The entrance doorway, which was originally protected by a fore-building, has a fine arch which is partly built of Caen stone brought from Normandy. The Great Stair, rising in the south west corner tower, is the largest winding stone staircase in Britain. The first floor fireplaces are early examples of their kind and have Y-shaped chimneys that discharge through holes in the walls. The royal apartments were situated in the east gallery on the first floor, a fact marked by the presence of an adjoining chapel or crypt, and a toilet!
Surrounding the keep was a large bank and ditch, of which only the north and east sections survive substantially intact. Within this area, called the bailey, only the foundations of a chapel can still be seen, but there would have been many other buildings such as stables, storehouses and workshops. On the north side of the keep a lower bailey extended down to the town walls.
The Castle was a royal fortress throughout the Norman period. It only saw serious action once, in , when King John had to retake it from a French occupying force which was supporting a revolt by the English barons. Famous Characters Castle Owners. Partner Sites Other Norman Buildings. Famous Characaters John Lackland. Still, the old fort was taken over by civilians and turned into a town. It was settled by retired Roman soldiers. Roman Colchester was called Camulodunum, from the name of the Celtic god of war Camulos and the Roman word dunum meaning fort.
The defenders took refuge in the temple of Claudius but the rebels broke in. They killed the people and burned the temple. They also burned the rest of the town an easy task as most of the buildings were made of wood. However, after the rebellion was crushed the Romans rebuilt Colchester. Between about 65 and a wall was built around the town.
There was also a small fort at Gosbecks. Roman Colchester probably had a population of , That seems small to us but in those days England had a tiny population and settlements were much smaller than they are today. By Roman standards, Colchester was a large and important town. It was also an important port because of its position near the sea. Inside Roman Colchester potters worked in clay. Other craftsmen worked in glass.
Some made things of bone. There were also blacksmiths and bronze smiths. Tiles and bricks were also made in the town. There were at least 8 temples in Colchester. The Romans also built a theater at Gosbecks. This would have been an open-air theater in the shape of a semi-circle. In the 4th century Colchester, like other Roman towns declined.
Town life may have ended after the Romans left. Most of the buildings in the Roman town were of timber and would soon have decayed and fallen to pieces. A small number of Saxons may have lived within the walls of Colchester and farmed the land there but it ceased to function as a town. Nevertheless, the Saxons gave Colchester its name. They called it Colne Ceaster. Ceaster was the Saxon word for a group of Roman buildings.
For hundreds of years, history is silent about Colchester. In the 9th century, the Danes invaded England and conquered the eastern region including Colchester. But the English fought back from the South and West. The Danes probably used Colchester as a stronghold as it still had its Roman walls.
Both sides, Danes and English used old Roman towns and forts as strongholds where the local men could gather in the event of an enemy attack. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a sort of national diary, mentions Colchester in the year when the English recaptured it from the Danes. The English then repaired the damage to Colchester and occupied it. By the late 10th century Colchester had a mint so it must have been a settlement of some importance.
It also had a weekly market. In the late 11th century the Normans built a castle in Colchester. It was probably begun around and was complete by The castle was built on the vaults of the old temple of Claudius.
In some barons rebelled against King John and brought soldiers from France to help them. The French soldiers occupied Colchester castle. A priory was a small monastery. Magdalen Road is named after the leper hospital. In the 13th century, friars arrived in Colchester. Friars were like monks except that rather than withdrawing from the world they went out to preach. In the town, there were Franciscans known as Grey friars because of the color of their habits. There were also crutched friars Augustinians.
They had a cross sewn on their habits. They were first called Cruxed friars from crux the Latin word for cross. It became corrupted to crutched. At the time of the Domesday Book, in , Colchester had houses. It may have had a population of between 2, and 2,, which made it a fair-sized town. It also had 4 watermills that ground grain to flour for the townspeople and 2 parish churches.
By the 14th century, it probably had a population of around 4,, which made it quite a large town by the standards of the time.
In Colchester was given its first charter a charter was a document allowing the townspeople certain rights and privileges. In the Middle Ages, Colchester had 2 weekly markets and the merchants were allowed to elect bailiffs who ran the town. Wool was woven in the town. It was also fulled. This means it was cleaned and thickened by pounding it in a mixture of water and clay. Colchester, St Martin's Church - 0. St Botolph's Priory - 0. Colchester, Holy Trinity Church - 0. Jumbo Water Tower - 0. Colchester, St Mary at the Walls - 0.
Woodbell Lodge is one of five lodges peacefully situated in acres of private land at Wakes Hall Farm, which recently awarded a five star AA award. Located on the … Sleeps 4. This well-presented mid-terrace cottage is in the centre of Colchester in Essex and can sleep four people in two bedrooms.
Sleeps 4. The Green Man Boutique Hotel. A high quality delightful village guest house just 1. The charm began in the year and we take great pleasure in ensuring that the charm continues for your comfort and enjoyment - blended tastefully with the creature comforts you'd expect from ….
Toggle navigation. Best of Britain. Colchester Castle Museum More Photos. William the Conqueror chose Colchester to build his first - and largest - royal castle in stone. Construction began in on the ruins of a Roman temple to the Emperor Claudius, and remains of the temple can be seen today.
The castle fell into disuse in the later medieval period, but was eventually restored and converted into a fine museum. The south west tower. Dutch Cottage, Colchester - 0. Endymion Lodge, Wakes Colne - 7. The Blue Anchor Feering - 8.
The Crown Hotel - The George And Dragon Inn -
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