Colchester Castle Castles

A visit to Colchester Castle Museum takes you through 2000 years of some of the most important events in British History.

At the museum you can see real mosaics, go inside the foundations of the Roman temple that once stood here and take part in a story tour that tells of Boudica's revenge on the Romans. Feel how heavy chain mail was and touch Roman pottery. For a trip that will entertain and educate come to Colchester Castle Museum.

One early document, the Colchester Chronicle states it was built in 1076. However there are serious doubts concerning the reliability of this documents and a date in the 1090s might be more likely. Once capital of Roman Britain, Colchester has experienced devastation by Boudica (Boadicea), invasion by the Normans and siege during the English Civil War.

Since the 16th Century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an award winning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War.

The castle itself is the largest keep ever built by the Normans. It was constructed on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, which can still be seen today.

In 2001 Colchester Library donated the Lazell Collection of children's books to Colchester Museums. In the collection are examples of the work of the 3 main illustrators of children's books in the late 1800s, Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway.