Britain’s oldest recorded town, with the largest Norman castle keep in Europe, Roman walls and a zoo that draws visitors from across the East.
Colchester has a strong claim to be the oldest recorded town in Britain. Before the Romans came it was the capital of a powerful British tribe, and after the Roman conquest in AD 43 it became Camulodunum, the first capital of Roman Britain. In AD 60 or 61 it was burned to the ground by Queen Boudica and her army during their famous revolt.
Rebuilt by the Romans, then by the Normans, Colchester has been an important town ever since, and it became a city in 2022. Its castle, Roman walls and old streets are full of history, and the countryside around it, from the Essex coast to Constable country, is lovely. This guide covers six things to see and do.
1. Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle is the largest Norman castle keep ever built in Europe, bigger even than the White Tower at the Tower of London. It was built in the decades after the Norman Conquest of 1066, on the foundations of a great Roman temple dedicated to the Emperor Claudius. The Normans reused Roman bricks and stone in its walls, and you can still see them today.
Inside the castle is an excellent museum that tells the story of Colchester from the Stone Age to the Civil War. It has one of the best collections of Roman objects in Britain, including tombstones, mosaics, pottery and jewellery. You can also go down into the vaults of the Roman temple beneath the castle on a guided tour.
The museum brings history to life, with plenty for children to handle, try on and explore. There are tours of the castle roof, with views across the town. The castle was used as a prison for centuries, and it has dark stories to tell.
The castle stands in Castle Park, a large and lovely park with gardens, a lake, a play area and a section of the Roman wall. It is a pleasant place for a picnic. The park hosts events and concerts in summer.
2. The Roman walls and the Roman circus
Colchester’s Roman walls are the oldest town walls in Britain. They were built in the years after Boudica’s revolt, to protect the rebuilt town from further attack. Much of the circuit, nearly two miles long, still stands, and you can walk alongside long sections of it.
The most impressive surviving part is the Balkerne Gate, the western entrance to the Roman town, and the largest surviving Roman gateway in Britain. Its arches and towers show how grand the town once was. Next to it stands the Mercury Theatre.
In 2004, archaeologists made an exciting discovery in the south of the town: the remains of a Roman chariot racing circus, the only one ever found in Britain. It could once hold thousands of spectators. A small visitor centre tells the story, and you can see the foundations of the starting gates.
Walking the walls is a good way to understand how the Roman town was laid out. Information boards along the way explain what you are looking at. The walls are free to see.
3. Colchester Zoo
Colchester Zoo, on the south western edge of the town, is one of the most popular zoos in Britain. It covers around sixty acres and is home to hundreds of species of animals. Many of them are rare or endangered.
The zoo has large enclosures designed to feel like natural habitats, including areas for elephants, giraffes, big cats, apes and many more. There are daily talks and feeding displays, where keepers explain the animals’ behaviour and the zoo’s conservation work. Children can get close to some animals in the petting areas.
The zoo supports conservation projects around the world through its charity. It is well laid out for families, with play areas, cafés and picnic spots. A whole day is easily filled.
The zoo is very busy in school holidays and on sunny weekends, so arriving early helps. Tickets are cheaper if booked online in advance. It is best reached by car.
4. The Dutch Quarter and the old town
The Dutch Quarter, just north of the High Street, is one of the prettiest parts of Colchester. It is named after the Protestant weavers from Flanders who settled here in the sixteenth century, fleeing religious persecution. They brought new skills in making cloth that helped Colchester grow rich.
Its narrow streets are lined with colourful timber framed houses, many of them hundreds of years old. It is a quiet, charming area to wander through. The streets feel almost like a village in the middle of the town.
Colchester also has a dramatic Civil War history. In 1648 the town was besieged for eleven weeks by Parliamentary forces, and its people nearly starved. The Siege House on East Street still has bullet holes in its timbers, and some say the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty refers to a cannon used during the siege.
Other places to explore in the town include Hollytrees Museum, a Georgian house with displays on everyday life, and Firstsite, a striking contemporary art gallery. The High Street has a mix of shops and restaurants. The town centre is compact and easy to walk around.
5. Mersea Island
Mersea Island, about nine miles south of Colchester, is the most easterly inhabited island in Britain. It is joined to the mainland by a causeway called the Strood, which floods at high tide. Check the tide times before you go, as the road can be closed for a short time.
Mersea is famous for its oysters, which have been harvested here since Roman times. Seafood shacks and restaurants by the water serve oysters, fish and shellfish fresh from the boats. Eating oysters by the harbour is the classic Mersea experience.
The island has beaches with colourful beach huts, and the waters around it are popular for sailing and watersports. Cudmore Grove Country Park, on the east of the island, has cliffs, beaches and walks. The island is peaceful and relaxed.
The saltmarshes and mudflats around Mersea are important for wildlife, especially birds, and there are good walks along the sea wall. It is a lovely place for a day out from Colchester. A car is the easiest way to get there, as buses are limited.
6. Dedham Vale and Constable Country
Dedham Vale, on the border of Essex and Suffolk about eight miles north of Colchester, is known as Constable Country. The painter John Constable grew up here in the eighteenth century and painted its rivers, mills and meadows. It is a protected landscape of great beauty.
At Flatford, you can see Flatford Mill and Willy Lott’s House, the scenes of some of Constable’s most famous paintings, including The Hay Wain. The buildings and the river look much as they did in his day. The National Trust looks after the area and runs a visitor centre.
Dedham itself is a lovely village, with a large church, old inns and tea rooms. You can walk along the river from Dedham to Flatford, a gentle walk of about two miles through meadows. Rowing boats can be hired on the river at Dedham.
It is one of the most peaceful and beautiful corners of England. A car or a driver by the hour is the easiest way to reach it from Colchester. The pubs and tea rooms make it an ideal place for lunch.
Getting there and getting around
Colchester station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, with fast trains to London Liverpool Street in under an hour and services to Ipswich and Norwich. The A12 runs past the town, linking it with London and the M25.
Stansted Airport is about thirty five miles west, around forty five minutes by road, and the port of Harwich, with ferries to the Netherlands, is about twenty miles east. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Colchester, the airports and the port, and to reach Mersea and Dedham Vale.
Ride with ZeroLanes. From your door, the station or the airport to anywhere in Colchester, at a price fixed before you confirm. Travelling between cities? Get a fixed price for the journey, or keep a car and driver for the day with hourly hire.