History of Colchester

Modern Colchester existed as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, with evidence suggesting it has been continuously inhabited for 3000 years.

During the early years of the Roman conquest, some historians believe the city was being prepared as the capital of the Roman province of Britannia due to the scale of development. However, that honour later went to Londinium.

Roman Colchester was known as Camulodunum, from the name of the Celtic god of war Camulos and the Roman word dunum meaning fort, but the town quickly grew from military outpost to fully fledged town.

In 60AD the town was sacked by Queen Boudica, residents were killed and the town was razed.

Undaunted by the attack the Romans rebuilt and between 65 and 100AD the town was ringed by a wall for protection.

In the 4^th and 5^th centuries Roman civilisation broke down in the wake of Saxon invasion and the next of Colchester’s history began.

Used primarily as a defensive position Colchester under the Saxons ceased to be a town and little is known of this part of its history.

It was to languish until 917 when the English recaptured it from the Danes and settled it.

In the late 11th century the Normans built the castle Colchester is famous for.

The medieval period heralded the arrival of the Catholics, who established St John’s Abbey and bringing a Catholic heritage that would span about 400 years. It came to an end in 1538 when Henry VIII closed the Abbey, the priory and the friaries.

Civil war in 1648, between royalists and parliament with the royalists taking refuge within the city walls – the resulting siege reduced the townspeople to eating cats and dogs.

In the late 19^th century Colchester became famed for engineering.

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