and veteran trees.

The oaks and sweet chestnuts in Christchurch Park are particularly important as some of them are 300 - 400 years old. Many of the species that thrive in the park today are rare in an urban situation.

Special features

Christchurch Park itself is Grade II listed and features the Grade I listed Christchurch Mansion. There are also 14 other Grade II listed structures within the park, including:

  • lodges
  • gates
  • walls
  • shelters
  • drinking fountains
  • Martyr's Memorial
  • Boer War Memorial
  • Memorial to the Great War and Second World War
  • the Ice House.

Some of the park's other features also have historic importance, such as:

  • the Oval Lawn
  • the Bog Pond
  • the Round Pond
  • the Wilderness Pond
  • the Horseshoe Pond
  • the Rock Garden
  • the Peace Garden
  • the Mayor's Walk
  • the Ancient Avenue
  • the arts and crafts pavilion
  • the refreshment pavilion
  • the Mansion area - which is designated as an Area of Archaeological Importance;
  • the Arboreta - which are significant here in a town setting.