How old is Isaacs on the Quay in Ipswich?

Home to a handful of Grade I and II-listed buildings, this pub’s roots go back a long time – and I wanted to find out more.  

So I met up with Ipswich Society chairman John Norman, along with Isaacs’ owner Aidan Coughlan, to have a tour around the place and find out more about some of its most historical features.  

Isaac Lords before the conversion (Image: John Norman)

“It’s constantly changed its use over the years,” explained John.  

Around 1900, local coal merchant Isaac Lord purchased the complex for his business which was mainly selling grain and horse feed. And when he passed away, his daughter, Miss Irene Lord, ran the business.   

“Reginald Cooper worked for Miss Lord as her manager, and eventually his son Stuart joined the business as a young lad in 1962. By 1978, he had been promoted and was charged with finding a new use for the premises – and his dream was to turn it into a trendy craft market and tourist destination. However, he was ahead of the game and it wasn't to be as the Waterfront was still a working port at that time,” said John. 

A photo of Tony, the last working horse at Isaac Lords, who passed away in 1954 (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

“One of Stuart’s ideas that did come to life, however, was turning the Malt Kiln into a public house in 1984. Although small in comparison to what Isaacs is today, it was successful nonetheless.”  

Restoration of the warehouse continued until 2004 when Stuart decided to sell. That’s when Aidan Coughlan came along, who has been working on the popular complex ever since.  

And if you’ve ever been to the courtyard at Isaacs, you’ll notice towards the back, under the crossway, is a door on the right-hand side. That leads you to the Merchant’s House – which goes back to 1636.  

The back of the Merchant's House (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

“The Merchant’s House is of critical importance, and the little cottage next door is the oldest building here,” said John.  

The ground floor was used as a retail shop, and the room upstairs was called the sale room.  

“All of the stuff the merchant imported came into the warehouse and was sorted – the big bundles were sold at auction, while the smaller bundles such as bottles of wine were sold out here. 

The front of Merchant's House (Image: Danielle Lett, Newsquest)

“You’ll also notice that most of the yard is set with wooden blocks. Back in the old days, carts had wooden wheels with a steel tyre around the outside, and when they trundled down the street they made loads of noise. But wooden wheels going over wooden blocks were silent, so the lady of the house wasn’t woken up.” 

Inside the Grade I-listed Merchant’s House (used as a wedding venue today), much has been done to preserve its heritage and history.

The dining room inside the Merchant's House (Image: Danielle Lett, Newsquest)

There’s an original fireplace and original floorboards in the dining room. Aidan added that when he was doing the restorations, he uncovered a room which had been closed off for centuries.  

Upstairs, original wood panelling that dates back to the 17th century adorns the hallway. 

What really struck me were the original crooked stairs.

Original panelling in the hallway (Image: Danielle Lett, Newsquest)

“And at the top here, there’s prismatic light on the ceiling. This light is coming in from outside, and makes sure there’s a bit of light shining down the stairs,” explained John.  

“When we took on the house, we weren’t allowed to touch the stairs due to its listed status,” added Aidan.  

“The whole renovation took 18 months – we did the pub first and this house was the second phase. It’s an ongoing project."

One of the most fascinating features at Isaacs has to be the hidden secret up in the former Machine Room – a carefully-restored corn dressing machine which dates back to the 18th century.  

The corn dressing machine at Isaacs which dates back to the 18th century (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

This machine was used to make horse feed, which would’ve been transported to London. 

“The motor is now electric but it originally would’ve been gas,” explained Aidan. “It actually still works, and we do grind stuff in there for demonstrations.” 

A sign on the corn machine which reads: 'Restored by John L Jackaman & Son, December 2009' (Image: Isaac Lords)

Prior to the pandemic, Aidan and his team would do tours of the Isaacs, allowing customers to see the intricate machinery at work, and was a popular destination during Heritage Open Days. 

And in the Malt Kiln, just next door, you may have spotted holes in the floor if you’ve ever visited. 

A sign in the Malt Kiln at Isaacs, explaining the process. Beneath it are examples of the tiles (Image: Danielle Lett, Newsquest)

“The barley was spread out across the floor, and the heat from the furnace directly beneath would cause the barley to sprout. And just as the barley began to sprout, you stop the process, which then turned it into malt,” explained John. 

While malt and grain are no longer produced here – it's fascinating nonetheless to see what this popular pub was used for in a past life.