Visitors flocked to some of the best-known buildings in Ipswich over the weekend as they opened their doors as part of the national Heritage Open Days event.

Queues built up around one of the oldest sites in Ipswich which was open for the first time after a major restoration by the borough council.

Number Four College Street is at the entrance to the Waterfront area and has been considered to be at risk for nearly 40 years.

But its council owner has now restored it and is looking for tenants to take over the new offices that have been created there.

Queues built up around the building as people flocked to try to see inside it - and because only a few people were allowed in at a time.

It is thought this might be the only opportunity to see inside the building for a long while because by the next Heritage Open Days there should be a tenant or tenants in place who might not want to invite the public to visit.

Two of the best-known buildings in Ipswich - from the opposite ends of architectural style - are the Unitarian Meeting House and the Willis Building and sit next to each other in Friars Street.

Both were attracting a significant number of visitors - many visitors were contrasting the styles from 1699 and 1975!

East Anglian Daily Times: The Willis Building, Ipswich. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNThe Willis Building, Ipswich. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Elsewhere in the town centre there was a chance to look again inside the Ancient House which is still awaiting a new tenant after Lakeland Kitchen store pulled out early last year.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Ancient House in Ipswich - did it once hide a king?The Ancient House in Ipswich - did it once hide a king? (Image: Archant)

The Ipswich Society organised the Heritage Open Days event in the town and had a stall on the Cornhill with guides to what was open.

Society chairman John Norman said there was some debate about whether it should go ahead following this week's news about Her Majesty The Queen's death - but ultimately they felt there was no reason to cancel.

He said: "That seems to have been justified judging by the number of people who have asked us for guides."

Among other places open were Ipswich Museum - which closes for two years in October for major renovations - Ipswich School, Gyppeswyck Hall and St Clement's Church arts centre.