The pretty town that was Britain's first capital but brutally destroyed

By Grace Piercy, News Reporter

Colchester Castle was built in the 11th century (Image: Getty)

A pretty town in the east of England was Britain’s first capital before being brutally destroyed.

Colchester is currently Essex’s second-largest city and has a population of 130,000 people. It calls itself Britain’s first city, sitting on the River Colne.

The city is on the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. It has also been a military base since the Roman era but was previously held by the Celts.

Founded in AD43 by emperor Claudius, it boasted the island’s first classical temple, theatres and senate house.

A 20-minute walk south of the city, there’s a visitor centre by the relics of Britain’s only known Roman circus. It dates from the 2nd century AD and hosted chariot races before 8000 spectators.

The Dutch Quarter of Colchester (Image: Getty)

The city was brutally destroyed by Queen Boudica’s rebelling Iceni tribe in AD61, pushing the Romans to relocate their capital 100km away to Londinium.

Now, the city is full of Edwardian buildings around narrow lanes with independent shops and restaurants for visitors to explore. There are also quaint, colourfully painted houses in the Dutch Quarter, named after the medieval weavers that emigrated here from across the North Sea.

VisitColchester said that the city has a “historic centre ripe for exploring, with important heritage to be found around every corner”.

It added that “21st Century Colchester is also a thriving, modern destination with first class visitor attractions and cultural sites, as well as fantastic places to eat, drink and shop”.

St Botolph's Priory in Colchester (Image: Getty)

Among the attractions in Colchester are the medieval St Botolph’s Priory, Norman Colchester Castle, as well as Castle Park with Roman ruins, a zoo, several art galleries and the University of Essex.

The city is also ideally placed for exploring the surrounding picturesque villages and wide skies of East Anglia, walking in the footsteps of John Constable in Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and enjoying seafood at nearby Mersea Island.

Visitors wanting to go to Colchester can get there by car via the A12 or by train from London. There are lots of places to stay in and around the city.