Bob Russell

Welcome to Britain's oldest recorded town! Colchester, or Camulodunum as it was known in Roman times when it was their first Capital, was referred to by a Roman writer named Pliny the Elder in AD77. Much of the Roman Town Wall still stands, built following the destruction by Queen Boadicea (Boudicca) of the first Roman settlement.

The Norman Castle (the largest Keep in Europe) played a central role in 1648 when Colchester was put under siege during the English Civil War. Unlike other parts of the country who suffered from the enthusiastic rebuild during the 60's and 70's, there remain in Colchester many buildings of great age and character.

Colchester is a popular eating place, with a great variety of restaurants for all tastes and many historic pubs. With the sensitive mix of modern and old-fashioned shopping areas, Colchester attracts shoppers from not just across the Eastern Region but from across the North Sea with Colchester being a stop-off for European ferry trippers.

Colchester is arguably Britain's most important garrison town, home to 16 Air Assault Brigade. The University of Essex is located to the east of the urban edge of the town.

Following a nationwide poll in 1998, Colchester was voted one of the best places in Britain to live for "quality of life" and low rates of crime.

Colchester is ideally situated being only 54 miles east of London; the A12/M25 road network provides fast direct links into the capital or 47 minutes by train into the City. London's newest airport at Stansted is 45 minutes away and the major East Cost ports of Harwich International and Felixstowe take only 30 minutes to reach by road.