The story of Henry Tooley’s almshouses in Ipswich

“It started as just five rooms, each one to house two people, but the plans were much larger.”

When Peter, a man living in Tooley Court, starts a deep dive into the building’s rich history, he discovers that the residents of the establishment 400 years ago weren’t so different to how they are now.

Tuppence A Week is a new original heritage play by The Chainers young company about the history of Henry Tooley’s Almshouses on Foundation Street. It’s inspired by the real stories of both modern and Tudor residents of Tooley’s Almshouses, exploring poverty in the Tudor era and what it means to ask someone for help.

The Tooley’s Almshouses project is being funded by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.

The Chainers have a passion for performing heritage theatre, and this piece follows their successful immersive show The Wade Experience which they performed last year.

THE AVENUE THEATRE, IPSWICH

Tickets: £12 (Concessions £5)