Trail Makers digital heritage trail

Led by the Thomas Wolsey 550 project in partnership with the Ipswich Society, Ipswich Trail Makers — a new interactive heritage trail designed by children — launched in September 2026, using digital technology to bring to life the stories of individuals who helped shape the town for the better.

Over the summer, children from eight schools took part in a series of workshops exploring the stories of individuals already honoured by the Ipswich Society’s Blue Plaque scheme.

Each school selected the story that resonated with them most — from fossil hunter and philanthropist Elizabeth Cobbold to scientist George Clowes, who contributed to the development of insulin — before using creative digital tools to research and build their chosen figure into a character.

The finished trail spans eight sites across Ipswich: Ipswich Railway Station, Christchurch Park, Holywells Park, Museum Street, Fore Street, Woodbridge Road, High Street and Ipswich School. At each stop, visitors can scan a QR code on the sign to unlock the character on their phone, hear them speak, read their story and collect all eight along the way. It arrives as part of this year’s Heritage Open Days, coordinated by the Ipswich Society.

A launch event was held at The Old Custom House on Common Quay — a fitting setting, as the historic building was constructed a few years after the Wet Dock opened, and once stood as the dominant landmark along the epicentre of trade and commerce that the Wet Dock’s construction made possible. It was here, too, that the day’s second milestone unfolded: the unveiling of a brand-new Blue Plaque, that makes a great start point for the rest of the trail!

While all eight trail markers honour individuals who already hold a Blue Plaque, the day included a special mention for a story that didn’t — until now. Pupils from Broke Hall Primary School set out to find someone deserving of recognition whose story had never been told, and to make the case for celebrating them. Their search led them to Edward Caley, a young engineer originally from the Isle of Man who, in his early twenties, began work on the construction of the Wet Dock as a surveyor before later taking on sole responsibility for the project.

Working with the Ipswich Society’s Blue Plaque coordinator, local historians and archivists from the Manx Museum, the pupils put together a formal pitch to have Caley recognised — meeting the official criteria by researching how the Wet Dock solved the problems of the river, and, just as importantly to them, how his work continues to shape Ipswich today as a waterfront town.

Pupils from schools across the trail gathered to showcase their Blue Plaque characters, and the morning built to a surprise unveiling of the new plaque for Caley — making the Broke Hall pupils among the youngest people ever to successfully nominate someone for a Blue Plaque.

Anna, from St Helen Primary School, said of seeing her research come to life: “I loved seeing our character talk — it’s so cool.”

Reflecting on the impact of the project, Reuben, one of the Broke Hall pupils who helped pitch the Caley proposal, said: “It’s changed the way I view the town. I mean, I can say when I walk past the plaque to my family, I did that!”

On the process of historical research, fellow Broke Hall pupil Oliver added: “One of the challenges we faced was learning that you’ve really got to do your research — even official documents aren’t always accurate.”

The pupils’ research into Caley will be submitted to the Manx Museum archive.

Ipswich Trail Makers was made possible through a partnership between Thomas Wolsey 550, the Ipswich Society, Sizewell Creative and Packaged Living, with the trail’s characters brought to life by technology partner Urban Tech Creative, and support from a number of other organisations. Special thanks go to ABP for hosting the launch, to the Mayor and Member of Parliament for Ipswich for attending, and to all those who came along to celebrate the pupils’ work.

The new Blue Plaque for Edward Caley can be seen at The Old Custom House, but the whole trail can be completed by visiting the website link provided to the dedicated ‘Trail Makers’ website.