Castles · East of England
Colchester Castle
Also known as: Caisleán Colchester
In or near Colchester.
Colchester Castle — Norman castle in Colchester, United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Colchester Town · 0.5 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
About
Colchester Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1069. Designed by Gundulf. Built in the Norman architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Part of Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service. Address: CO1 1TJ. Wikidata describes it as: "Norman castle in Colchester, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 51.8906°, 0.9030°.
Photo gallery
360° viewimagery from 2016
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
Colchester Castle is a Norman castle in Colchester, Essex, England, dating from the second half of the eleventh century. The keep of the castle is mostly intact and is the largest example of its kind anywhere in Europe, due to it being built on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius. The castle endured a three-month siege in 1216, but had fallen into disrepair by the seventeenth century when the curtain walls and some of the keep's upper parts were demolished; its original height is debated. The remaining structure was used as a prison and was partially restored as a large garden pavilion, but was purchased by Colchester Borough Council in 1922. The castle has, since 1860, housed Colchester Museum, which has an important collection of Roman exhibits.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Official information
Colchester Castle is a historic site featuring the largest Norman keep in Europe, built on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius. Visitors can explore interactive displays, guided tours, and significant archaeological collections, including Roman treasures and medieval artifacts.
From the Wikipedia article
Colchester Castle is a Norman castle in Colchester, Essex, England, dating from the second half of the eleventh century. The keep of the castle is mostly intact and is the largest example of its kind anywhere in Europe, due to it being built on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius. The castle endured a three-month siege in 1216, but had fallen into disrepair by the seventeenth century when the curtain walls and some of the keep's upper parts were demolished; its original height is debated. The remaining structure was used as a prison and was partially restored as a large garden pavilion, but was purchased by Colchester Borough Council in 1922. The castle has, since 1860, housed Colchester Museum, which has an important collection of Roman exhibits. It is a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
Colchester Castle was one of a generation of stone keeps built by the Normans in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England, as part of the Normans' effort to impress their authority upon the conquered Anglo-Saxons. Alongside the White Tower in London, Colchester is one of the earliest stone towers in England. The attribution of the castle as a royal foundation is based on a charter of Henry I dated 1101, granting the town and castle of Colchester to Eudo Dapifer "as my father had them and my brother and myself", Henry's father and brother being William I, "William the Conqueror", and William II, "William Rufus". The somewhat unreliable Colchester Chronicle, written in the late 13th…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8906, 0.9030
- County
- Essex
- District
- Colchester
- Parish
- Colchester, unparished area
- Postcode
- CO1 1TJ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Colchester
- Phone
- 01206 282939
- Established
- 1069
- Nearest railway station
- Colchester Town — 0.5 km
- Opening
- Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm; Sunday 11am – 5pm
- Official site
- colchester.cimuseums.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q198287 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Colchester Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Colchester-castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Colchester Castle?
- Colchester Castle is in Essex, East of England, United Kingdom (postcode CO1 1TJ), in the parish of Colchester, unparished area.
- What is Colchester Castle?
- Colchester Castle — Norman castle in Colchester, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Colchester Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Colchester Town, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode CO1 1TJ.
- When was Colchester Castle built?
- Built or established in 1069. Designed by Gundulf.
- Is Colchester Castle a listed building?
- Colchester Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Does Colchester Castle charge admission?
- Colchester Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Colchester Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Colchester Town, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CO1 1TJ.