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a Historic Market Town in the county of Essex

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About Colchester

Fascinating historic Essex town in which there was probably a settlement in both the 5th-century BC, and the Ist-century AD. The invading Roman's occupied Colchester in AD 43, and by AD 48 there was a major colony there. At the time of AD 60 soldiers under the command of Queen Boadicea revolted against Roman rule, they destroyed the temple and massacred the Roman occupants. Thus, we are assured of the long history and illustrious legacy of the town where the Roman's first settled in Britain.

The waters of the River Colne skirt the northern edge of Colchester, the north bridge is built on a site where a Roman bridge once stood, and a few of the cottages that once formed part of a Medieval suburb remain to this day. So too, do parts of the old walls of the town, and the massive Balkerne Gate to the west of the town.

Interestingly, this is England's oldest-recorded town. It has stood on the banks of the River Colne amid fine Essex countryside throughout some of history's most tempestuous times, its main streets still follow the course of those laid down centuries ago and now form part of modern Colchester - a vibrant city with a fine University, major commercial business interests, excellent sporting facilities, cultural enterprises, and modern buildings that blend well in a town crammed with historic properties telling of its ancient past.

The beauty of the Essex countryside is well documented, this surrounds the town and within there are acres of parks and open green spaces so that almost every street offers a glimpse of something fresh and green. Some places of course, look out over the waters of the Colne to meadow views which have inspired centuries of artists, including the noted John Constable.

Places of interest to those visiting the town will be Colchester Castle Museum, this takes you on a splendid historical journey covering over 2,000 years of history. Bourne Mill is another interesting building, this is found beside Bourne Pond and was originally built in 1591 as a fishing lodge. In the centre of the town stands the Town Hall, a gracious building of 1902 crowned with a clock tower topped by a statue of St. Helena facing towards Jerusalem. Legend has it that St. Helena was the daughter of the mythical King Cole of Colchester made famous by the nursery rhyme, other legends link the town to Camelot and Humpty Dumpty.

The attractive "Dutch" quarter of the town is well worth seeing, here there are some lovely houses dating back to before the 16th-century, in other parts of Colchester there are buildings from the Medieval, Stuart, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Holly Trees Museum is in a beautiful town house built in 1718, this shows commemorative collections of craft and military objects from the 19th-century onwards. The Minories is yet another attractive property from the Georgian period, this houses a superb collection of art, furniture, china and silver, and the town's Natural History Museum is housed in what was formerly All Saint's Church. Here visitors can see a unique celebration of the county's rural and natural life, this encompasses reclamation from the sea, the salt marshes and a look at local geology.

In East Street visitors can take a look at the Old Siege House, this is an attractive 15th-century building with walls riddled by Royalist bullets from the Civil War siege of 1648. The house is now a comfortable Italian Restaurant.

With treasures from past and present, an abundance of nature reserves, particularly at the mouth of the Colne, fine parks, old churches, historic castles and a wealth of legends, Colchester makes an interesting visit for everyone. There is all of this and much more. It is a thriving, up to the minute city with modern shopping and pleasure facilities catering for all ages and all tastes. It is close to the sea, with a famous harbour and is impressive in the extreme with out of town lanes, rivers and creeks lending enchantment to every road you take.

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Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.

Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner

Recommended attractions near Colchester

Colchester Castle	(0.6 miles, 0.9 km)	Pictures
Colchester Zoo	(0.6 miles, 1.0 km)	Pictures
St. Botolph's Priory	(0.7 miles, 1.1 km)	Pictures
High Woods Country Park	(1.2 miles, 2.0 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Bourne Mill	(1.4 miles, 2.2 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Beth Chatto Gardens	(4.3 miles, 6.9 km, direction E)	Pictures
East Anglian Railway Museum	(6.2 miles, 9.9 km, direction W)	Pictures
Dedham Art and Craft Centre	(6.6 miles, 10.6 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Flatford Mill	(7.3 miles, 11.7 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Bridge Cottage	(7.3 miles, 11.7 km, direction NE)	Pictures
Paycocke's	(9.0 miles, 14.6 km, direction W)	Pictures
St. Osyth Priory	(9.9 miles, 15.9 km, direction SE)	Pictures
Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall	(11.0 miles, 17.7 km, direction S)	Pictures
Dedham Vale	(12.5 miles, 20.2 km, direction NW)	Pictures
Gainsborough's House	(12.9 miles, 20.7 km, direction NW)	Pictures

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Recommended towns near Colchester

Greenstead, in the county of Essex (1.7 miles, 2.7 km, direction E)
Greenstead Church is said to be the oldest wooden building in the world. Well worth a visit..
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Fingringhoe, in the county of Essex (4.1 miles, 6.5 km, direction SE)
Delightful Fingringhoe is home to one of the most outstanding Nature Reserves in the country. It was formed out of a disused gravel pit near the estuary of the beautiful River Colne and today it is the premier flagship of the Essex Wildlife Trust.
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Marks Tey, in the county of Essex (4.2 miles, 6.8 km, direction W)
Its location is ideally suited to anyone wishing to explore fine Essex countryside, coast and the beautiful town of Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town.
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Nayland, in the county of Suffolk (5.6 miles, 9.0 km, direction N)
The heady beauty of Suffolk has been the inspiration of artist's for centuries and the village of Nayland, in the hear of Constable country is no exception.
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Dedham, in the county of Essex (6.4 miles, 10.3 km, direction NE)
There are two things that immediately strike you about this enchanting village, the first is the opulence of the beautiful 15th-century church, and the second is the fascinating view of the River Stour, which, like the church, has featured in Constable paintings.
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Flatford, in the county of Suffolk (6.9 miles, 11.1 km, direction NE)
On arrival in Flatford there is little to prepare you for its overwhelming beauty, but you should not be surprised, for this after all is Constable Country, an area made famous by the great landscape painter and which features in so many of his pictures.
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Brightlingsea, in the county of Essex (7.7 miles, 12.3 km, direction SE)
A medieval port on the Colne estuary, Brightlingsea was once an associate member of the Cinque Ports. The history of the town goes back to Roman times and it's industry has always been linked to the sea.
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East Bergholt, in the county of Suffolk (8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction NE)
This enchanting village gained lasting fame as Constable's birth place. It also has a very unusual medieval bell cage.
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West Mersea, in the county of Essex (8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction S)
The beach is crammed full of colourful beach huts and has fine views across the mouth of the River Blackwater to Bradwell-on-Sea. The beach is safe for bathing, windsurfing is popular and there is a small jetty for boats.
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Polstead, in the county of Suffolk (8.1 miles, 13.1 km, direction N)
This delightful village has all the charm of a picture postcard. Almost overlooking the main village street and the village pond is the beautiful church dedicated to St. Mary which has the only medieval stone spire in Suffolk.
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Manningtree, a Historic Market Town in the county of Essex (8.2 miles, 13.2 km, direction NE)
The town shows fine examples of weavers cottages and walks through the town reveal fine Georgian facades behind which are Tudor and Elizabethan houses.
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Coggeshall, in the county of Essex (8.6 miles, 13.9 km, direction W)
Standing in a town full of elaborate historic properties, the simple charm of Coggeshall water mill, reflected in the waters of the Blackwell River, captivates perfectly the image of an Essex of long ago, immortalised forever in paintings by Constable and Gainsborough.
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Earls Colne, in the county of Essex (8.6 miles, 13.9 km, direction W)
This attractive village spreads out from the banks of the River Colne in the beautiful Colne valley.
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Mistley, in the county of Essex (8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction NE)
Mistley lies on the south bank of the River Stour not far from Manningtree, to which it is joined via a tree-lined walk along the river which is oddly called The Walls.
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Tollesbury, in the county of Essex (9.6 miles, 15.5 km, direction S)
This large sea-faring village sits attractively off a tidal creek where the waters of the Blackwater River enter the sea.
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Nearby travel help

Colchester Town Station	(0.4 miles, 0.7 km)
Colchester Station	(0.6 miles, 0.9 km)
London Stansted Airport	(27.7 miles, 44.6 km, direction W)
M11 Junction 8	(29.6 miles, 47.5 km, direction W)
M11 Junction 9	(32.4 miles, 52.2 km, direction W)
Cambridge Airport	(37.4 miles, 60.3 km, direction NW)
Colchester to London	(51.1 miles, 82.2 km, direction SW)

Hotels & Accommodation in Colchester

Hotel Name	Approximate distance from Colchester center
Riverside Hotel	(0.4 miles, 0.6 km)
George Hotel	(0.5 miles, 0.8 km)
The Red Lion Hotel	(0.6 miles, 0.9 km)
Best Western The Rose & Crown Hotel	(1.2 miles, 2.0 km, direction E)
Wivenhoe House Hotel	(2.6 miles, 4.1 km, direction E)
Ramada Colchester	(3.0 miles, 4.9 km, direction NE)
The Marks Tey Hotel	(4.3 miles, 6.8 km, direction W)
Queens House Guest House	(7.4 miles, 11.8 km, direction NW)
Best Western Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa	(7.4 miles, 12.0 km, direction N)
Five Lakes Hotel, Golf, Country Club & Spa	(8.1 miles, 13.1 km, direction SW)
All hotels in Colchester