Colchester
Encyclopedia
Colchester (ˈkoʊlʧɛstər) is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester
in Essex
, England.
At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the oldest recorded Roman town in Britain, Colchester claims to be the oldest town in Britain
. It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain
and also claims to have the United Kingdom's oldest recorded market
. The town is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network
.
Colchester is 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of London. It is connected to the capital by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line
. It is seen as a popular town for commuters, and is less than 30 miles away from Stansted Airport.
Colchester is home to Colchester Castle
and Colchester United Football Club. It has a Liberal Democrat
Member of Parliament.
Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town
in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder
, who died in AD 79. Before the Roman conquest of Britain it was already a centre of power for Cunobelin - known to Shakespeare as Cymbeline
- king of the Catuvellauni (c.5 BC - AD 40), who minted coins there. Its Celt
ic name, Camulodunon, variously represented as CA, CAM, CAMV, CAMVL and CAMVLODVNO on the coins of Cunobelinus, means 'the fortress of [the war god] Camulos'.
in AD 43, a Roman legionary fortress was established. Later, when the Roman frontier moved outwards and the twentieth legion had moved to the west (c.AD 49), Camulodunum became a colonia
named in a second-century inscription as Colonia Victricensis. This contained a large and elaborate Temple to the Divine Claudius
.
Camulodunum served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica
's rebellion in AD 61. Sometime after the destruction, London became the capital of the province of Britannia
. Colchester's town walls c. 3,000 yd. long were built c.65-80 A.D. when the Roman town was rebuilt after the Boudicca rebellion. In 2004, Colchester Archaeological Trust discovered the remains of a Roman Circus (chariot race track) underneath the Garrison in Colchester, a unique find in Britain.
(1913 - June 1977) the English historian who specialised in the study of the institutions of the Roman Empire
and the history of Sub-Roman Britain, suggested in his book "The Age of Arthur" (1973) that as the descendants of Romanised Britons looked back to a golden age of peace and prosperity under Rome the name "Camelot
" of Arthurian legend was probably a reference to Camulodunum
, the capital of Britannia
in Roman times.
The archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler
was the first to propose that the lack of early Anglo-Saxon
finds in a triangle between London, Colchester and St Albans
could indicate a 'sub-Roman triangle' where British rule continued after the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Since then excavations have revealed some early Saxon occupation, including a fifth-century wooden hut built on the ruins of a Roman house in present-day Lion Walk. Archaeological excavations have shown that public buildings were abandoned, and is very doubtful whether Colchester survived as a settlement with any urban characteristics after the sixth century.
The chronology of its revival is obscure. But the ninth-century Historia Brittonum, attributed to Nennius
, mentions the town, which it calls Cair Colun, in a list of the thirty most important cities in Britain. Colchester was in the area assigned to the Danelaw
in c.880, and remained in Danish hands until 917 when it was besieged and recaptured by the army of Edward the Elder
The tenth-century Saxons called the town Colneceastre, which is directly equivalent to the Cair Colun of 'Nennius'. The tower of Holy Trinity Church is late Saxon work.
Medieval Colchester's main landmark is Colchester Castle
, which is an 11th century Norman keep, and built on top of the vaults of the old Roman temple
. There are notable medieval ruins in Colchester, including the surviving gateway of the Benedictine
abbey of St. John the Baptist
(known locally as "St. John's Abbey"), and the ruins of the Augustinian priory
of St. Botolph (known locally as "St. Botolph's Priory
"). Many of Colchester's parish churches
date from this period.
In 1189, Colchester was granted its first royal charter
by King Richard I (Richard the Lionheart
.) The charter was granted at Dover
with the king about to embark on one of his many journeys away from England. The borough celebrated the 800th anniversary of its charter in 1989.
Colchester developed rapidly during the later fourteenth century as a centre of the woollen cloth industry, and became famous in many parts of Europe for its russets (fabrics of a grey-brown colour). This allowed the population to recover exceptionally rapidly from the effects of the Black Death
, particularly by immigration into the town.
By the 'New Constitutions' of 1372, a borough council was instituted; the two baillifs who represented the borough to the king were now expected to consult sixteen ordinary councillors and eight auditors (later called aldermen). Even though Colchester's fortunes were more mixed during the fifteenth century, it was still a more important place by the sixteenth century than it had been in the thirteenth. In 1334 it would not have ranked among England's wealthiest fifty towns, to judge from the taxation levied that year. By 1524, however, it ranked twelfth, as measured by its assessment to a lay subsidy.
Between 1550 and 1600, a large number of weavers and clothmakers from Flanders
emigrated to Colchester and the surrounding areas. They were famed for the production of Bays and Says cloth. An area in Colchester town centre is still known as the Dutch Quarter and many buildings there date from the Tudor
period. During this period Colchester was one of the most prosperous wool towns in England, and was also famed for its oyster
s. The old Roman wall runs along Northgate Street in the Dutch Quarter.
In 1648, during the Second English Civil War
, a Royalist
army led by Lord Goring
entered the town. A pursuing Parliamentary
army led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Henry Ireton
surrounded the town for eleven and a half weeks, a period known as the Siege of Colchester
. It started on the 13 June. The Royalists surrendered in the late summer (on the 27 August Lord Goring signed the surrender document in the Kings Head Inn) and Sir Charles Lucas
and Sir George Lisle
were executed in the grounds of Colchester Castle
. A small obelisk marks the spot where they fell.
Daniel Defoe
mentions in A tour through England and Wales
that the town lost 5259 people to the plague
in 1665, "more in proportion than any of its neighbours, or than the city of London". By the time he wrote this in 1722, however, he estimated its population to be around 40,000 (including "out-villages").
.
In 1884, the town was struck by the Colchester earthquake
, estimated to have been 4.7 on the Richter Scale causing extensive regional damage.
The Paxman diesels business has been associated with Colchester since 1865 when James Noah Paxman founded a partnership with the brothers Henry and Charles Davey ('Davey, Paxman, and Davey') and opened the Standard Ironworks. In 1925, Paxman produced its first spring injection oil engine and joined the English Electric Diesel Group in 1966 - later becoming part of the GEC Group. Since the 1930s the Paxman company's main business has been the production of diesel engine
s.
diocese
for Essex
, to be split off from the existing Diocese of Rochester
. The bid was unsuccessful, with county town Chelmsford forming the seat of the new diocese
. The University of Essex
was established on the outskirts of the town at Wivenhoe Park in 1961. The £22.7M eight-mile A120
Colchester Eastern Bypass opened in June 1982.
Colchester and the surrounding area is currently undergoing significant regeneration, including controversial greenfield residential development in Mile End and Braiswick. The town's football team, Colchester United, moved into a brand new stadium at Cuckoo Farm in 2008.
Colchester, Camulodunum
and Colonia Victricensis forms one of 38 sites seeking World Heritage Site
status, with a shortlist to be submitted to UNESCO
for consideration in 2011. The town is also one of twenty-five across the UK applying for city status
to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
in 2012.
(Köppen climate classification
Cfb) like the rest of the United Kingdom. Its easterly position within the British Isles makes Colchester less prone to Atlantic depressions and weather fronts but more prone to droughts.
This is because like most areas in South-East England, Colchester's weather is influenced more by Continental weather patterns than Atlantic weather systems. This leads to a dry climate compared to the rest of the UK all year round and occasional (relative) extremes of temperatures during the year (occasional late 20°Cs/early30°Cs during the summer) and quite a few nights below freezing during the winter months (daytime high temperatures are seldom below freezing). Any rainfall that does come from Atlantic weather systems is usually light, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorm
s can take place during the summer. Snow
falls on average 13 days a year during winter and very early spring.
The highest temperature recorded in Colchester was 35 °C (95 °F) in August 2003 (during the 2003 European heat wave
), and the lowest was -18 °C in February 2007.
era. The Colchester Garrison
is currently home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade. The Army's only military corrective training centre, known colloquially within the forces and locally as "The Glasshouse
" after the original military prison in Aldershot
, is in Berechurch Hall Road, on the outskirts of Colchester. The centre holds servicemen and women from all three services who are sentenced to serve periods of detention
.
From 1998 to 2008, the garrison area of the town underwent massive redevelopment. A lot of the Ministry of Defence
land was sold for private housing development and parts of the garrison were moved. Many parts of the garrison now stand empty awaiting the second phase of the development.
Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state. From 2009, these salutes have taken place in Castle Park.
for Colchester is Bob Russell (LibDem
).
Colchester Borough Council is the local authority. Control of the borough council has passed between the Conservatives
and Liberal Democrats
in recent years. The political composition of the council is (2010 election results)
The town is also represented on Essex
County Council. Individual villages within the borough boundaries are also represented by parish councils.
, features an extensive exhibit on Roman Colchester. Nearby are Hollytrees Museum
, a social history museum with children's exhibits in the former home of Charles Gray
, and the town's Natural History Museum, located in the former All Saints' Church. Tymperley's Clock Museum, located in the town centre in a 15th century timber-framed house, once home to William Gilbert, now houses the Bernard Mason
clock collection.
Opened in 1972, the Mercury Theatre
is one the region's leading repertory theatres. Next door is Colchester Arts Centre, a multi-function arts venue located in the former St Mary-at-the-Walls church, and home of the Colchester Beer Festival. Headgate Theatre is also in Colchester.
firstsite
is a contemporary art organisation, currently housed in the Minories, near the Castle. The Visual Arts Facility, designed by Rafael Viñoly
, opened in September 2011, after delays caused by a shortfall in funding at a total cost of approximately £25.5 million, £9 million more than the original estimate.
Other than the Arts Centre, live music venues in Colchester include The Twist, Charter Hall, The Fat Cat (pub), and several others.
In 2009, an art collective called 'Slack Space' took up some of the closed-down shops in the town and converted them into art galleries with the hope of promoting art and design in the town. Art is rather prominent in Colchester due to the Colchester School of Art and Design which is based in Colchester Institute
near the centre of the town.
, formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1937. They were succeeded by professional club Colchester United
, who compete in the Football League One
and play home games at Colchester Community Stadium. Founded in 1937, the club entered the Football League in 1950. Colchester United Ladies
play in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
. Other sports teams based in the town include Colchester Rugby Football Club, Colchester Gladiators American Football Club, Colchester Weight Lifting Club and Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club. Essex County Cricket Club
play some of their home games at Castle Park Cricket Ground
, home of Colchester & East Essex.
Sports facilities in Colchester include the sports centre, Colchester Leisure World, Colchester Garrison
Athletics Stadium (a co-operative facility used by both the army and civilian population), and a skatepark
.
, Avignon
, Orléans
, Tarragona
, and Siena
.
Colchester's twin towns
are:
Wetzlar
, Germany, since 1969 Avignon
, France, since 1972 Imola
, Italy, since 1997
and Colchester County High School
, the remainder being comprehensives. Comprehensive secondary schools include Alderman Blaxill School
, Gilberd School
, Colchester Academy, Philip Morant School and College
, St Helena Media Arts College, St Benedict's Catholic College
The Stanway School and the Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College
.
, Holmwood House School, Oxford House School and St. Mary's School.
is located to the east of Colchester in Wivenhoe Park, in the civil parish of Wivenhoe
. Other tertiary institutions include Colchester Sixth Form College
and Colchester Institute
.
Colchester has a bus system (run by First Essex
, Network Colchester
, Hedingham Omnibuses
, Constable Coaches (Beeston's) Carters Coach Services
, Cedric Coaches, New Horizon Travel, H.C. Chambers & Son
and Regal Busways
which mainly centres around Colchester Temporary Bus Station in the town centre or the one-way system. The temporary bus station is due to close at the end of 2012. As of October 2010, there are currently no plans to replace the bus station. Instead, the town will have several bus 'superstops'.
Colchester is also located on the Great Eastern Main Line
-run by National Express east Anglia-with intercity services serving Chelmsford
, Ipswich
, Norwich
, Stratford
and London
. Other destinations include Peterborough
, Cambridge
and other more local destinations. These are all from the town's main railway station
. Trains also go to Clacton on Sea, Frinton on Sea, Wivenhoe
and Walton-on-the-Naze
all week from the main station and Monday to Saturday from Colchester Town railway station
, located on the Sunshine Coast Line.
in the north of Colchester. There is considerable local opposition to this proposal, which is also opposed by the Borough Councillors for Mile End, the Ward councillor for Essex County Council, Myland Parish Council and Bob Russell MP. The project is under review by Colchester Borough Council, and there is some hope that the Core Strategy itself can be reviewed in 2012.
', 'Humpty Dumpty
' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'. The legitimacy of the claims for the first two of these is disputed.
Local legend places Colchester as the seat of King Cole
(or Coel) of the rhyme Old King Cole, a legendary ancient king of Britain. The name Colchester is from Latin
: the place-name suffixes chester, cester, and caster derive from the Latin word castrum (fortified place). In folk etymology the name Colchester was thought of as meaning Cole's Castle, though it actually means the Roman fort 'Colonia'. In the legend Helena, the daughter of Cole, married the Roman
senator Constantius Chlorus
, who had been sent by Rome as an ambassador and was named as Cole's successor. Helena's son became Emperor Constantine I
. Helena was canonised as Saint
Helena of Constantinople
and is credited with finding the true cross
and the remains of the Magi
. She is now the patron saint of Colchester. This is recognised in the emblem of Colchester: a cross and three crowns. The Mayor's medallion contains a Byzantine style icon of Saint Helena. A local secondary school – St Helena's – is named after her, and her statue is atop the town hall, although local legend is that it was originally a statue of Blessed Virgin Mary which was later fitted with a cross.
Colchester is also the most widely credited source of the rhyme Humpty Dumpty
. During the siege of Colchester in the Civil War, a Royalist sniper known as One-Eyed Thompson sat in the belfry of the church of St Mary-at-the-Walls (Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall) and was given the nickname Humpty Dumpty, most likely because of his size, Humpty Dumpty being a common insult for the overweight. Thompson was shot down (Humpty Dumpty had a great fall) and, shortly after, the town was lost to the Parliamentarians (all the king's horses and all the king's men / couldn't put Humpty together again.) Another version says that Humpty Dumpty was a cannon on the top of the church. The church of St Mary-at-the-Walls still retains its Norman tower until the top few feet, which are a Georgian repair.
The third rhyme to come from Colchester is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
, which was written by Jane Taylor in the town's Dutch Quarter, and published in 1806 with the title "The Star".
Colchester has also been suggested as one of the potential sites of Camelot
, on account of having been the capital of Roman Britain and its ancient name of Camulodunum.
The first part of Daniel Defoe
's Moll Flanders
was set in Colchester.
In George Orwell
's Nineteen Eighty-Four
, the main character, Winston Smith, thinks back to his childhood and his first memories of war, recalling: "Perhaps it was the time when the atomic bomb had fallen on Colchester." (Part 1, Chapter 3). Colchester was also a named line of lathe
machinery.
The Doctor Who
episodes The Lodger
and Closing Time
are set in Colchester, although they were filmed in Cardiff
.
Colchester (borough)
Colchester is a local government district and borough in Essex, England, the district is named after its main town, Colchester. The borough covers an area of and stretches from Dedham Vale on the Suffolk border in the north to Mersea Island on the Colne Estuary in the south.The borough was formed...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England.
At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the oldest recorded Roman town in Britain, Colchester claims to be the oldest town in Britain
Oldest town in Britain
The Oldest town in Britain is a title claimed by a number of settlements in Great Britain.-Thatcham:Thatcham in Berkshire is often claimed as the oldest town in Britain, since its occupation can be traced back to a mesolithic hunting camp, which was discovered there beside a Post-glacial rebound...
. It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
and also claims to have the United Kingdom's oldest recorded market
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. The town is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network
Most Ancient European Towns Network
The Most Ancient European Towns Network is a working group of the oldest cities in Europe. It was founded in 1994, with the idea coming from the town of Argos, Greece presented to the European Union...
.
Colchester is 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of London. It is connected to the capital by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
. It is seen as a popular town for commuters, and is less than 30 miles away from Stansted Airport.
Colchester is home to Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle in Colchester, Essex is an example of a largely complete Norman castle. It is a Grade I listed building.-Construction:At one and a half times the size of the Tower of London's White Tower, Colchester's keep is the largest ever built in Britain and the largest surviving example in...
and Colchester United Football Club. It has a Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Member of Parliament.
Celtic origins
Oldest town in Britain
The Oldest town in Britain is a title claimed by a number of settlements in Great Britain.-Thatcham:Thatcham in Berkshire is often claimed as the oldest town in Britain, since its occupation can be traced back to a mesolithic hunting camp, which was discovered there beside a Post-glacial rebound...
in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
, who died in AD 79. Before the Roman conquest of Britain it was already a centre of power for Cunobelin - known to Shakespeare as Cymbeline
Cymbeline
Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...
- king of the Catuvellauni (c.5 BC - AD 40), who minted coins there. Its Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic name, Camulodunon, variously represented as CA, CAM, CAMV, CAMVL and CAMVLODVNO on the coins of Cunobelinus, means 'the fortress of [the war god] Camulos'.
Roman Colchester
Soon after the Roman conquest of BritainRoman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
in AD 43, a Roman legionary fortress was established. Later, when the Roman frontier moved outwards and the twentieth legion had moved to the west (c.AD 49), Camulodunum became a colonia
Colonia (Roman)
A Roman colonia was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of Roman city.-History:...
named in a second-century inscription as Colonia Victricensis. This contained a large and elaborate Temple to the Divine Claudius
Temple of Claudius, Colchester
]]The Temple of Claudius or Temple of the Deified Claudius built in Camulodunum sometime after the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, although it is not certain whether it was built before or after Claudius' death and deification in AD 54.In AD 60 or 61, during Boudica's uprising, Camulodunum ...
.
Camulodunum served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica
Boudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
's rebellion in AD 61. Sometime after the destruction, London became the capital of the province of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
. Colchester's town walls c. 3,000 yd. long were built c.65-80 A.D. when the Roman town was rebuilt after the Boudicca rebellion. In 2004, Colchester Archaeological Trust discovered the remains of a Roman Circus (chariot race track) underneath the Garrison in Colchester, a unique find in Britain.
Sub-Roman and Saxon Colchester
There is evidence of hasty re-organisation of Colchester's defences around 268-82 AD, followed later, during the fourth century, by the blocking of the Balkerne Gate. Dr. John MorrisJohn Morris (historian)
John Robert Morris was an English historian who specialised in the study of the institutions of the Roman Empire and the history of Sub-Roman Britain...
(1913 - June 1977) the English historian who specialised in the study of the institutions of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and the history of Sub-Roman Britain, suggested in his book "The Age of Arthur" (1973) that as the descendants of Romanised Britons looked back to a golden age of peace and prosperity under Rome the name "Camelot
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
" of Arthurian legend was probably a reference to Camulodunum
Camulodunum
Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...
, the capital of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
in Roman times.
The archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler
Mortimer Wheeler
Brigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler CH, CIE, MC, FBA, FSA , was one of the best-known British archaeologists of the twentieth century.-Education and career:...
was the first to propose that the lack of early Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
finds in a triangle between London, Colchester and St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
could indicate a 'sub-Roman triangle' where British rule continued after the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Since then excavations have revealed some early Saxon occupation, including a fifth-century wooden hut built on the ruins of a Roman house in present-day Lion Walk. Archaeological excavations have shown that public buildings were abandoned, and is very doubtful whether Colchester survived as a settlement with any urban characteristics after the sixth century.
The chronology of its revival is obscure. But the ninth-century Historia Brittonum, attributed to Nennius
Nennius
Nennius was a Welsh monk of the 9th century.He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the Historia Brittonum, based on the prologue affixed to that work, This attribution is widely considered a secondary tradition....
, mentions the town, which it calls Cair Colun, in a list of the thirty most important cities in Britain. Colchester was in the area assigned to the Danelaw
Danelaw
The Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
in c.880, and remained in Danish hands until 917 when it was besieged and recaptured by the army of Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
The tenth-century Saxons called the town Colneceastre, which is directly equivalent to the Cair Colun of 'Nennius'. The tower of Holy Trinity Church is late Saxon work.
Medieval and Tudor period
Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle in Colchester, Essex is an example of a largely complete Norman castle. It is a Grade I listed building.-Construction:At one and a half times the size of the Tower of London's White Tower, Colchester's keep is the largest ever built in Britain and the largest surviving example in...
, which is an 11th century Norman keep, and built on top of the vaults of the old Roman temple
Roman temple
Ancient Roman temples are among the most visible archaeological remains of Roman culture, and are a significant source for Roman architecture. Their construction and maintenance was a major part of ancient Roman religion. The main room housed the cult image of the deity to whom the temple was...
. There are notable medieval ruins in Colchester, including the surviving gateway of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey of St. John the Baptist
St. John's Abbey, Colchester
Colchester Abbey was a Benedictine monastery founded by Eudo, son of Hubert de Ria, seneschal of King William II in 1096.This particular location was chosen for the monastery by Eudo as it was believed to be the site of a supposed miracle....
(known locally as "St. John's Abbey"), and the ruins of the Augustinian priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
of St. Botolph (known locally as "St. Botolph's Priory
St. Botolph's Priory
St Botolph's Priory, located in Colchester, England, was the first English Augustinian priory church, founded at the end of the eleventh century from the Anglo-Saxon minster community of Colchester. Only the ruined remains of the nave survive today, under the care of English Heritage...
"). Many of Colchester's parish churches
Colchester churches
Colchester in Essex, England, has a number of notable churches.- Butt Road Roman Church :During excavations in the 1980s for a new police station close to the Maldon Road roundabout, 371 Roman graves and a long narrow building were excavated. The building was constructed between AD320 and 340....
date from this period.
In 1189, Colchester was granted its first royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
by King Richard I (Richard the Lionheart
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
.) The charter was granted at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
with the king about to embark on one of his many journeys away from England. The borough celebrated the 800th anniversary of its charter in 1989.
Colchester developed rapidly during the later fourteenth century as a centre of the woollen cloth industry, and became famous in many parts of Europe for its russets (fabrics of a grey-brown colour). This allowed the population to recover exceptionally rapidly from the effects of the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
, particularly by immigration into the town.
By the 'New Constitutions' of 1372, a borough council was instituted; the two baillifs who represented the borough to the king were now expected to consult sixteen ordinary councillors and eight auditors (later called aldermen). Even though Colchester's fortunes were more mixed during the fifteenth century, it was still a more important place by the sixteenth century than it had been in the thirteenth. In 1334 it would not have ranked among England's wealthiest fifty towns, to judge from the taxation levied that year. By 1524, however, it ranked twelfth, as measured by its assessment to a lay subsidy.
Between 1550 and 1600, a large number of weavers and clothmakers from Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
emigrated to Colchester and the surrounding areas. They were famed for the production of Bays and Says cloth. An area in Colchester town centre is still known as the Dutch Quarter and many buildings there date from the Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
period. During this period Colchester was one of the most prosperous wool towns in England, and was also famed for its oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s. The old Roman wall runs along Northgate Street in the Dutch Quarter.
17th century
Second English Civil War
The Second English Civil War was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War which refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652 and also include the First English Civil War and the...
, a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
army led by Lord Goring
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich was an English soldier.He was the son of George Goring of Hurstpierpoint and Ovingdean, Sussex, and of Anne Denny, sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich. He matriculated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1600, and may subsequently have spent some...
entered the town. A pursuing Parliamentary
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
army led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton was an English general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell.-Early life:...
surrounded the town for eleven and a half weeks, a period known as the Siege of Colchester
Siege of Colchester
The siege of Colchester occurred in the summer of 1648 when the English Civil War reignited in several areas of Britain. Colchester found itself in the thick of the unrest when a Royalist army on its way through East Anglia to raise support for the King, was attacked by Lord-General Thomas Fairfax...
. It started on the 13 June. The Royalists surrendered in the late summer (on the 27 August Lord Goring signed the surrender document in the Kings Head Inn) and Sir Charles Lucas
Charles Lucas
Sir Charles Lucas was an English soldier, a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Biography:Lucas was the son of Sir Thomas Lucas of Colchester, Essex. As a young man Lucas served in the Netherlands under the command of his brother, and in the "Bishops' Wars" he commanded Cheesea troop of...
and Sir George Lisle
George Lisle
Sir George Lisle was a Royalist leader in the English Civil War. Lisle's execution without trial, following the siege of Colchester, came to be regarded as a serious miscarriage of justice and Lisle himself was seen as a martyr to the Royalist cause.The known facts suggest that Lisle came from...
were executed in the grounds of Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle in Colchester, Essex is an example of a largely complete Norman castle. It is a Grade I listed building.-Construction:At one and a half times the size of the Tower of London's White Tower, Colchester's keep is the largest ever built in Britain and the largest surviving example in...
. A small obelisk marks the spot where they fell.
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
mentions in A tour through England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
that the town lost 5259 people to the plague
Great Plague of London
The Great Plague was a massive outbreak of disease in the Kingdom of England that killed an estimated 100,000 people, 20% of London's population. The disease is identified as bubonic plague, an infection by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted through a flea vector...
in 1665, "more in proportion than any of its neighbours, or than the city of London". By the time he wrote this in 1722, however, he estimated its population to be around 40,000 (including "out-villages").
Victorian Colchester
Colchester is noted for its Victorian architecture. Significant landmarks include the Colchester Town Hall and the Jumbo Water TowerJumbo Water Tower
Jumbo Water Tower is a local name for the water tower at the Balkerne Gate in Colchester, Essex, England. The tower was nicknamed "Jumbo" after the London Zoo elephant as a term of derision in 1882 by Reverend John Irvine who was annoyed that the tower dwarfed his nearby rectory.Construction took...
.
In 1884, the town was struck by the Colchester earthquake
1884 Colchester earthquake
The Colchester earthquake, also known as the Great English Earthquake, occurred on 22 April 1884. It caused considerable damage in Colchester and the surrounding villages in Essex...
, estimated to have been 4.7 on the Richter Scale causing extensive regional damage.
The Paxman diesels business has been associated with Colchester since 1865 when James Noah Paxman founded a partnership with the brothers Henry and Charles Davey ('Davey, Paxman, and Davey') and opened the Standard Ironworks. In 1925, Paxman produced its first spring injection oil engine and joined the English Electric Diesel Group in 1966 - later becoming part of the GEC Group. Since the 1930s the Paxman company's main business has been the production of diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s.
Modern history
In the early twentieth century Colchester lobbied to be the seat for a new Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
for Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, to be split off from the existing Diocese of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
. The bid was unsuccessful, with county town Chelmsford forming the seat of the new diocese
Diocese of Chelmsford
The Diocese of Chelmsford is a Church of England diocese, part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers Essex and the five East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest, and is co-terminous with the boundaries of the Catholic Diocese of...
. The University of Essex
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
was established on the outskirts of the town at Wivenhoe Park in 1961. The £22.7M eight-mile A120
A120 road
The A120 is an important trunk road in southern England. It follows the course of Stane Street, a Roman road from Standon, Hertfordshire at its western terminus to Colchester...
Colchester Eastern Bypass opened in June 1982.
Colchester and the surrounding area is currently undergoing significant regeneration, including controversial greenfield residential development in Mile End and Braiswick. The town's football team, Colchester United, moved into a brand new stadium at Cuckoo Farm in 2008.
Colchester, Camulodunum
Camulodunum
Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...
and Colonia Victricensis forms one of 38 sites seeking World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
status, with a shortlist to be submitted to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
for consideration in 2011. The town is also one of twenty-five across the UK applying for city status
City status
City status is the national recognition of an area as a city. Specifically, "city status" may refer to:*City rights in the Low Countries*City status in Ireland*City status in the United Kingdom*City status in the United States of America...
to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is the forthcoming international celebration in 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952...
in 2012.
Climate
Colchester, along with other parts of Eastern England, is one of the driest parts of the United Kingdom with average annual precipitation at 453 mm (17.8 inches), some 130 mm less than London which is 56 miles to the south west. Colchester is generally regarded as having an Oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfb) like the rest of the United Kingdom. Its easterly position within the British Isles makes Colchester less prone to Atlantic depressions and weather fronts but more prone to droughts.
This is because like most areas in South-East England, Colchester's weather is influenced more by Continental weather patterns than Atlantic weather systems. This leads to a dry climate compared to the rest of the UK all year round and occasional (relative) extremes of temperatures during the year (occasional late 20°Cs/early30°Cs during the summer) and quite a few nights below freezing during the winter months (daytime high temperatures are seldom below freezing). Any rainfall that does come from Atlantic weather systems is usually light, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s can take place during the summer. Snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
falls on average 13 days a year during winter and very early spring.
The highest temperature recorded in Colchester was 35 °C (95 °F) in August 2003 (during the 2003 European heat wave
2003 European heat wave
The 2003 European heat wave was the hottest summer on record in Europe since at least 1540. France was hit especially hard. The heat wave led to health crises in several countries and combined with drought to create a crop shortfall in Southern Europe...
), and the lowest was -18 °C in February 2007.
Garrison
Colchester has been an important military garrison since the RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
era. The Colchester Garrison
Colchester Garrison
Colchester Garrison is located in Colchester in the county of Essex. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in 43 AD following the Claudian invasion of Britain. Colchester was an...
is currently home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade. The Army's only military corrective training centre, known colloquially within the forces and locally as "The Glasshouse
Glasshouse (British Army)
A Glasshouse, or The Glasshouse was the term for a military prison in the British Army. The first military prisons were established in 1844. The term Glasshouse originated at the military prison at Aldershot, which had a glazed roof. Over time, the sobriquet came to be applied to all British Army...
" after the original military prison in Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, is in Berechurch Hall Road, on the outskirts of Colchester. The centre holds servicemen and women from all three services who are sentenced to serve periods of detention
Detention (imprisonment)
Detention is the process when a state, government or citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom of liberty at that time. This can be due to criminal charges being raised against the individual as part of a prosecution or to protect a person or property...
.
From 1998 to 2008, the garrison area of the town underwent massive redevelopment. A lot of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
land was sold for private housing development and parts of the garrison were moved. Many parts of the garrison now stand empty awaiting the second phase of the development.
Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state. From 2009, these salutes have taken place in Castle Park.
Governance
The Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Colchester is Bob Russell (LibDem
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
).
Colchester Borough Council is the local authority. Control of the borough council has passed between the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
in recent years. The political composition of the council is (2010 election results)
- Liberal DemocratsLiberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
– 26 seats - ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
– 24 seats - LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
– 7 seats - Others (Highwoods Independent) – 3 seats
The town is also represented on Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
County Council. Individual villages within the borough boundaries are also represented by parish councils.
Museums
Colchester houses several museums. The Castle Museum, found within Colchester CastleColchester Castle
Colchester Castle in Colchester, Essex is an example of a largely complete Norman castle. It is a Grade I listed building.-Construction:At one and a half times the size of the Tower of London's White Tower, Colchester's keep is the largest ever built in Britain and the largest surviving example in...
, features an extensive exhibit on Roman Colchester. Nearby are Hollytrees Museum
Hollytrees Museum
Hollytrees Museum is a free to visit, publicly owned museum in the centre of Colchester and close to Colchester Castle. It is situated in an eighteenth-century house , which was used as a private residence until 1929, when it became a museum....
, a social history museum with children's exhibits in the former home of Charles Gray
Charles Gray (MP)
Charles Gray FRS was a lawyer, antiquary and Tory Member of Parliament for Colchester....
, and the town's Natural History Museum, located in the former All Saints' Church. Tymperley's Clock Museum, located in the town centre in a 15th century timber-framed house, once home to William Gilbert, now houses the Bernard Mason
Bernard Mason
Bernard Mason OBE was a prominent Colchester businessman and philanthropist who was born in Ipswich but lived his whole life in Colchester. He was the proprietor of Mason's printing firm from which he retired as director in 1962...
clock collection.
Arts
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
The Mercury Theatre is a theatre in Colchester, built in 1972. It originated with the Colchester Repertory Company, formed in 1937. After considerable campaigning and fundraising a theatre, designed by Norman Downie was constructed...
is one the region's leading repertory theatres. Next door is Colchester Arts Centre, a multi-function arts venue located in the former St Mary-at-the-Walls church, and home of the Colchester Beer Festival. Headgate Theatre is also in Colchester.
firstsite
Firstsite
Firstsite is a £28 million art gallery in Colchester, Essex which opened in 2011. It was designed by Rafael Viñoly. It is situated in Colchester's 'culture quarter' near the Norman Colchester Castle, the Natural History Museum, Hollytrees Museum and Colchester's Roman Wall...
is a contemporary art organisation, currently housed in the Minories, near the Castle. The Visual Arts Facility, designed by Rafael Viñoly
Rafael Viñoly
Rafael Viñoly is an Uruguayan architect living in the United States.-Biography:He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to Román Viñoly Barreto, and Maria Beceiro ....
, opened in September 2011, after delays caused by a shortfall in funding at a total cost of approximately £25.5 million, £9 million more than the original estimate.
Other than the Arts Centre, live music venues in Colchester include The Twist, Charter Hall, The Fat Cat (pub), and several others.
In 2009, an art collective called 'Slack Space' took up some of the closed-down shops in the town and converted them into art galleries with the hope of promoting art and design in the town. Art is rather prominent in Colchester due to the Colchester School of Art and Design which is based in Colchester Institute
Colchester Institute
Colchester Institute is a large provider of further and higher education based in the town of Colchester, and includes the Centre for Music and Performing Arts, Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies, and the Professional Training Centre. Higher Education courses are accredited by the University...
near the centre of the town.
Sports
The town's link with football had begun with the amateur club Colchester TownColchester Town F.C.
Colchester Town F.C. was an English amateur football club based in Colchester, Essex. Established in 1873, the club folded in 1937 after the formation of Colchester United.-History:...
, formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1937. They were succeeded by professional club Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, who compete in the Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
and play home games at Colchester Community Stadium. Founded in 1937, the club entered the Football League in 1950. Colchester United Ladies
Colchester United L.F.C.
Colchester United Ladies Football Club are an English ladies football team based in Colchester, Essex and are affiliated to Colchester United F.C.-History:The club was founded in 1992 under the name of Colchester Royals...
play in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
FA Women's Premier League Southern Division
The FA Women's Premier League Southern Division is a league in the Third level in the women's football pyramid in England, along with the Northern division. These two divisions are below the FA Women's Super League and National Division...
. Other sports teams based in the town include Colchester Rugby Football Club, Colchester Gladiators American Football Club, Colchester Weight Lifting Club and Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club. Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
play some of their home games at Castle Park Cricket Ground
Castle Park Cricket Ground
Castle Park Cricket Ground is an English First-class cricket ground in Colchester. The ground is in Lower Castle Park, part of the land surrounding Colchester Castle. It is used by Essex County Cricket Club for some of their First-class cricket matches. Essex played both County Championship and...
, home of Colchester & East Essex.
Sports facilities in Colchester include the sports centre, Colchester Leisure World, Colchester Garrison
Colchester Garrison
Colchester Garrison is located in Colchester in the county of Essex. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in 43 AD following the Claudian invasion of Britain. Colchester was an...
Athletics Stadium (a co-operative facility used by both the army and civilian population), and a skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
.
Twin towns
Colchester competes in the Twin Town Games against WetzlarWetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, and Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
.
Colchester's twin towns
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
are:
Wetzlar
Wetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, Germany, since 1969 Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, France, since 1972 Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
, Italy, since 1997
Primary and secondary
As is the case for the rest of Essex, Colchester's state schooling operates a two-tier system. Two of the town's secondary schools are selective, Colchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...
and Colchester County High School
Colchester County High School
Colchester County High School for Girls is a selective girls' grammar school with academy status in Colchester. The school consistently scores highly in the league tables for the UK. Entrance to year 7 is by an academic selection test, the eleven plus...
, the remainder being comprehensives. Comprehensive secondary schools include Alderman Blaxill School
Alderman Blaxill School
Alderman Blaxill School is a secondary school in Colchester, Essex, and is the town's smallest secondary school.-History:The site was developed as Hamilton Road Central School in 1914, but was used as a military hospital during World War I, and did not open until 1920. Following the Education Act...
, Gilberd School
Gilberd School
The Gilberd School, established in 1912, is a comprehensive school in Colchester, England.-History:The school originally opened on 12 July 1912 in buildings on North Hill, Colchester...
, Colchester Academy, Philip Morant School and College
Philip Morant School and College
Philip Morant School and College is a comprehensive secondary school and college located within the Prettygate suburb of Colchester, Essex. Philip Morant is a foundation school and a technology college. The name Philip Morant was chosen a few months later, after the 18th Century local historian...
, St Helena Media Arts College, St Benedict's Catholic College
St Benedict's Catholic College
St Benedict's Catholic College is a secondary school in Colchester, Essex. The headteacher of the school is Mr. P Johnson. The school accepts students aged eleven to sixteen. the students wear a uniform all five days of the week...
The Stanway School and the Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College
Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College
Thomas Lord Audley School and Language College is a mixed 11-16 comprehensive school for 700 pupils, to the south of Colchester, Essex. It serves a wide and diverse catchment area, taking students from the edge of Colchester, small villages and the community of Mersea Island...
.
Private schools
Private schools in Colchester include Colchester High SchoolColchester High School
Colchester High School is a profit-making coeducational Independent school located in Colchester in Essex, England. The school is owned and operated by the Cognita Group. Colchester High is the only coeducational independent school in Colchester to offer secondary education.-History:The school was...
, Holmwood House School, Oxford House School and St. Mary's School.
Tertiary
The University of EssexUniversity of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
is located to the east of Colchester in Wivenhoe Park, in the civil parish of Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe is a town in north eastern Essex, England, approximately south east of Colchester. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the...
. Other tertiary institutions include Colchester Sixth Form College
Colchester Sixth Form College
The Sixth Form College, Colchester is situated on North Hill in central Colchester, Essex, England. Established in 1987, it provides further education in the north Essex area....
and Colchester Institute
Colchester Institute
Colchester Institute is a large provider of further and higher education based in the town of Colchester, and includes the Centre for Music and Performing Arts, Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies, and the Professional Training Centre. Higher Education courses are accredited by the University...
.
Transport
See also List of bus routes in ColchesterColchester has a bus system (run by First Essex
First Essex
First Essex Buses Limited is owned by First Group. First Essex carries around 29 million passengers each year on a network of routes serving Essex and the surrounding areas. It arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses, whose yellow/maroon livery has only recently disappeared...
, Network Colchester
Network Colchester
Network Colchester is a Tellings-Golden Miller bus operating company. TGM have upgraded the fleet, and it is no longer the second from bottom bus company, profit wise...
, Hedingham Omnibuses
Hedingham Omnibuses
Hedingham Omnibuses is an Essex bus company founded by Aubrey Ernest Letch shortly after serving in World War I, with his parents' help and trading under his own name. It started as a coach hire company, but gradually expanded as Letch started running bus services to Braintree and Sudbury on...
, Constable Coaches (Beeston's) Carters Coach Services
Carters Coach Services
Carters Coach Services or just Carters is an independent bus operator based in Capel St Mary in Suffolk, England. The company operates services over a wide area in both Suffolk and Essex, running a fleet of around 15 buses....
, Cedric Coaches, New Horizon Travel, H.C. Chambers & Son
H.C. Chambers & Son
H.C. Chambers & Son or just Chambers is an independent bus and coach operator based in Bures in Suffolk, England. The company operates services over a wide area of Suffolk and Essex, running a fleet of around 30 buses.- History :...
and Regal Busways
Regal Busways
Regal Busways Ltd is a small bus operator established in 2001 and based in Essex. Their services operate through 30 local communities including Chelmsford, Epping, The Hanningfields, Canvey Island, Harlow, Ongar, Pleshey, Toot Hill, Upshire, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross and Wickford.-History:Regal...
which mainly centres around Colchester Temporary Bus Station in the town centre or the one-way system. The temporary bus station is due to close at the end of 2012. As of October 2010, there are currently no plans to replace the bus station. Instead, the town will have several bus 'superstops'.
Colchester is also located on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
-run by National Express east Anglia-with intercity services serving Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Other destinations include Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and other more local destinations. These are all from the town's main railway station
Colchester railway station
Colchester or Colchester North is the main railway station for Colchester in Essex, England. It is on the former Great Eastern Railway main line from London Liverpool Street to Norwich and is a junction for the line to Walton-on-the-Naze and Clacton-on-Sea, which diverges southwards from the main...
. Trains also go to Clacton on Sea, Frinton on Sea, Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe is a town in north eastern Essex, England, approximately south east of Colchester. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the...
and Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
all week from the main station and Monday to Saturday from Colchester Town railway station
Colchester Town railway station
Colchester Town railway station serves the town centre of Colchester in Essex, England. It is located on the Colchester to Clacton line and is one of only a small number of drive in/reverse out stations on the British network. It was formerly known as St Botolph's...
, located on the Sunshine Coast Line.
Cuckoo Farm junction
A new junction ('Cuckoo's Farm junction' - Junction 28), connecting the A12 to the town's Northern Approach road was completed in late 2010 at a cost of £25 million close to the new Weston Homes Football Stadium. In July 2008 the then Under Secretary of State for Transport, Tom Harris, stated that work on the development was due to start in 2009 or 2010. Development of the A133, a large congested road that runs through Colchester, is also being reviewed.Myland development
As part of Colchester Borough Council's Core Strategy 2008, there are plans to build thousands of new houses in MylandMyland
Myland an alternative to the original "Mile End" is a civil parish in Essex, England that is now a suburb of Colchester. The original village was located approximately one mile north of the middleborough, or the centre of the Borough of Colchester...
in the north of Colchester. There is considerable local opposition to this proposal, which is also opposed by the Borough Councillors for Mile End, the Ward councillor for Essex County Council, Myland Parish Council and Bob Russell MP. The project is under review by Colchester Borough Council, and there is some hope that the Core Strategy itself can be reviewed in 2012.
In popular culture
Colchester is reputed to be the home of three of the best known English nursery rhymes: 'Old King ColeOld King Cole
"Old King Cole" is an English nursery rhyme. The historical identity of King Cole has been much debated and several candidates have been advanced as possibilities...
', 'Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty is a character in an English language nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an egg and has appeared or been referred to in a large number of works of literature and popular culture...
' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star'. The legitimacy of the claims for the first two of these is disputed.
Local legend places Colchester as the seat of King Cole
King Cole
King Cole is a figure of British folklore.King Cole may also refer to:*"Old King Cole", nursery rhyme* Old King Cole , a 1933 Disney cartoon about Old King Cole*King Cole , Major League Baseball pitcher...
(or Coel) of the rhyme Old King Cole, a legendary ancient king of Britain. The name Colchester is from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: the place-name suffixes chester, cester, and caster derive from the Latin word castrum (fortified place). In folk etymology the name Colchester was thought of as meaning Cole's Castle, though it actually means the Roman fort 'Colonia'. In the legend Helena, the daughter of Cole, married the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
senator Constantius Chlorus
Constantius Chlorus
Constantius I , commonly known as Constantius Chlorus, was Roman Emperor from 293 to 306. He was the father of Constantine the Great and founder of the Constantinian dynasty. As Caesar he defeated the usurper Allectus in Britain and campaigned extensively along the Rhine frontier, defeating the...
, who had been sent by Rome as an ambassador and was named as Cole's successor. Helena's son became Emperor Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
. Helena was canonised as Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Helena of Constantinople
Helena of Constantinople
Saint Helena also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople was the consort of Emperor Constantius, and the mother of Emperor Constantine I...
and is credited with finding the true cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
and the remains of the Magi
Biblical Magi
The Magi Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the Wise Men, Kings, Astrologers, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who were said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh...
. She is now the patron saint of Colchester. This is recognised in the emblem of Colchester: a cross and three crowns. The Mayor's medallion contains a Byzantine style icon of Saint Helena. A local secondary school – St Helena's – is named after her, and her statue is atop the town hall, although local legend is that it was originally a statue of Blessed Virgin Mary which was later fitted with a cross.
Colchester is also the most widely credited source of the rhyme Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty is a character in an English language nursery rhyme, probably originally a riddle and one of the best known in the English-speaking world. He is typically portrayed as an egg and has appeared or been referred to in a large number of works of literature and popular culture...
. During the siege of Colchester in the Civil War, a Royalist sniper known as One-Eyed Thompson sat in the belfry of the church of St Mary-at-the-Walls (Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall) and was given the nickname Humpty Dumpty, most likely because of his size, Humpty Dumpty being a common insult for the overweight. Thompson was shot down (Humpty Dumpty had a great fall) and, shortly after, the town was lost to the Parliamentarians (all the king's horses and all the king's men / couldn't put Humpty together again.) Another version says that Humpty Dumpty was a cannon on the top of the church. The church of St Mary-at-the-Walls still retains its Norman tower until the top few feet, which are a Georgian repair.
The third rhyme to come from Colchester is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English nursery rhyme. The lyrics are from an early nineteenth-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister Ann...
, which was written by Jane Taylor in the town's Dutch Quarter, and published in 1806 with the title "The Star".
Colchester has also been suggested as one of the potential sites of Camelot
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
, on account of having been the capital of Roman Britain and its ancient name of Camulodunum.
The first part of Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
's Moll Flanders
Moll Flanders
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders is a novel written by Daniel Defoe in 1722, after his work as a journalist and pamphleteer. By 1722, Defoe had become a recognised novelist, with the success of Robinson Crusoe in 1719...
was set in Colchester.
In George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
, the main character, Winston Smith, thinks back to his childhood and his first memories of war, recalling: "Perhaps it was the time when the atomic bomb had fallen on Colchester." (Part 1, Chapter 3). Colchester was also a named line of lathe
Lathe
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
machinery.
The Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episodes The Lodger
The Lodger (Doctor Who)
"The Lodger" is the eleventh episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One on 12 June 2010...
and Closing Time
Closing Time (Doctor Who)
"Closing Time" is the twelfth episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was first broadcast on BBC One, BBC America and Space on 24 September 2011.-Plot summary:...
are set in Colchester, although they were filmed in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Notable Colcestrians
People of note that were born or have lived in Colchester include:- Sir George Biddell AiryGeorge Biddell AirySir George Biddell Airy PRS KCB was an English mathematician and astronomer, Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881...
(1801–1892) - Astronomer RoyalAstronomer RoyalAstronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
, attended Colchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...
1814-1819 - Paul AllenderPaul AllenderPaul Allender is the lead guitarist of the British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth.-Early life:...
(1970–) - musician, lead guitarist of Cradle of FilthCradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily... - Cuthbert Alport, Baron AlportCuthbert Alport, Baron AlportCuthbert James McCall Alport, Baron Alport was a Conservative Party politician, Cabinet Minister, and life peer.- Early life :...
- Cabinet Minister, High CommissionerHigh CommissionerHigh Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to the Federation of Rhodesia and NyasalandFederation of Rhodesia and NyasalandThe Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
, High Steward of ColchesterHigh Steward of ColchesterThe High Steward of Colchester is a ceremonial office awarded by Colchester Borough Council, Essex, England.The stewardship was established by royal charter of Charles I dated 9 July 1635... - Ken AstonKen AstonKenneth George "Ken" Aston, MBE was an English teacher, soldier, and football referee, who was responsible for many important developments in football refereeing.- Early life and career :...
(1915–2001) - Football referee, responsible for many important developments in football refereeing - Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of WaldenThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, KG, PC, KS , Lord Chancellor of England, born in Earls Colne, Essex, the son of Geoffrey Audley, is believed to have studied at Buckingham College, Cambridge...
1488-1544, Lord Chancellor of England 1533-44. - John Ball (priest)John Ball (priest)John Ball was an English Lollard priest who took a prominent part in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. In that year, Ball gave a sermon in which he asked the rhetorical question, "When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?".-Biography:Little is known of Ball's early years. He lived in...
(d. 1381) - leader of the Peasants' RevoltPeasants' RevoltThe Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
of 1381 - Ali Carter (1979- ) - professional snooker player
- Piers CouragePiers CouragePiers Raymond Courage was a racing driver from England. He participated in 29 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 2 January 1967. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 20 championship points.- Biography :Piers Courage was the eldest son and heir of the Courage brewing...
(1942–1970) - Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver - Graham CoxonGraham CoxonGraham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...
(1969- ) - musician and Blur lead guitarist - Cunobelin - King of the Britons
- Darren DayDarren DayDarren Day , is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his West End theatre starring roles.-Early life:His paternal grandfather was a support and warm-up act for George Formby...
(1968- ) - actor and television presenter - Bill DinesBill DinesWilliam James Dines was an English cricketer. Dines was a right-handed batsman who bowled both right-arm off break and right-arm medium pace, though his medium pace bowler was his primary bowling style. He was born at Colchester, Essex.Dines made his first-class debut for Essex against Surrey in...
(1916–1992) - cricketer - Neil FaithNeil FaithNeil Andrew Horsfall , better known as Neil Faith, is an English professional wrestler, trained by Bruce Hart in the Hart dungeon.-Professional wrestling career:...
(1981- ) - professional wrestler - Neil FosterNeil FosterNeil Foster and educated at Philip Morant Comprehensive, Colchester, is a former English cricketer, who played in twenty nine Tests and forty eight ODIs for England from 1983 to 1993. He played for Essex from 1980 to 1993, earning his county cap in 1983...
(1962- ) - cricketer - William Gilbert (1544–1603) - scientist, pioneer in the field of magnetismMagnetismMagnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
and court physician to Elizabeth I and James IJames I of EnglandJames VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603... - Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet - Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria; Governor of Guy's HospitalGuy's HospitalGuy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
; researched and named Anorexia nervosaAnorexia nervosaAnorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate... - Klaus KinskiKlaus KinskiKlaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
(1926–1991) - actor, director, former German POW in Colchester during the World War II - Alfred LungleyAlfred LungleyAlfred Herbert Lungley, GC was a British soldier of the Royal Artillery who distinguished himself during rescue efforts after the Quetta earthquake of 1935.Lungley was born in Colchester, Essex, on 20 October 1905...
(1905–1989) - awarded the George CrossGeorge CrossThe George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
after the Quetta earthquake of 19351935 Balochistan earthquakeThe 1935 Balochistan Earthquake occurred on May 31, 1935 at 3:02am at Quetta, Balochistan, British India . The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 Mw and anywhere between 30,000 and 60,000 people died from the impact. This ranks as one of the deadliest earthquakes that hit South Asia... - Bernard MasonBernard MasonBernard Mason OBE was a prominent Colchester businessman and philanthropist who was born in Ipswich but lived his whole life in Colchester. He was the proprietor of Mason's printing firm from which he retired as director in 1962...
- businessman, philanthropist, clock collector - Philip MorantPhilip MorantPhilip Morant was an English clergyman, author and historian.He was educated at Abingdon School and Pembroke College, Oxford, eventually taking his Masters Degree at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1729.Ordained in 1722, he began his association with the county of Essex with a curacy at Great...
(1700–1770)- parish priest of St Mary-at-the-Walls, author of The History & Antiquities of the County of Essex - Graham NapierGraham NapierGraham Richard Napier is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium fast bowler....
(1980- ) - cricketer - Martin NewellMartin Newell (musician)Martin Newell , also known as "the Wild Man of Wivenhoe", is an English rock musician, singer, guitarist, songwriter, poet and author. He grew up in an army family in various parts of England and the Far East...
(1953- ) - musician, poet, author - Sheila NichollsSheila NichollsSheila Elizabeth Nicholls is a British singer-songwriter, now residing in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California.-Early years:...
(1970- ) - musician - Sir Roger PenroseRoger PenroseSir Roger Penrose OM FRS is an English mathematical physicist and Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College...
(1931– ), mathematical physicist and philosopher - Dave RowntreeDave RowntreeDavid Alexander De Horne Rowntree is an English solicitor, musician, animator, and political activist. He is best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Blur...
(1964- ) - musician, drummer for Blur - Darren StylesDarren StylesDarren James Mew , better known as Darren Styles, is a British record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Colchester, England. Originally a member of the breakbeat hardcore group DJ Force & The Evolution, Darren found success during the 1990s as one half of Force & Styles...
(1975- ) - DJ, record producer, singer - Jane TaylorJane Taylor (poet)Jane Taylor , was an English poet and novelist. She wrote the words for the song Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in 1806 at age 23, while living in Shilling Street, Lavenham, Suffolk....
(1783–1824) - poet and author of the lyrics to Twinkle Twinkle Little StarTwinkle Twinkle Little Star"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English nursery rhyme. The lyrics are from an early nineteenth-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister Ann... - Margaret ThatcherMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
(1925- ) - former Prime Minister, lived in Colchester when working at nearby Manningtree as a research chemist during 1950s. - Archibald Wavell (1883–1950) British Field-Marshal during World War II, Viceroy of India.
- Mary WhitehouseMary WhitehouseMary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
(1910–2001) - morality campaigner, died in Colchester. - Sir Laming Worthington-EvansLaming Worthington-EvansSir Worthington Laming Worthington-Evans, 1st Baronet GBE, PC was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:Born Laming Evans, he was the son of Worthington Evans and Susanah Laming...
(1868–1931) - Secretary of State for War, Postmaster General
See also
- Statistics of Colchester
- Geography of the United Kingdom#Geology
- List of natural disasters in the United Kingdom and preceding states
- Military history of the United Kingdom during World War IIMilitary history of the United Kingdom during World War IIBritain along with most of its dominions and Crown colonies, and British India, declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939. War with Japan began in 1941, after it attacked British colonies in Asia...
- Colchester churchesColchester churchesColchester in Essex, England, has a number of notable churches.- Butt Road Roman Church :During excavations in the 1980s for a new police station close to the Maldon Road roundabout, 371 Roman graves and a long narrow building were excavated. The building was constructed between AD320 and 340....
- Church of St Leonard at the Hythe, ColchesterChurch of St Leonard at the Hythe, ColchesterThe Church of St Leonard at the Hythe, Colchester, is a redundant Anglican church in Colchester, Essex, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
External links
- Colchester Borough Council
- Community website opposing large-scale development in North Colchester
- Colchester - Britain's first Roman city
- Visitors' guide to Colchester
- Colchester24 - A Day in the Life of Colchester
- Colchester Digital Images - Photographic Galleries of The Colchester Area
- Roman Colchester - A Virtual Experience
- The official tourism website for Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town