82-455: Wivenhoe House is a grade II-listed house located in Colchester , Essex . It is in use as a 4-star hotel . Wivenhoe House's history began in 1759 when Isaac Rebow asked Thomas Reynolds to build the house. In 1816, owner Major-General Francis Slater Rebow commissioned John Constable to commit the house to canvas for the fee of 100 guineas. The painting, Wivenhoe Park , is now displayed at
164-555: A Sanctus bell and a requiem bell . The main west door into the church was called the Pardon Door , because it was where pardons were granted at the feast of St Denis (9 October, known as Pardon Day in Medieval Colchester ). The cloisters of the church were located on its south side, and the canons' dormitory was refurbished in 1383. The house was headed by a Prior , and initially contained twelve canons representing
246-732: A Kentish priest called Norman, who had studied under Anselm of Canterbury in France before returning to England and settling in Colchester. There, he joined a college of secular priests at the church of St. Botolph who had resolved to join a religious order, and whose leader, Ainulf, turned to Norman for advice on the matter. When Norman suggested the Augustinian order, which at the time had no Houses in England, Ainulf and his followers agreed, sending him back to Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, who gave Norman
328-538: A brand new stadium at Cuckoo Farm in 2008. On 20 May 2022, it was announced that as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours , what was then the Borough of Colchester would receive city status . It was slated to receive the status formally by letters patent on 12 September 2022, however following the death of Queen Elizabeth II , the ceremony was postponed. On 29 September 2022, the letters patent
410-505: A centre of Protestant "heresy" and in consequence at least 19 local people were burned at the stake at the castle, at first in front, later within the walls. They are commemorated on a tablet near the altar of St Peter's Church. (Sources: John Foxe, Book of Martyrs; Mark Byford, The Process of Reformation in a Tudor Town) The town saw the start of the Stour Valley riots of 1642, when the town house of John Lucas, 1st Baron Lucas of Shenfield
492-495: A dry climate compared to the rest of the UK all year round and occasional (relative) extremes of temperatures during the year (occasional high 20 °Cs/low 30 °Cs during the summer) and quite a few nights below freezing during the winter months (daytime high temperatures are seldom below freezing). Any rainfall that does come from Atlantic weather systems is usually light, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorms can take place during
574-408: A fifth-century wooden hut built on the ruins of a Roman house in present-day Lion Walk. Archaeological excavations have shown that public buildings were abandoned, and is very doubtful whether Colchester survived as a settlement with any urban characteristics after the sixth century. The chronology of its revival is obscure. But the ninth-century Historia Brittonum , attributed to Nennius , mentions
656-605: A grey-brown colour). This allowed the population to recover exceptionally rapidly from the effects of the Black Death , particularly by immigration into the town. Rovers Tye Farm, now a pub on Ipswich Road , has been documented as being established by 1353. By the 'New Constitutions' of 1372, a borough council was instituted; the two bailiffs who represented the borough to the king were now expected to consult sixteen ordinary councillors and eight auditors (later called aldermen). Even though Colchester's fortunes were more mixed during
738-452: A hotel, and added an extension between 1986-88 by local architect Bryan Thomas . In 2012 the University of Essex re-opened the hotel after a £10m refurbishment and development, with a modern garden wing replacing the 1980s extension. In the main house, each room has its own theme, many of which are designed in the style of hotel chains. Many of the hotel staff are students of Hospitality at
820-467: A letter of recommendation to take to the abbot of Mont-Saint-Éloi . Norman and a companion took this letter to the France, first to Chartres and then to Beauvais , where they learned the Rule of St. Augustine before returning to Colchester. There they transformed the church of St Botolph into St Botolph's Priory, with Ainulf as its first prior; this must have occurred sometime between when Anselm consecrated
902-624: A new condition that they should supply him during expeditions against Wales with a horse worth 5s., a sack and a pike. Other charters confirmed by Henry included the grants made by Count Eustace of Boulogne . Richard I granted a charter on 4 December 1189, in which he extended the list of liberties and confirmed their possessions in detail, these including the churches of Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire , Layer de la Haye and Marks Tey . These and other charters were confirmed by Henry IV in 1400, and again by Henry VI in 1427. The temporalities of
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#1732902026401984-455: A new head was to be elected by the majority of the brethren and presented to the Bishop of London for consecration with special powers. In the middle of the fourteenth century a violent altercation took place between the priory and St John's Abbey . The Abbey complained to the pope that prior John with two of his canons, John Noreys and Thomas de Gipwico, along with several laymen, attacked one of
1066-606: A relaxation of penance to penitents who on the feast of St. Denis should visit and give alms for the conservation and repair of the priory, which was founded and sufficiently endowed for a prior and twelve canons, but had become impoverished. Prior John Depyng was made abbot of St Osyth's Priory in 1434, and took with him goods of considerable value belonging to the priory. He never returned these, and after his death St Botolph's brought an apparently unsuccessful lawsuit in Chancery against St Osyth's for their recovery. Early in 1534
1148-682: A selection of new feature and short films from around the world and centred at the VAF, was held from to 2012 to 2017 (excluding 2016). There are 12 cinema screens spread across the 8 screen Odeon, 3 screen Curzon and 1 screen in the firstsite gallery. Local links with football began with the amateur club Colchester Town , which was formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1937. They were succeeded by professional club Colchester United , who compete in Football League Two (as of season 2023–24) and play home games at Colchester Community Stadium . Founded in 1937,
1230-557: A social history museum with children's exhibits in the former home of Charles Gray , and the Natural History Museum, located in the former All Saints' Church. The Colchester Archaeological Trust have opened a visitor centre and museum at the former Cavalry Barracks to display finds from the Roman Circus, with replicas and models of the circus, as well as finds from the nearby Roman cemeteries. In 2014 brick and marble columns from
1312-546: Is also located in Colchester. Firstsite is a contemporary art organisation, based in the Visual Arts Facility, which was designed by Rafael Viñoly , and opened in September 2011, at a total cost of approximately £25.5 million, £9 million more than the original estimate. The Minories houses The Minories Galleries, which is managed by Colchester Institute and presents contemporary exhibitions by artists from
1394-716: Is late Saxon work. Medieval Colchester's main landmark is Colchester Castle , which is an 11th-century Norman keep, and built on top of the vaults of the old Roman temple . There are notable medieval ruins in Colchester, including the surviving gateway of the Benedictine abbey of St John the Baptist (known locally as "St John's Abbey"), and the ruins of the Augustinian priory of St Botolph (known locally as " St Botolph's Priory "). Many of Colchester's parish churches date from this period. Colchester's medieval town seal incorporated
1476-456: Is less than 30 miles (50 km) from London Stansted Airport and 20 miles (30 km) from the port of Harwich . Attractions in and around the city include St Botolph's Priory , Colchester Zoo , and several art galleries. Colchester Castle was constructed in the eleventh century on earlier Roman foundations; it now contains a museum. The main campus of the University of Essex is located between Colchester and Wivenhoe . Local government
1558-560: Is surrounded by Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments that pre-date the town, including a Neolithic henge at Tendring , large Bronze Age barrow cemeteries at Dedham and Langham , and a larger example at Brightlingsea consisting of a cluster of 22 barrows. Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder , who died in AD 79, although
1640-534: Is the responsibility of the City of Colchester and Essex County Council . There are several theories about the origin of the name Colchester . Some contend that is derived from the Latin words colonia (referring to a type of Roman settlement with rights equivalent to those of Roman citizens, one of which was believed to have been founded in the vicinity of Colchester) and castra , meaning fortifications (referring to
1722-569: The 16th Air Assault Brigade . The Army's only military corrective training centre, known colloquially within the forces and locally as " The Glasshouse " after the original military prison in Aldershot , is in Berechurch Hall Road, on the outskirts of Colchester. The centre holds men and women from all three services who are sentenced to serve periods of detention . From 1998 to 2008, the garrison area underwent massive redevelopment. A lot of
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#17329020264011804-568: The Jumbo Water Tower and the Albert Hall . In 1884, the area was struck by the Colchester earthquake , estimated to have been 4.7 on the Richter Scale causing extensive regional damage. The Paxman diesels business has been associated with Colchester since 1865 when James Noah Paxman founded a partnership with the brothers Henry and Charles Davey ('Davey, Paxman, and Davey') and opened
1886-562: The Ministry of Defence land was sold for private housing development and parts of the garrison were moved. Many parts of the garrison now stand empty awaiting the second phase of the development. Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state. From 2009, these salutes have taken place in Castle Park. BFBS Radio broadcasts from studios on
1968-579: The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. This was the same General Rebow who returned from the Peninsular Wars with two cork oak cuttings in his boots. Today, those two oak trees stand proudly within the grounds. When General Rebow died in 1845 the estate passed to his son-in-law, future English Liberal Party MP John Gurdon Rebow . He commissioned the architect Thomas Hopper to remodel
2050-507: The Twelve Apostles . In 1281, in return for benefactions by a Master Simon de Eylondia, the Prior bound the priory to maintain forever a thirteenth canon, to be nominated by Master Simon and his assigns. This thirteenth canon was to celebrate divine service daily at the altar of St. Thomas in the priory church for Master Simon's soul and the souls of his parents, Robert and Cecily; this agreement
2132-437: The nave was 110 ft (33.5m) long, with its breadth (including aisles ) being 55 ft (16.75m); the height of the gable was around 45 ft (13.7m), and the rose window within it is thought to be one of the earliest examples in England. The arms of the church were 42 ft (12.8m) long. The church had several side chapels, including a lady chapel , a chapel dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria (recorded in
2214-453: The 12th century French Arthurian storyteller Chrétien de Troyes ) is most likely a corruption of Camlann , a now unknown location first mentioned in the 10th century Welsh annalistic text Annales Cambriae , identified as the place where Arthur was slain in battle. Soon after the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, a Roman legionary fortress was established, the first in Britain. Later, when
2296-420: The 15th century, it was still a more important place by the 16th century than it had been in the 13th. In 1334 it would not have ranked among England's wealthiest fifty towns, to judge from the taxation levied that year. By 1524, however, it ranked twelfth, as measured by its assessment to a lay subsidy. Between 1550 and 1600, a large number of weavers and clothmakers from Flanders emigrated to Colchester and
2378-669: The Celtic name of the town, Camulodunon appears on coins minted by tribal chieftain Tasciovanus in the period 20–10 BC. Before the Roman conquest of Britain it was already a centre of power for Cunobelin – known to Shakespeare as Cymbeline – king of the Catuvellauni (c. 5 BC – AD 40), who minted coins there. Its Celtic name, Camulodunon, variously represented as CA, CAM, CAMV, CAMVL and CAMVLODVNO on
2460-667: The Colne Valley during the Mesolithic have been discovered, including a tranchet axe from Middlewick. In the 1980s an archaeological inventory showed that over 800 shards of pottery from the Neolithic , Bronze Age and early Iron Age have been found within Colchester, along with many examples of worked flint . This included a pit found at Culver Street containing a ritually placed Neolithic grooved ware pot, as well as find spots containing later Deverel-Rimbury bucket urns . Colchester
2542-477: The Colne's name is pre-Roman, sharing its origin with several other rivers Colne or Clun around Britain, and that Colchester is derived from Colne and Castra . Ekwall went as far as to say "it has often been held that Colchester contains as first element [Latin] colonia ... this derivation is ruled out of court by the fact that Colne is the name of several old villages situated a good many miles from Colchester and on
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2624-777: The Colne. The identification of Colonia with Colchester is doubtful." The popular association of the name with King Coel has no academic merit. The gravel hill upon which Colchester is built was formed in the Middle Pleistocene period, and was shaped into a terrace between the Anglian glaciation and the Ipswichian glaciation by an ancient precursor to the River Colne . From these deposits Palaeolithic flint tools , including at least six Acheulian handaxes , have been found. Further flint tools made by hunter gatherers living in
2706-484: The House in 1846, and William Andrews Nesfield to advise on the relocation of the coach roads and entrances and to advise on the planting of the park and the flower garden. John Gurdon Rebow died in 1870 and passed the estate to his son Hector Gurdon Rebow, during whose ownership Wivenhoe House survived England's worst-ever earthquake in 1884 . The estate was sold to Charles Edmund Gooch in 1902 and whilst within this family
2788-463: The Lionheart ), although the wording suggests that it was based on an earlier one. It granted Colchester's burgesses the right to elect bailiffs and a justice . The borough celebrated the 800th anniversary of its charter in 1989. Colchester developed rapidly during the later 14th century as a centre of the woollen cloth industry, and became famous in many parts of Europe for its russets (fabrics of
2870-674: The Luftwaffe. None of these attacks hit their targets, but a raid on 11 August bombed Severalls Hospital , and killed 38 elderly patients. In February 1944 a single raider caused a huge fire in the St Botolph's area which gutted warehouses, shops and part of Paxman's Britannia Works. The total wartime bombing death toll in the borough was 55. The University of Essex was established at Wivenhoe Park in 1961. The £22.7M 8-mile (13-kilometre) A120 Colchester Eastern Bypass opened in June 1982. Colchester and
2952-496: The Roman frontier moved outwards and the twentieth legion had moved to the west (c. AD 49), Camulodunum became a colonia named in a second-century inscription as Colonia Victricensis . This contained a large and elaborate Temple to the Divine Claudius , the largest classical-style temple in Britain, as well as at least seven other Romano-British temples. Colchester is home to two of the five Roman theatres found in Britain;
3034-524: The Roman town was rebuilt after the Boudicca rebellion. In 2004, Colchester Archaeological Trust discovered the remains of a Roman Circus (chariot race track) underneath the Garrison in Colchester, a unique find in Britain. The city reached its peak in the second and third centuries AD. It may have reached a population of 30,000 in that period. In 2014 a hoard of jewellery, known as The Fenwick Hoard, named for
3116-660: The Standard Ironworks. In 1925, Paxman produced its first spring injection oil engine and joined the English Electric Diesel Group in 1966 – later becoming part of the GEC Group. Since the 1930s the Paxman company's main business has been the production of diesel engines . In the early 20th century Colchester lobbied to be the seat for a new Church of England diocese for Essex , to be split off from
3198-476: The University of Essex. Colchester Colchester ( / ˈ k ɒ l tʃ ɛ s t ər , ˈ k oʊ l -, - tʃ ɪ s t -/ KO(H)L -chest-ər, -chist- ) is a city in northeastern Essex , England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 Census . The demonym is Colcestrian . Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum ,
3280-453: The assault on South Gate, reducing it to its present ruinous state. In 1837 a Gothic Victorian church was built next to the ruins, partially covering the location of the priory's cloister. The ruins themselves are now a public park, and in 2010-12 improvements were made to make them more accessible. The priory church was built in Norman style on the site of the earlier Church of St Botolph,
3362-594: The base on 107.0FM as part of its UK Bases network. Colchester City Council is the local authority. The Member of Parliament for Colchester is Pam Cox of the Labour Party . The former MP, Liberal Democrat Sir Bob Russell , has held the ceremonial role of High Steward of Colchester since 2015. Colchester houses several museums. The Castle Museum, found within Colchester Castle , features an extensive exhibit on Roman Colchester. Nearby are Hollytrees Museum ,
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3444-401: The biblical text Intravit ihc: in quoddam castellum et mulier quedam excepit illum 'Jesus entered a certain castle and a woman there welcomed him' (Luke 10.38). This is a commonplace allegory in which a castle is likened to Mary's womb, and explains the name of Maidenburgh St, neighbouring the castle. In 1189, Colchester was granted its first known royal charter by King Richard I ( Richard
3526-582: The canons, was not spared however, and was demolished along with the cloisters , chapter house and associated buildings. The church remained this way until the Siege of Colchester in 1648 during the Second English Civil War . A Royalist army had seized the town, which was then surrounded and bombarded by the New Model Army led by Thomas Fairfax , with St Botolph's being caught in the crossfire of
3608-566: The city walls, the oldest in Britain). The earliest forms of the name Colchester are Colenceaster and Colneceastre from the 10th century, with the modern spelling of Colchester being found in the 15th century. In this way of interpreting the name, the River Colne which runs through the area takes its name from Colonia as well. Cologne (German Köln ) also gained its name from a similar etymology (from its Roman name Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium ). Other etymologists are confident that
3690-609: The club entered the Football League in 1950, originally playing home games at their former Layer Road stadium until 2008. The club reached its highest league finish of 10th place in the Championship in 2006-07 , and were one of the few teams to win the Watney Cup , in 1971. St Botolph%27s Priory St. Botolph's Priory was a medieval house of Augustinian canons in Colchester , Essex , founded c. 1093. The priory had
3772-479: The coins of Cunobelinus, means 'the fortress of [the war god] Camulos '. During the 30s AD Camulodunon controlled a large swathe of Southern and Eastern Britain, with Cunobelin called " King of the Britons " by Roman writers. Camulodunon is sometimes popularly considered one of many possible sites around Britain for the legendary (perhaps mythical ) Camelot of King Arthur, though the name Camelot (first mentioned by
3854-488: The distinction of being the first and leading Augustinian convent in England until its dissolution in 1536. The remains are protected as both a scheduled monument and Grade I listed building . A Saxon church dedicated to St Botolph originally stood on the site of the priory, with a tower which resembled the Saxon tower of Holy Trinity church in Colchester . The church's conversion to an Augustinian priory began with
3936-543: The early Fifteenth Century) and by 1281 a chapel to St Thomas Becket . Two of these, one of which was the lady chapel, were located on the Priory's western side. The lady chapel contained an image of Mary , which had an Eternal Light burning in it funded by income from a piece of land at Colchester's Hythe port. By the early 1500s there was also a fourth chapel, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The church had at least two bells,
4018-514: The example at Gosbecks (site of the Iron Age royal farmstead) is the largest in Britain , able to seat 5,000. Camulodunum served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica 's rebellion in AD 61. Sometime after the destruction, London became the capital of the province of Britannia . Colchester's city walls c. 3,000 yd. long were built c.65–80 A.D. when
4100-495: The existing Diocese of Rochester . The bid was unsuccessful, with county town Chelmsford forming the seat of the new diocese . In the 2nd World War Colchester's main significance lay in its infantry and light-anti-aircraft training units, and in the Paxman factory, which supplied a large proportion of the engines for British submarines and landing craft. Occasionally hit by stray single German aircraft in 1940 and 1941, in 1942 more serious attempts to bomb its industries were made by
4182-610: The first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colchester therefore claims to be Britain's first city. It has been an important military base since the Roman era , with Colchester Garrison currently housing the 16th Air Assault Brigade . On the River Colne , Colchester is 50 miles (80 kilometres) northeast of London. It is connected to London by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line railway. Colchester
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#17329020264014264-412: The first Augustinian institution in England. As well as St Botolph the priory also honoured St Julian and St Denis. As they were the first of their order in England they were always to be held first in dignity, and to have authority over all houses of St Augustine. The Priory was to be free from the jurisdiction of any person, secular or ecclesiastical, and on the death of Ainulf or any of his successors
4346-494: The following year. In 1380 the prior and canons complained to the King Richard II that several people were pretending to be their attorneys and proctors, and were using forged letters to collect money from unsuspecting victims. The king gave orders for the offenders to be arrested and sent to Newgate gaol, and the forged letters were to be delivered to the archbishop of Canterbury. On 20 February 1421 Pope Martin V granted
4428-555: The house was requisitioned by the War Department during the two major conflicts of the 20th century. In World War II , the tank regiments stationed here scared off the fallow deer . The house once also served as the headquarters of the SAS . C E Gooch's son, Charles Michael Gooch, sold Wivenhoe Park including Wivenhoe House to the University of Essex in 1964 under whose ownership it remains today. The University operated Wivenhoe House as
4510-404: The manors of Blindknights, Canwikes and Dilbridge to Sir Thomas Audley . Audley had licence on 12 September 1540, to grant the site of the priory to John Golder and Anastasia his wife. As the priory had been an Augustinian house, and therefore the church had both parochial and conventual functions, the nave was retained as a parish church. The choir , which had been solely for the use of
4592-552: The monks of St John's with a sword and dagger and blockaded them within the abbey, before a third canon with some laymen forced entry and attacked the abbot and convent. Pope Urban V on 1 July 1363 ordered the Archbishop of Canterbury to excommunicate the offending prior and canons if they could be found guilty. This incident appears to have arisen out of disputes over control of the church of St. Peter and other matters in Colchester and over Layer de la Haye . These disputes were settled
4674-630: The monumental façade of the precinct of the Temple of Claudius were discovered behind the High Street, with plans to make them visible to the public. Opened in 1972, the Mercury Theatre is a repertory theatre. Located nearby is Colchester Arts Centre , a multi-function arts venue located in the former St Mary-at-the-Walls church, and home of the Colchester Beer Festival. The Headgate Theatre
4756-531: The name Camelot of Arthurian legend was probably a reference to Camulodunum , the capital of Britannia in Roman times. The archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler was the first to propose that the lack of early Anglo-Saxon finds in a triangle between London, Colchester and St Albans could indicate a 'sub-Roman triangle' where British rule continued after the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Since then excavations have revealed some early Saxon occupation, including
4838-448: The nomination of the canon to the abbot of Colchester . These agreements were later drawn up in detail by Prior John de Colum, who ordered them to be read annually by the prior, sub-prior and sacristan . In 1406 the priory selected one of its canons to celebrate divine service daily in the chapel of St. Catharine within the conventual section of the priory church for the soul of the late William Colchester, Abbot of Westminster , and for
4920-566: The prior and seven canons, Robert Bawde, Richard Parker, William Shyrwyn, John Garrard, John Gyppys, Robert Rand and William Patche, took the oath of fealty under the Act of Succession , thus avoiding prosecution under the Treasons Act 1534 . The priory was dissolved in accordance with the Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535 . On 26 May in that year it was granted with all its possessions, including
5002-484: The priory and St Nicholas, the poor, the prisoners in Colchester Castle , and for the upkeep of the tombs of the abbot's parents. In case of failure to keep this agreement, the priory was to pay to the abbot or his successors a fine of £10, levied from its manors of Layer de la Haye , Peldon and Abberton . Although not as wealthy as its rival, St John's Abbey, St Botolph's did own considerable holdings in Essex and southern and eastern England. An early source of income
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#17329020264015084-405: The priory were valued in the Taxation of 1291 at £42 16s. 5½d. annually, breaking down to £18 1s. 10d. in Colchester, £6 2s. 6d. in Layer de la Haye, £5 6s. 8d. in Gamlingay, £3 in Colne Engaine and £2 17s. 4d. in Ardleigh ; and it also owned spiritualities worth £10 15s. 4d. in Hatfield Regis, Witham , Boxted and Frating in Essex, and Reydon in Suffolk . The church of St. Peter, Colchester,
5166-429: The region. The building is owned by the Victor Batte-Lay Foundation. There are several bars with live music. In 2009, an art collective called 'Slack Space' took up some of the closed-down shops in the centre and converted them into art galleries with the hope of promoting art and design. The Colchester School of Art, opened in 1885, is based in the Colchester Institute , near the centre. A film festival, showcasing
5248-435: The shop it was found beneath, was discovered in the town centre. The director of Colchester Archaeological Trust, Philip Crummy, described the hoard as being of "national importance and one of the finest ever uncovered in Britain". There is evidence of hasty re-organisation of Colchester's defences around 268–82 AD, followed later, during the fourth century, by the blocking of the Balkerne Gate. John Morris suggested that
5330-399: The souls of his father and mother; this canon was also to celebrate William Colchester's anniversary with chant and solemn tolling of bells in the parish church of St. Nicholas in Colchester as well as at the priory. 6d. was to be paid weekly to the canon, and a distribution of 26s. 8d. was to be made on the day of the anniversary between the rector of St. Nicholas, the ministers and officers of
5412-401: The summer. Snow falls on average 13 days a year during winter and early spring. The highest temperature recorded in Colchester was 36.1 °C (97 °F) in August 2003 (during the 2003 European heat wave ), and the lowest was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in December 2010. Colchester has been an important military garrison since the Roman era. The Colchester Garrison is currently home to
5494-544: The surrender document in the Kings Head Inn) and Charles Lucas and George Lisle were executed in the grounds of Colchester Castle . A small obelisk marks the spot where they fell. Daniel Defoe mentions in A tour through England and Wales that the town lost 5259 people to the plague in 1665, "more in proportion than any of its neighbours, or than the city of London" . By the time he wrote this in 1722, however, he estimated its population to be around 40,000 (including "out-villages"). Between 1797 and 1815 Colchester
5576-514: The surrounding area is currently undergoing significant regeneration, including controversial greenfield residential development in Mile End and Braiswick. At the time of the 2011 UK Census , Colchester and its surrounding built up area had a population of 121,859 , marking a considerable rise from the previous census and with considerable development since 2001 and ongoing building plans; it has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. The local football team, Colchester United, moved into
5658-418: The surrounding areas. They were famed for the production of "Bays and Says" cloths which were woven from wool and are normally associated with baize and serge although surviving examples show that they were rather different from their modern equivalents. An area in Colchester town centre is still known as the Dutch Quarter and many buildings there date from the Tudor period. During this period Colchester
5740-443: The town, including East Mill, Cannock Mill and Hull Mill (the latter two located on Bourne Brook, where there was a third mill, Bourne Mill , belonging to St John's Abbey). St Botolph's Priory was led by a prior , whose seal was a pointed oval of yellow brown wax, 2½ in. by 1¾ in., representing Christ seated blessing two figures, one on the right a bishop (St. Julian), and the other on the left an abbot (St. Botolph). The Legend on
5822-426: The town, which it calls Cair Colun , in a list of the thirty most important cities in Britain. Colchester was in the area assigned to the Danelaw in c.880, and remained in Danish hands until 917 when it was besieged and recaptured by the army of Edward the Elder . The tenth-century Saxons called the town Colneceastre , which is directly equivalent to the Cair Colun of 'Nennius'. The tower of Holy Trinity Church
5904-497: The undertaking in 1093, and William II 's granting of a charter of protection to the canons of the Priory, which was before his death in 1100. Later, in 1108, Norman left Colchester with the Ainulf's blessing to become the first prior of Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate . Pope Paschal II later confirmed the creation of St Botolph's Priory in a papal bull in August 1116. With this, they became
5986-650: The wetter places in Essex. Colchester is generally regarded as having an Oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ) like the rest of the United Kingdom. Its easterly position within the British Isles makes Colchester less prone to Atlantic depressions and weather fronts but more prone to droughts. This is because, like most areas in southeast England, Colchester's weather is influenced more by Continental weather patterns than by Atlantic weather systems. This leads to
6068-423: The work having been completed by 1177 when it was dedicated. Unlike nearby St John's Abbey, St Botolph's Priory initially received little from rich patrons, despite an endowment from Henry I , and it was several decades before the priory church was fully built. The church was just over 176 ft (53.7m) long (about twice as long as the surviving standing ruins), with a central tower and transepts . The length of
6150-427: Was appropriated to the priory in 1318, and the church of Chigwell in 1440; and the advowsons of the rectories of All Saints, St. James, St. Martin and Mile End, in Colchester, and of Frating also belonged to it. The church of Gamlingay, was surrendered to Merton College, Oxford in 1415. The stock of the priory within Colchester at Michaelmas 1295, was valued for the taxation of a seventh granted to Edward I , and
6232-405: Was attacked by a large crowd. In 1648, during the Second English Civil War , a Royalist army led by Lord Goring entered the town. A pursuing Parliamentary army led by Thomas Fairfax and Henry Ireton surrounded the town for eleven and a half weeks, a period known as the Siege of Colchester . It started on 13 June. The Royalists surrendered in the late summer (on 27 August Lord Goring signed
6314-471: Was confirmed by the Bishop of London and by the dean and chapter of St Paul's Cathedral . Master Simon afterwards granted additional rents and tenements from which he assigned half a mark for the vesture of the thirteenth canon, 3s. for the pittance of the convent, and 2s. 6d. for maintaining thirty poor men on his anniversary, with the remainder to be used for the maintenance of the priory altar. In 1296 he assigned
6396-462: Was found to consist of 4 quarters of rye, 12 quarters of barley, 8 quarters of oats, 4 plough cattle, 4 oxen, a bull, 6 cows, 32 sheep and 7 lambs, altogether worth £10 12s. 6d. A similar valuation taken five years later amounted to £6 19s. 8d. Around Colchester the priory owned land at Greenstead and Cannock (or Canwick, from Canon's Wick ) in West Donyland, and several watermills in and around
6478-431: Was from the tithes of the demesne of Hatfield , granted to the Priory by Henry I from his own personal estates. However, this led later to disputes with Hatfield Regis Priory , until the two settled disputes in 1194. Henry also granted the canons of the priory a third share of the mill called Midelmeln (modern Middle Mill in Castle Park, Colchester), as well as confirming the grants made to them by Hugh FitzStephen, under
6560-433: Was made public, with Colchester receiving city status dated 5 September 2022 by the late Queen. Colchester officially received city status on 23 November 2022. Colchester was visited by King Charles III on 7 March 2023, in order to congratulate Colchester on receiving city status. Colchester is in one of the driest regions of the United Kingdom with average annual precipitation at 635 mm (25.0 inches), although among
6642-527: Was one of the most prosperous wool towns in England, and was also famed for its oysters . Flemish refugees in the 1560s brought innovations that revived the local cloth trade, establishing the Dutch Bay Hall for quality control of the textiles for which Colchester became famous. The old Roman wall runs along Northgate Street in the Dutch Quarter. In the reign of "Bloody Mary" (1553–1558) Colchester became
6724-656: Was the HQ of the Army's Eastern District, had a garrison of up to 6,000, and played a main role in defence against a threatened French or Dutch invasion, At various times it was the base of such celebrated officers as Lord Cornwallis, Generals Sir James Craig and David Baird, and Captain William Napier. It was in a state of alarm during the invasion threat of 1803/4, a period well chronicled by the contemporary local author Jane Taylor. Significant Victorian landmarks include Colchester Town Hall ,
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