The Alderman Canal

Today's Alderman Canal is the original course of the River Gipping. It is situated close to Portman Road Football Ground. The river ran through the marshes of Ipswich where the Aldermen or Portmen (councillors) used to graze their stock. They would bring their animals down a track which is now known as Portman Road. This part of the river, from the docks to West End Road Bridge, was by-passed in the 18th century when the river was made navigable as far as Stowmarket. Barges once plied this section bringing wood to a timber yard. With the passage of time and the demand for housing in Ipswich, part of the old course of the Gipping was enclosed in culverts. Handford Mill which later became a laundry once stood at the end of the Alderman Canal.

The original river course continued in a bend past the area where the Civic Centre and Woolsey Theatre now stand (indeed, construction of the present underground car-park was held up by major flooding - not surprising, when one considers this was once a river course!). The river then flowed on in its culvert past what is now the Guardian Royal Exchange buildings across Woolsey Street, where the rises in the road can still be seen, then on to the back of Jewsons and finally into the Orwell at Stoke Bridge. One can still see where the culvert ends.

The section by the Guardian Royal Exchange is thought to have been blocked off during the construction of this building. Hence the Alderman Canal is today little more than a elongated pond.

The present Talk Electric Centre is on the site of the old power station . The latter was built in 1901 and housed large turbines which were cooled with water from this section of the river. The pumping house is still visible, as is an area of the Alderman Canal where the hot water was pumped back. This was a favourite area for swimming. Boating was also a popular pastime. It is not really known if the section was really a canal in the accepted sense, but clearly man had carried out some construction work on the sides. At the time "canal" was a popular name for important river sections.

In the 1960s the river defences were built and but for the foresight of George Alderson of Gipping Anglian Preservation, this area may have been completely filled in. He insisted that a large fish stock valve was placed at the entry to the canal.

Turning this site into a Local Nature Reserve

Time and neglect took their toll. The area became a popular tipping ground and fell into disrepair. Rotting waste starved the water of oxygen so necessary to life.

In the 1980s John Bignel, a conservation officer for the Borough Council, took an interest in this area. Ipswich Wildlife Group had recently been formed and they first helped with pulling out bikes, supermarket trolleys and other rubbish. But the site was silting up faster than the group could cope. In the early 1990s John Welsh, then chairman of the group, approached the Ipswich Borough Council with a view to making the area a Nature Reserve.

A wildlife survey and management plan were commissioned in co-operation with Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The Borough Environment Committee were in favour a joint usage of the area and so Gipping Angling Preservation Society and Ipswich Wildlife Group set about getting funding. It was not long before they had their first success with £2,500 from Ipswich Co -Operative Society. This was followed by a Grant for £5,000 from UK2000. (a joint body consisting of the Department of the Environment and large industrial partners. Appropriately BT, who had just moved into newly built offices close to Alderman Canal, were part of this consortium. The grant was "match-funded" by Gipping Angling Preservation Society and work begun in the winter 1992. Whilst GAPS worked on the banks, IWG felled the trees to make way for the dredgers. In particular large number of sycamores were felled - this tree is not native to Britain and is known as the weed of trees - it spreads too well and its ability to support wildlife is very limited. The top canal was dredged by the Environment Agency paid for by joint funding. This work enabled IWG to win second prize in the Eastern Electricity Board Suffolk Environment Awards. Nature has since taken over the scars left by man.

In 1995 further funding was obtained from Marks and Spencer and the lower stream dredged, a small bridge was built by IWG volunteers led by Bill Goodyear and some planting was done.

In 1996 the group obtained further major funding of £5,000 from the Hanson Environment Fund and a cheque was presented by ARC, part of the Hanson group. This made it possible to turn half of the area (from Bibb Way to Alderman Road) into a pathway for the disabled. In the construction of this rolled crushed stones and cement backfill were used, rather than black tarmac, thus preserving the natural feel of the area.

This photograph is reproduced with the permission of Ipswich Borough Council.

In the Spring of 1997 the site was officially declared a Local Nature Reserve by English Nature. The realisation of a dream was accomplished. The site has been described as an unknown gem of wildlife in Urban Ipswich - where even the secretive kingfisher has been seen.

With the arrival of winter in 1997/8, as nature hibernates, work on the site will continue - linking the area with the main River Orwell and providing a pathway for the disabled from the town centre.

Flora and Fauna

Detailed surveys are currently taking place and these will be added later.