Proudly declaring itself as the oldest town in Britain, Colchester is a city that has enjoyed a rich and diverse history and one which has seen a great deal of events and landmark decisions made here. These claims as to the age of the town are not mere empty boasting or posturing, for there is historical evidence to suggest that the leading historian, Pliny the Elder actually makes reference to the town in his works.

2004 was an especially excellent year for the city for archeologists working within the city stumbled across the last remains of what appeared to be an ancient Roman chariot racing track and this remarkable find was made all the more astonishing by virtue of the fact that there has been no other such finds in the whole of the UK to date.

One of the most iconic landmarks of the city is Colchester Castle and one of the most remarkable features of the castle is how well preserved it is, very little damage has been sustained in it which has meant that historians have been able to see first hand the culture and circumstances surrounding the creation of the keep. It was built upon the remains of an ancient Roman temple, which was taken as an especially promising sign by the Normans who commissioned its creation.

Perhaps part of the secret to the success of Colchester Castle is that it has not always remained a royal castle and it has been used for a variety of other purposes including usage as a county jail and makeshift torture facility whenever tension and fear of witchcraft was especially acute during the middle ages. It is said that the souls of all of the victims who lost their lives here still linger, haunting the castle and seeking revenge for the brutality that they suffered.

A shining example of excellent Victorian engineering design, the Jumbo Water Tower is a masterpiece to gaze upon, and shows the ideal manner in which form and function can merge together as one to create beauty. The origin of the name of the building according to legend is derived from an elephant.

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