Living in Colchester
Colchester’s Rich History
One of the most incredible facts about Colchester is that it was Britain’s first capital city, it was also Britain’s first recorded major city since before Roman times.
Colchester, (Camulodunum) was made the capital by the Romans in AD43. On the site where the original Roman temple stood is a newer Norman castle, which dates back to the 11th century. Colchester Castle is open to the public throughout the year.
Since Roman times, and to this day, Colchester has always been a garrison town with a large military history.
Over the past two centuries, Colchester has had many influences, initially from its early Celtic origins, as a stronghold of the Romans, inhabited by the Saxons and Normans and latterly subject to a building boom in Victorian times.
Colchester in the 21st Century
It was therefore fitting that in 2022 Colchester was awarded modern city status. Today, Colchester is a vibrant and thriving modern city that celebrates its past whilst enjoying the many benefits of 21st century living.
Colchester is situated close to Constable country and picturesque villages, while only minutes away from the coast. Being only 50 miles from the capital London it is a prime town for commuters with a mainline connection into the Liverpool Street station in the heart of the city.
The city centre has a large selection of restaurants ranging from all the popular chains to smaller independents. The flagship shop in Colchester is the department store Fenwick which had a £35 million makeover in 2016. All encompassed by the most complete Roman wall in the country
Things to do in Colchester
Colchester has one of the top 50 museum collections in the country as well as one of the country’s leading contemporary art galleries at Firstsite.
The award-winning Colchester Castle Museum is an absolute must-see, set in the beautiful grounds of Castle Park, an oasis in the heart of Colchester city centre.
One of the biggest visitor attractions is Colchester Zoo which is set in over 60 acres with an elephant enclosure, bears, the chimpanzee look out and much, much more.
Combined with a fabulous range of accommodation you’ll be ideally placed for exploring the surrounding picturesque villages of East Anglia, walking in the footsteps of John Constable in Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and enjoying the fruits of the sea at nearby Mersea Island.
Living in Colchester
In recent there has been considerable investment in local housing with the development of new homes in and around the city making it one of the fastest growing towns in the UK.
Moving to Colchester
There is strong demand for properties in Colchester with many buyers and people looking to rent a home in the Colchester and surrounding areas.
If you are considering a move please feel free to call our office, either for an informal chat about the market and how we might help you with this or to book a market appraisal.
To see the very latest homes coming to the market, click ‘New to market homes’, this lists all of the very latest homes as they come to the market.
You can also see our ‘Recently Sold Properties’.