Summary
The Roman author Pliny the Elder documented the town of Colchester in the 1st Century AD. Known as Camulodunum at that time, it was the capital of Roman Britain and is now recognized as the oldest town in the UK.
A remarkable monument steeped in history is Colchester Castle, an exceptional surviving keep constructed during the Norman Conquest in the 1160s.
Within the castle, one can explore significant Roman artefacts and venture down into the vaults of a Roman temple.
Surrounding the castle is a Victorian town park, bisected by Camulodunum’s northern wall, which remarkably remains intact after 2,000 years.
For younger visitors, Colchester Zoo ranks among the finest, while scenic trips into the countryside lead to show gardens, tearooms, and the opportunity to indulge in fresh oysters at nearby Mersea Island.
Let us delve into the premier attractions in Colchester:
1. Colchester Castle Museum
Initiated during the Norman Conquest, Colchester Castle boasts the largest Norman castle keep in Europe, approximately 1.5 times the scale of the Tower of London’s White Tower.
Constructed atop the remnants of the Roman Temple of Claudius, the expansive vaults of this historic building can be explored through guided tours.
The exceptional Castle Museum features exquisite exhibits from excavations, including mosaics, the Roman Colchester Vase, and the Colchester Mercury statuette. Additionally, it includes interactive experiences designed to captivate younger audiences, such as excavating a Roman grave, constructing a Norman arch, and steering a chariot at Colchester’s recently unearthed circus.
One should not leave without viewing the Fewnwick Treasure, a collection of Roman jewellery discovered beneath a department store on Colchester High Street, or enjoying the panoramic view from the castle keep’s roof.
2. Castle Park
Castle Park attracts over one million guests annually.
This area is segmented by the northern segment of the Roman Wall, which lies between the Upper and Lower Park, taking on its present design during the Victorian era.
Spanning 27 acres, the park features a play area, café, boating lake, crazy golf course, and a bandstand, all enveloped in formal terraces and flowerbeds.
During the summer months, various events occur at Castle Park each weekend, including concerts featuring major touring artists and tribute acts, a food and drink festival in late June, a Medieval festival, an oyster fayre, and a series of outdoor film screenings.
3. Roman Wall
In the latter half of the 1st century, Camulodunum underwent fortification with imposing walls arranged in a rough rectangular shape.
These structures comprised septaria mudstone boulders, layered with alternating tiles and additional septaria.
The durability of these walls is evidenced by the fact that today two extensive sections remain, reaching heights of six metres along the north side through Castle Park and down the west side.
Visitors can trace the entire wall, including the gaps, along a two-mile path, but the highlight is along Balkerne Hill to the west.
There, one can encounter Balkerne Gate, which is recognized as Britain’s oldest and most well-preserved Roman entrance.
This once grand gateway to the city, situated on the route from London (Londinium), initially featured four portals and uniquely broad carriageways.
4. Colchester Zoo
Within a thoughtfully designed selection of themed habitats, Colchester Zoo hosts over 260 species from around the globe.
These include well-known spectacles such as African elephants, giraffes, African lions, and Humboldt penguins, alongside lesser-seen species like fennec foxes, sun bears, and Colombian black spider monkeys.
For a glimpse into the diversity, themed areas comprise the Orangutan Forest, the expansive Kingdom of the Wild (home to rhinoceroses and giraffes), Edge of Africa (featuring mandrills and cheetahs), Chimpanzee Lookout, Aardvark Burrows, Wallaby Walkabout, among others.
A daily “Encounter Timetable” showcases presentations and feeding sessions involving creatures from orangutans to sealions, red pandas, komodo dragons, meerkats, and vultures.
At the “Sensation Station,” children can interact with rabbits and lizards, while the zoo’s farm is home to sheep, llamas, and goats.
5. Hollytrees Museum
This complimentary local history museum is situated in an elegant early-Georgian townhouse within Castle Park.
The museum shares its premises with Colchester’s visitor information centre and features collections of decorative arts, costumes, and toys spanning over three centuries.
Notably, an intriguing collection of Colchester-made clocks is showcased, many of which are operational, in an exhibition named after its collector, Bernard Mason.
These clocks, produced by local craftsmen such as Nathaniel Hedge, John Smorthwait, and William Bacon, date back to the mid-17th century with a remarkable assortment of longcase clocks from the 1700s and 1800s.
Visitors can hear the clocks chime during their exploration.
A sensory garden and children’s play area encircle the museum.
6. Beth Chatto Gardens
The esteemed gardener Beth Chatto established this informal garden adjacent to her residence in 1960. This land had been neglected for decades due to poor, gravelly soil and waterlogged areas.
The gardens exemplify the principle of selecting the appropriate plants for specific conditions, effectively utilizing both the soil and the low annual rainfall with a diverse array of drought-resistant species.
Visitors can explore a gravel garden, scree garden, a lengthy shaded walk, woodland garden, and a water garden rich in clay, creating a captivating atmosphere.
The nursery offers plants propagated in the gardens, while the tearooms provide a delightful end to a peaceful visit.
7. Mercury Theatre
Colchester’s renowned performing arts venue is distinguished for its lineup of original productions every season, collectively titled “Made in Colchester”. These productions range from new scripts to family-oriented adaptations of classic fairytales such as Peter Pan and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The exceptional quality of these performances has earned the Mercury Theatre a reputation as one of the leading producing theatres in the UK.
In addition to its regular programming, the theatre’s two auditoriums host a variety of events, including talks featuring prominent figures, stand-up comedy, musicals, dance performances, variety shows, and live music.
The Digby Gallery presents short-term exhibitions showcasing local art.
8. Roman Circus Centre
The only known Roman circus in Britain was uncovered in 2005, dating back to approximately the early 2nd century AD. During the spring, summer, and autumn, the visitor centre at the site operates from Tuesday to Saturday, inviting guests to discover this significant historical landmark.
An estimated 8,000 spectators used to assemble to witness chariot races, and the excavated foundations of the starting gates are now visible.
The visitor centre provides insights into this discovery and features a timeline of the structure’s history, alongside artefacts unearthed during excavations, including one of the three turning posts.
9. High Woods Country Park
Located merely half a mile from Colchester’s train station, High Woods Country Park is a Green Flag-awarded area encompassing a mosaic of meadows, woodlands, scrub areas, and lakes.
Although within the town’s limits, the designated walking trails offer a countryside experience.
This land was formerly part of the Medieval Forest of Kingswood, valued for its timber, while countless sweet chestnut trees were planted within the last 200 years.
The lake is well populated with roach, carp, gudgeon, and tench, and is a favored coarse fishery outside of the spring months.
The visitor centre includes a café, and picnic tables are plentiful for those wishing to bring their own meals.
10. St Botolph’s Priory
An English Heritage site positioned close to the train station, St Botolph’s Priory is recognized as England’s first and most notable Augustinian convent.
The priory was established in the early 12th century, presenting early Norman architectural features that are visible in the semi-circular arch and the zigzag patterns of the archivolts adorning the main west door, known as the Pardon Door.
The sturdy columns in the former church nave display alternating bands of local flint mixed with red brick repurposed from Colchester’s Roman structures.
Henry VIII dissolved the priory in 1536, with much of the damage it incurred occurring during the Siege of Colchester in the summer of 1648 amidst the English Civil War.
11. Natural History Museum
Since 1958, Colchester’s Natural History Museum has been located in the former All Saints Church, which has existed in some capacity since Norman times.
Visitors can uncover numerous fascinating stories, including the account of an earthquake that struck Colchester in 1884, as well as information about some unusual creatures such as hippos and mammoths that once roamed this region of Europe.
Exhibits also include a display dedicated to the stag beetle, an insect predominantly found in Kent and Essex, alongside insights into climate change and an in-depth exploration of Essex’s geology.
For younger visitors, the museum features a recreated badger sett to crawl through and an interactive microscope for hands-on learning.
12. Firstsite
Firstsite, a contemporary art museum designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, is conveniently situated within walking distance from Castle Gardens.
The attraction initially sparked interest due to its unique design and construction costs upon opening in 2011. Since that time, Firstsite has exhibited works by noted artists such as László Moholy-Nagy, Eduardo Paolozzi, Nam June Paik, Barbara Hepworth, Grayson Perry, Ai Weiwei, and Andy Warhol.
The only permanent display features a Roman mosaic uncovered on-site during construction.
In the summer of 2018, four concurrent exhibitions were featured, the most notable being the satirical “Bronze Age c. 3500-AD 2018,” initially displayed by London’s Hauser & Wirth Gallery for the London Frieze in 2017, and including works by Henry Moore and Alberto Giacometti.
13. Munnings Art Museum
Located a short drive away in Dedham, eight miles northeast, the Munnings Art Museum is dedicated to one of England’s most revered equestrian painters.
Sir Alfred Munnings resided in Castle House for 40 years until his passing in 1959, gaining recognition for his dynamic depictions of racing scenes.
The property itself is historic, with elements tracing back to Tudor times.
This venue is ideally suited for housing the largest collection of Munnings’ work globally, with a new chronological exhibition of 150 of his paintings showcased each year.
In 2018, an additional exhibition celebrated Munnings’ affiliation with the Royal Academy, marking the 250th anniversary of this institution.
14. Mersea Island
Located less than ten miles southeast of Colchester, Mersea Island sits at the confluence of the Colne and Blackwater estuaries.
The island is accessible from the mainland via the Strood, a causeway that may flood during high tide.
West Mersea has a long-standing reputation as a summer holiday destination, featuring a sandy and gravel beach lined with vibrant beach huts.
Scattered across the island are charming weatherboard cottages and remnants of military structures from the Second World War.
However, Mersea is predominantly famous for its seafood, particularly oysters harvested from the mudflats since Roman times.
The Company Shed stands out as a quaint establishment serving exceptionally fresh crab, prawns, eels, oysters, and mussels, consistently receiving outstanding reviews over the past decade.
15. Tiptree Tea Room, Museum and Jam Shop
Many individuals who have enjoyed a cream tea or stayed in hotels across England will recognize the brand Wilkin & Sons, which has been producing preserves, jams, and marmalades in the village of Tiptree since 1885. Queen Elizabeth II visited the factory during its 125th-anniversary celebrations in 2010. The short drive from Colchester leads to a great spot for lunch and tea.
The factory shop offers delightful products such as strawberry and champagne jam or salted caramel spread.
The on-site jam museum features vintage machinery, historic documents, and photographs collected over the company’s 130-plus years.
