Colchester - Essex: Britain's Oldest Market

As capital of the Roman province of Britannia, Colchester - Essex, the Roman city was known as Camulodunum. This may be the source for the name Camelot under the rule of King Arthur. The city has strategic and political importance since Roman times and is located 56 miles northeast of London.

To see a history of Britain since Roman times, visit one of the museums associated with the city of 200,000 people. The Balkeme Gate is a surviving portion of the city's western wall. You can view portions of the Roman protective city wall along Northgate Street where it runs through the portion of the city called the Dutch Quarter.

The Dutch Quarter is named after the group of Flemish refugees fleeing religious persecution in the late 1500s. Their special flannel cloth, known as Bays and Says cloth made the city a famous wool center in England. Some homes of prosperous merchants can still be seen today.

The largest and most complete keep from the Norman period is Colchester Castle. It was built in the 11th century. Today, the castle houses a museum reflecting the Roman history of Britain. A castle tour presents views of a Roman Temple to Claudius foundations upon which the castle was built. The structure has been a prison, a military and political center during its history.

Not only was Colchester a political center, it was a military center as well. The city is currently home to the 16th Air Assault Brigade at the Colchester Garrison. A military prison serving all three branches is the Military Corrective Training Centre or Glasshouse.

Another must-see is the William Gilbert home, Tymperlys. Dr. Gilbert was an Elizabethan era scientist and scholar, known as the father of magnetism or electrical engineering. The home passed to philanthropist and publisher, Bernard Mason, who bequeathed the property and his extensive collection of clocks to the city upon his death in 1981. The collection contains many of the 375 Colchester-made clocks. Prime items in the collection include a William Bacon lantern clock from 1645 and a 1725 mantel clock by Nathaniel Hedge.

No visit to Colchester would be complete without viewing the Town Hall. The structure is Victorian and is topped by a statue of the daughter of King Cole, Saint Helen. Coel was the ruler, famous in the children's nursery rhyme. Colchester - Essex is also credited as the home of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Humpty-Dumpty. Transportation from other parts of the country, including London is facilitated by a modern transportation system.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

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Discover your next hotel in Colchester or select somewhere to stay from these UK hotels

by: Frederick Hoymer

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