SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)

                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                    Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant                     |X|
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  |_|

Check the appropriate box:
|_|     Preliminary Proxy Statement
|_|     Confidential, for Use of the Commission only (as permitted by
         Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|_|     Definitive Proxy Statement
|X|     Definitive Additional Materials
|_|     Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                            IPSWICH BANCSHARES, INC.
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                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

                                 Not Applicable
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    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)


Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

|X|   No fee required.
|_|   Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

     (1)  Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

     (2)  Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

     (3)  Per unit  price  or other  underlying  value of  transaction  computed
          pursuant to Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
          filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

     (4)  Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

     (5)  Total fee paid:

     |_|  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

     |_|  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
          Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
          was paid  previously.  Identify  the previous  filing by  registration
          statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

          1)   Amount Previously Paid:

          2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement no.:

          3)   Filing Party:

          4)   Date Filed:


                                    * * * * *




  PLEASE MARK VOTES
X AS IN THIS EXAMPLE

                                REVOCABLE PROXY
                            IPSWICH BANCSHARES, INC.


                    THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE
                               BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                  Annual Meeting of Stockholders April 25, 2001

         The  undersigned  hereby  appoints  David L. Grey,  Francis  Kenney and
Mariell  Lyons,  and  each or any of  them,  as  proxies,  with  full  power  of
substitution to each and to each substitute appointed pursuant to such power, of
the  undersigned  to vote all shares of stock of Ipswich  Bancshares,  Inc. (the
"Company")  which the  undersigned may be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting
of Stockholders  (the "Annual  Meeting") of the Company to be held on Wednesday,
April 25, 2001,  and at any and all  adjournments  thereof,  with all powers the
undersigned would possess if personally  present.  The proxies are authorized to
vote as  indicated  below  upon  the  matters  set  forth  herein  and in  their
discretion  upon all other  matters which may properly come before said Meeting.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the accompanying Notice
and Proxy  Statement for the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders  and hereby revokes
any  proxy  or  proxies,  if any,  heretofore  given by him to  others  for said
Meeting.





                                       _________________________________________
  Please be sure to sign and date      Date
   this Proxy in the box below.
________________________________________________________________________________



________Stockholder sign above_________Co-holder (if any) sign above____________


1.       Election of directors.

         NOMINEES:
         Thomas A. Ellsworth
         William J. Tinti

                                                For All
             For              Withhold          Except
             [_]                [_]               [_]


INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, mark "For
All Except" and write that nominee's name in the space provided below.


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         If this proxy is properly executed and returned, the shares represented
hereby will be voted.  If a choice is specified  above by the  stockholder  with
respect  to any  matter to be acted  upon,  the  shares  will be voted upon that
matter in  accordance  with the  specification  so made.  IN THE  ABSENCE OF ANY
SPECIFICATION,  THE SHARES  REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR PROPOSAL
1.

 => Detach above card, sign, date and mail in postage paid envelope provided. =>

                            IPSWICH BANCSHARES, INC.

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             PLEASE SIGN EXACTLY AS YOUR NAME APPEARS ON THIS CARD.

         Joint owners should sign.  When signing as an attorney,  administrator,
trustee, guardian or custodian for a minor, please give full title as such. If a
corporation,  please sign full corporate name and indicate the signer's  office.
If a partner, sign in partnership name.

                               PLEASE ACT PROMPTLY
                     SIGN, DATE & MAIL YOUR PROXY CARD TODAY
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IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED,  PLEASE  CORRECT THE ADDRESS IN THE SPACE  PROVIDED
BELOW AND RETURN THIS PORTION WITH THE PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.



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