What To See And Do When You Stay In Colchester
Colchester is the largest of all the settlements in the County of Essex in England. It lays claim to being the oldest settlement in the whole of Britain and is definitely the oldest recorded Roman settlement in the country. Due to its long history, there are lots of attractions in Colchester, which you can explore when you visit the town. In this article, we look at just a few which may be worth considering visiting when you visit Colchester.
1. Balkerne Gate – The most complete Roman gateway in the country and it is thought to have been built in 55 AD. It was originally actually the main way that visitors would enter the town but it’s gradually been turned into a triumphal arch. Then, later, the gateway was merged into the town’s walls then in 465 AD it got blocked up to help improve the town’s defence system. It was rediscovered about a hundred years ago and this is why it has remained in such good condition that you see today.
2. Charter Market – This is believed to be the oldest recorded market in the UK and has been run here for more than 800 years now. King John granted the market its Rotal Charter back in 1189 and this is where its name originates from. You can still find a market at Charter Market twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays and there is a wide variety of things to choose from as no two stalls can sell the same items.
3. Colchester Castle – This Norman castle is built on the foundations of what was the Roman Temple to Claudius. However, the temple was destroyed in 60AD when Queen Boudica razed the town to the ground in order to get the Romans to leave. The Normans re-used the stone to make the current castle is in fact much of the materials used to build the Roman temple.
The castle boasts one of the oldest and largest of all castle keeps in the whole of Europe and within the castles walls there are lots of things to see and do. The castle houses exhibitions, tracing more than two thousand years of British history and there are displays that one can interact with as well. Whilst touring the castle you might want to find out about the Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins who used it as a jail at the times that the trials were taking place.
4. Colchester Zoo – One of Europe’s finest zoos and is only a short drive from the town itself. Located in around sixty acres of English countryside the zoo is home to over two hundred different species for you to view. Along with elephants in Elephant Kingdom, and Chimp World is home to the zoo’s chimpanzees. Also you’ll find the other bits of the zoo just as enthralling. Certainly, you may well find it difficult to actually get the kids to go home.
Check out this list of Colchester accommodation for your next visit.
