What To See And Do When You Visit Colchester

Colchester is the biggest town in Essex. The town actually claims to be the oldest one in Britain and is definitely the oldest recorded Roman settlement in the country. Because of its history, there are plenty of Colchester attractions, which one can enjoy whilst visiting 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 is believed to have been built at around 55AD. Years ago, the gate was part of the main route into the town but over time was then transformed into a triumphal arch instead. Then after this, it became part of the town's new 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 which is why it's been so well preserved.

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. Today markets are still held here on a Friday and a Saturday and there is a wider than normal variety of goods as no two stalls can sell the same items. 

3.  Colchester Castle – Altough "only" dating back to Norman times, this castle was built on the same ground as the Temple to Claudius in Roman times. But, the temple was destroyed in 60AD as part of Queen Boudica's campaign to force the Romans to leave Britain. The actual stone that was used by the Normans to build the 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 to be built in Europe and inside the walls of the castle there are lots of things to see and do. The castle houses exhibitions, which span more than 2,000 years of British history and there are displays that one can interact with as well. While you look around the castle you can learn more about Matthew Hopkins the Witch finder General who used the castle as a jail at the time of the main witch trials.

4.  Colchester Zoo – One of Europe's finest zoos and is only a short drive from the town itself. Set in some 60 acres of beautiful countryside the zoo has more than 200 species of animal for you to view. Naturally, the elephants can be found in Elephant Kingdom, and Chimp World is home to the zoo's chimpanzees. Plus you will find other parts of the zoo just as enjoyable and enchanting. As with any zoo, you'll almost certainly find yourself spending lots of time here.

Choose your Colchester hotel or guest house from this list.