Gainsborough is a compact, largely residential ward within the borough of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. It tends to combine interwar and post‑war housing with smaller local shops, schools and community centres, giving it a neighbourly, urban feel rather than a rural one. The ward shares in Ipswich’s long market‑town and maritime history, and many residents commute into the town centre or to nearby industrial and port employers.
Socially and culturally the area is characterised by a mixed population and active grassroots organisations, with local parks and sports facilities serving as community hubs. While not a headline tourist spot, Gainsborough offers a snapshot of everyday Ipswich life, where modest historic streets sit alongside more modern council and private housing and small‑scale local enterprises.
Postcode districts covering Gainsborough
Most populated places nearby
- Ipswich 1.4 miles
- Colchester 15.7 miles
- Clacton-on-Sea 16.1 miles
- Bury St. Edmunds 23.9 miles
- Felixstowe 8.7 miles
- Sudbury 18.7 miles
- Stowmarket 13 miles
- Harwich 7.7 miles
- Walton-on-the-Naze 13.1 miles
- Frinton-on-Sea 14.2 miles
- Halstead 23.6 miles
- Woodbridge 7.1 miles
Neighbouring places
- Holywells Ward 0.9 miles
- Priory Heath Ward 1.1 miles
- Bridge Ward 1.3 miles
- Ipswich Built-up area 1.4 miles
- St. John's Ward 1.5 miles
- Bixley Ward 1.6 miles
- Alexandra Ward 1.6 miles
- Wherstead Parish 1.7 miles
- Purdis Farm Parish 1.8 miles
- Stoke Park Ward 2 miles
- Freston Parish 2 miles
- Orwell Ward 2.1 miles
Example postcodes in Gainsborough
IP3 9PB, IP3 0RG, IP3 0QZ, IP3 9JS, IP3 0LY, IP3 0LP, IP3 0JR, IP3 9LX, IP3 9LJ … See all
Transport links
- London Southend Airport 38 miles
- Stansted Airport 41.3 miles
- Derby Road Railway Station 1.2 miles
- Ipswich Railway Station 1.7 miles
Hotels near Gainsborough Ad
- Salthouse Harbour Hotel and Spa 4 1.4 miles
- Holiday Inn Ipswich Orwell 3 1.5 miles
- The Railway 5 3.3 miles
- Muthu Belstead Brook Hotel 4 2.1 miles
- Travelodge Ipswich 3 1.3 miles
- Novotel Ipswich Centre Hotel 4 1.6 miles
- Mermaid, Ipswich by Marston's Inns 2.4 miles
- Premier Inn Ipswich South 3 1.1 miles
- Ipswich Inn 1.2 miles
- Premier Inn Ipswich South East 3 1.5 miles
Schools in Gainsborough
- Piper's Vale Primary - A Paradigm Academy Primary
Local points of interest
- Suffolk College University 1.5 miles
- Portman Road Stadium 1.9 miles
- Foxall Stadium Stadium 2.5 miles
- Newbourne Springs Nature reserve 5.9 miles
- Harwich International Ferry Terminal Harbour 6.8 miles
- Felixstowe Trinity Terminal Harbour 7 miles
- Sutton Hoo Archaeological site 8.2 miles
- Harwich Harbor Harbour 8.4 miles
- Pedlars Wood Forest 13.8 miles
- Colchester Community Stadium Stadium 14 miles
- University of Essex University 14.4 miles
- Roman Circus visitor centre Museum 15.8 miles