Why Colchester is a great place to do business, visit or study

Few people outside of Colchester realise what an historic treasure trove "the oldest city in England" holds.

While Bath and York are known for their Roman and Tudor heritage, Colchester can claim roots as equally as deep and wide.

Having moved to Colchester 19-years-ago this month, and having founded WRITE WAI here 10-years-ago, I'm glad I did so.

Investment

?A regeneration programme is transforming Colchester with ￡40 million pounds having been set aside to make it more attractive for businesses, residents, students and visitors.

Famous for nursery rhymes like 'Twinkle Twinkle', 'Humpty Dumpty' and 'Old King Cole', legends like King Arthur, may have been based here.

Colchester's History

Founded in 1st Century AD, Colchester, then known as Camulodunum, was the first capital of Roman Britain, but only officially received city status on November 23rd, 2023.

When Queen Boudica, of the Iceni tribe, raised Colchester during her AD 61 rebellion, she forced the Romans to establish London as their second choice capital.

Colchester's Castle was established in 1076 by William the Conqueror as his first Royal castle on the vaults of a Roman temple dedicated to Emperor Claudius. The vaults are still visible and bricks from the walls were recycled to build the Norman Keep.

The castle museum is now the new home for many relics, the remains of a Roman Circus can be seen not far away and gold Roman jewellery was found during renovations of one of the city's oldest stores in recent years.

17th Century Colchester

If you mention Colchester Castle to historians, they will rate it for its importance in the 17th Century.

The castle’s cells have an eerie silence having been used as a prison from 1350 to 1668. There locals were incarcerated before being interrogated as suspected witches by self-styled 'Witchfinder General', Matthew Hopkins, of Manningtree, in 1645.

Three years later, in 1648, Colchester was attacked by the Parliamentary troops during the English Civil War. The castle was held by Royalist supporters in a hard 12 week siege.

It left its mark in the form of bullet holes still embedded in the houses which witnessed the struggle, and an obelisk in Castle Park where the Royalist leaders Sir George Lisle and Sir Charles Lucas were executed.

While The Shambles in York is known around the world for its magnificent buildings, the wonderful Tudor houses around Colchester and nearby Wivenhoe, have yet to be held in such high esteem.

Yet to me, the Dutch Quarter in Colchester has some fine Tudor buildings, as do the streets around the City Centre. One such building is Tymperleys, a former Merchants house built in 1490. Anyone can visit its restaurant or tearoom to view the timber walls. It lies along a street of similar Tudor stock.

Colchester Today

Some of the top chain stores have moved out of the city to the edge of town, but Colchester does still have some top brand names along with some attractive boutiques and independent shops.

From a business perspective, there are lots of initiatives in, or around, Colchester to encourage startups or to help established businesses to grow, like Colbea Business Enterprise Agency or Backing Essex Business, and there are many networks where you can forge friendships with other business owners. There are many ambitious locals or the University of Essex has numerous graduates on the doorstep if you are looking for staff.

Whether you are looking for a holiday destination, somewhere to study or to establish your business, Colchester is worth considering. As you ramble around Colchester centre, you will have a strong sense of the past and you can judge for yourself where the City stands in the rich tapestry of time. If you haven't been, do pay us a visit soon and look me up while you are here!

I am Sally Anderson-Wai owner of Write Wai (see writewai.com), an award-winning business specialising in effective storytelling to boost your digital profile, drive your campaigns and optimise your communications.

We do this through social media management for businesses and Christian ministries writing the right words in an engaging way in blogs and SEO content to get brands more publicity, better leads and greater sales.?