Colchester

Colchester is an historic town in the north of the English county of Essex, with a population of about 160,000. It is the main town in the borough of Colchester, is one of the towns which claim to be Britain's oldest town (but is the oldest recorded Roman town).

Medieval Colchester

Medieval Colchester's main landmark is Colchester Castle, which is an 11th century Norman keep, and built atop the vaults of the old Roman temple. The castle is surrounded by the landscaped Castle Park. The castle is a minute's walk from the high street.

Related Topics:
Colchester Castle - 11th century - Roman temple

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The Benedictine abbey of St. John the Baptist, generally known as "Colchester Abbey" or "St. John's Abbey," had a beautiful late 11th century church until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the execution of its abbot in 1539. Now all that remains of it is its gate, which is still a tourist attraction on St. John's Green and the small church with a wooden tower (St. Leonard's) which was built for the layworkers on the site.

Related Topics:
Benedictine - Abbey - St. John the Baptist - Church - Dissolution of the Monasteries - Abbot - 1539

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The Augustinian priory of St. Botolph, generally known as "St. Botolph's Priory", was also established in the 11th century. Today, all that remains of the priory are ruins. This adopted the Augustinian Order in around 1200 and became the mother church of the order in Britain. The present church is Victorian.

Related Topics:
Augustinian - Priory - St. Botolph

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In addition, Colchester had eight other medieval (Norman) churches within the walls. These were:

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; St. Mary at the Walls

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: Built against the Roman Walls, this church was the site on which Protestants were burnt during the reign of Mary I. The largest number of 'heretics' was burnt in Colchester in Britain after London. The tower was used as a gun emplacement during the Civil War by the Royalist army. The tower of the Norman church remains, the rest was built subsequently. It is an arts centre today. The body of the church is Victorian with a Norman tower which was repaired in around 1750 after civil war damage. (See Humpty Dumpty)

Related Topics:
Protestants - Mary I - Civil War - Royalist - Humpty Dumpty

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; St. Martin's

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: Still survives in its original Norman state. It is currently unused. Its tower was damaged during the Civil War and was never repaired. The key is available from the Colchester Castle museum.

Related Topics:
Civil War - Colchester Castle

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; St. Runwald's

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: Only three churches were ever built to St. Runwald in Britain. The one in Colchester was knocked down in the 1860s. It used to stand in the High Street and the graveyard is still in West Stockwell Street, behind the Colchester Town Hall.

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; St. Nicolas'

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: Used to have the highest spire in Colchester, but the church was knocked down in the 1950s by the church authorities who no longer needed the site. The site was redeveloped for use as a department store (St Nicolas House) by the Colchester Co-operative Society. It is now used by JJB Sports.

Related Topics:
Spire - Co-op

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; All Saints'

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: Is now used as the Natural History Museum (opposite Colchester Castle).

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; Holy Trinity

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: The oldest church in Colchester. Parts of the tower could date to around 1050 (The Saxon period) when an earlier church building existed there. There is a unique pointed Saxon doorway in the West side of the tower.

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; St James the Great

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: Is still used as a church in Colchester. It stands to the East side of the town near the town wall. John Ball, radical priest ("When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?") and a leader of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 preached at "St. James the Great".

Related Topics:
John Ball - [1 - Peasants' Revolt - 1381

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; St Peter's

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: Also still a church with a surviving bell tower. The bells can be heard every Thursday in the town centre. The church is always open through the day and details of its history are available there.

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