COLCHESTER

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

Early Mediaeval and Mediaeval Colchester.Although occupation in Colchester continued afetr the Roman withdrawal, it re-emerged as a town in the Late Saxon period when mints are recorded there. In medieval times the Roman walls were extensively rebuilt and bastions added at the time of Richard 11 (1377-99). Colchester is mentioned in the Domesday survey and was a borough by 1227.

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

Occupation of the town of Colchester continued into
the Dark Ages. Aethelred II minted his Danegeld there and coins of Canute and Harold I have been found with Colchester mint marks. Holy Trinity Church (TL 92 NE 3.3) is of Saxon origin, Saxon burials were found at St Botolph's Gate (TL 999250), (7) huts were found with extensive occupation in Lion's Walk (TL 997251) in 1972 (5) and further occupation in the High Street (TL 999252) (6) as well as other small finds of pottery etc.

It continued as a Medieval walled town, the castle being built within its walls 1076-86 (TL 92 NE 3. 1) and the Roman walls were extensively rebult and bastions added at the time of Richard II, 1377-99. (1-7)

Colchester is mentioned in 1086 when the king has 276 burgesses there. From 1120-30 there was a writ of Henry I to the burgesses of Colchester. In 1189 a charter of Richard I confirmed sundry franchises. In 1227 Colchester was represented as a borough by its own jury at the eyre. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) British Numismatic Society British Numismatic Journal

(H A Parsons) 15 - 1919-20 Page(s)20,24

( 2) British Numismatic Society British Numismatic Journal

(H A Parsons) 19 - 1927-8 Page(s)39

( 3) by M R Hull 1958 Roman Colchester

Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of LondonNo.1 (1913) - NO.20 - 1958 Page(s)276

( 4) Colchester Borough Council Colchester and Essex Museum annual reports

1971-2 Page(s)17

( 5) Department of the Environment Archaeological excavations

(P Crummy) 1972 Page(s)78-9

( 6) Department of the Environment Archaeological excavations

(P Crummy) 1973 Page(s)75

( 7) edited by H Arthur Doubleday and William Page 1903 The Victoria history of the county of Essex, volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England 1903 Page(s)327

(8) M W Beresford and H P R Finberg 1973 English medieval boroughs : a hand-list

Page(s)108

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
NMR
ViewFinder