Ipswich Building Identified

The Society of Antiquaries' e-mail newsletter appealed to members to help the RIBA to identify the subject of a watercolour by John Sell Cotman simply called 'Interior of a great hall'. Very quickly a reply came from Dr John Blatchly who commented: "This marvellous image shows the dormitory of the Ipswich Blackfriars which was the home of the ancient town library of Ipswich from 1614 to 1767, when the Grammar School used it for the main schoolroom until 1842." The site of the Blackfriars is a conserved area off Foundation Street.