Christchurch Park is located to the north of Ipswich town centre. The mansion is a fine Tudor building housing the Wolsey Art Gallery. In the 12th century the estate was established as an Augustinian priory. The ponds are fed by natural springs and supplied the resident monks with a good source of fish.

The house was presented to the town by Felix Cobbold while the park was bought by the Ipswich Corporation for £16,500. It opened to the public, free of charge, in 1895, but it has been enjoyed by Ipswich people since at least 1724. Until the end of the nineteenth century sheep could still be seen grazing in the parkland although the small herd of deer had by that time disappeared.

The park today covers 67 acres and is a town centre oasis, with many attractions both for people and wildlife, including a nature reserve, croquet lawns, arboreta, bowling green, tennis courts and children's play areas.