Why Colchester deserves to be given city status

A competition for authorities to apply for the prestigious city status for their town has been launched to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year.

It will be the first time the coveted status has been awarded in a decade, the Cabinet Office announced.

Colchester has tried and failed three times to gain city status with the latest rejection being in 2012 when the honour was bestowed upon Chelmsford.

Here are nine reasons we believe Colchester should be given the status.

1. Colchester is described as ‘Britain’s First City’. Nearly 2,000 years ago Colchester became the first captial of Roman Britain, but it has been classed as a town for centuries.

Back in 2019 Colchester Council decided to change the town’s strapline to reflect this. The town has also long been known as the oldest recorded town in Britain.

2. There is plenty of history. As we’ve mentioned Colchester has lots of Roman connections, but there is more to the town than that. Think Vikings, the Norman invasion, and the Siege of Colchester to name a few.

3. Colchester boasts an array of cultural sites such as the Mercury Theatre, Firstsite and Colchester Arts Centre. There are also a host if museums including Colchester Castle and Holytrees. There is also Colchester Zoo.

Read more >> Town leaders considering fourth attempt at getting Colchester prestigious city status

4. Colchester was the inspiration for famous books, nursery rhymes and poems. The nursery rhyme Old King Cole is based on a medieval story which tried to explain how Colchester got its name and why there are Roman ruins in the town. Colchester sisters Jane and Ann Taylor who wrote children’s poems. Jane’s poem called The Star, written in 1806, is now known across the world as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty is also said to have links to the town. 17th Century author Daniel Defoe lived in Colchester, in what is now Mile End. The heroine of his book “Moll Flanders” also spends her early years in Colchester. The town was also mentioned in George Orwell’s book Nineteen Eighty-Four.

5. The town has also had an influence in music. Colchester is famously the home town to Britpop group Blur. Damon Albarn, the group's lead singer and guitarist Graham Coxon went to Stanway School.

Ross Parker who wrote songs We’ll meet again and There’ll always be an England is thought to have been stationed Colchester garrison during the Second World War.

6. Colchester has plenty of royal connections. Emperor Claudius spent just 16 days in Britain, long enough to lead his troops into Colchester. Roman Colchester was virtually destroyed in AD60 by Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, a native tribe living in the Norfolk area.

In modern times everyone from the Queen and Prince Charles to Princesses Diana and Anne have met the crowds during trips to north Essex.

7. Science and invention has also been a focus for Colchester. Among the pioneers was William Gilbert, who was born in Colchester in 1544. He is best known as an investigator of electricity. He discovered the earth's magnetism and was the first person to coin the word electricity. Sir Roger Penrose, who was born in the town in 1931, was last year jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for physics for his work advancing our understanding of black holes

Read more >> Colchester is named as one of the top places to live in the UK

8. History and the more modern sit side by side. The town centre boasts historic buildings, Britain’s largest surviving Roman Wall alongside big name brands and unique independent shops.

9. We have a strong and proud military history. Colchester has had a military garrison since the Roman era. Today it is home to 16th Air Assault Brigade. It also home to the only Military Corrective Training Centre in the country.

The competition will close on December 8 and all valid entries will receive individual consideration on their merits, before recommendations are made to the Queen by ministers.