Pay homage to one of Ipswich’s most celebrated sons when you view the Cardinal Thomas Wolsey statue. Born to a butcher in the 1470s, Thomas Wolsey studied at Oxford and became a priest in 1498. He earned great wealth as a statesman and held esteemed roles such as chaplain to the archbishop of Canterbury and a royal administrator. He was lord chancellor and almoner, or alms-giver, for King Henry VIII. Despite his affluence and power, Wolsey died shortly after failing to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
Scottish-sculptor David Annand was given the task of creating the Cardinal Thomas Wolsey statue. Find it at an intersection toward the southwest corner of the town center where Wolsey lived during his childhood. Besides celebrating the Wolsey, the statue is also said to showcase his status as an esteemed educator. Lining the surrounding streets are Tudor-style houses, which date to the period of Wolsey’s life and career.
The statue portrays Wolsey seated on a throne and dressed in his cardinal’s gowns. His right hand is positioned forward in a gesticulating manner and his left hand holds a book. Look for the cardinal’s cat, whose neck, head, front legs and tail protrude from the base of the throne. Note the inscription at the pedestal with the words of one of Wolsey’s ideologies: Pleasure should mingle with study so that the child may think learning an amusement rather than a toil.
Behind the statue and on the corner of Silent Street and St. Nicholas Street is the 15th-century Cardinal House. Read the plaque outside the house providing information about Wolsey. On the opposite side is a café with an outdoor seating area, where you can sit and enjoy views of a centuries-old district.
The Cardinal Thomas Wolsey statue is less than a 10-minute walk from popular tourist areas of Ipswich, such as Ipswich Waterfront and Buttermarket, a pedestrian-only shopping street. If you drive, use the metered car park nearby. The Ipswich Train Station is about 0.7 miles (1.1 kilometers) away.
