A-Z of Colchester

Colchester is popularly the oldest recorded city in England, dating from before the Roman invasion. Under the Romans, Camelodunum, as it was known, was a major city, and later Saxon settlers and the Normans used Roman ruins for their buildings, not least for the Norman castle. During the late Middle Ages Colchester became rich again on the wool trade, and later became known also as a garrison town. Today Colchester is at the heart of a fast-growing area and was awarded city status in 2022.A-Z of Colchester reveals the history behind Colchester, its streets and buildings, industries, and the people connected with the city. Alongside the famous historical connections, are unusual characters, tucked away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of the radical preacher who inspired the Peasants’ Revolt, the Great British Earthquake in 1883 which destroyed many buildings in Colchester and zeedonks in Colchester Zoo among many other fascinating facts in this A-Z tour of Colchester’s history. It is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this city in Essex, which was awarded city status in 2022.

Julia A. Hickey has taught History and English in a range of educational settings and is currently an independent lecturer and speaker. She also writes an established blog at thehistoryjar.com. Julia was born in Colchester and completed an MA by research at the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1991. Employment by the Workers Educational Association saw her teaching history in a diverse range of locations from libraries to art galleries across the Midlands and Yorkshire. In addition to an academic text published by Longman for Literacy specialists, Julia has written and narrated a series of history walks for GPSmycity.com and several other books on British history, including on local topics.