Colchester
Properties and events in Colchester
Before heading out for your Heritage Open Days visit, please check entries for last-minute changes.
AudaTours Colchester Audio Tour: Unsung Hands
A self-guided audio tour of Colchester, exploring the silk weavers, oyster fishers and garrison workers of Britain’s oldest recorded town.
Boxted Airfield Open Weekend
New for 2026. Royal Observer Corps post, ww2 camera of the type carried on aircraft to record mission effects. New artefact additions to B26 Aircraft collection.
Colchester Baptist Church
There have been Baptists active in Colchester for many centuries, with their community being one of the oldest in England. This church dates back to 1834 and is still in active use today.
Colchester Cemetery
Colchester Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful green space. This is a rare opportunity to explore its history with an expert guide.
Colchester Siege Walk
A guided tour exploring the Colchester places and people at the time of the English Civil War Siege in 1648.
Cuckoo Farm Studios
Cuckoo Farm Studios was established over thirty years ago when a small group of artists moved in and began to turn this derelict farm into a suitable venue in which to work. Today it is the home of more than thirty artists.
Gosbecks Archaeological Park
A guided walk around this remarkable archaeological site which features prominently in the story of Iron Age and Roman Colchester, and is associated with the visit of the Emperor Claudius to Britain in AD 43.
Gray's Summer House
Gray's Summer House in Castle Park in Colchester was built by the town's MP Charles Gray in 1731. The building is in the form of a miniature Greek temple with an interior decorated with plaster medallions.
Harwich Museum
Our museum is housed within the former Bernard Uniform offices and was officially opened on the 21st August 2021.
Mercury Theatre
Colchester's Mercury Theatre reopened in 2021 following a major redevelopment. The theatre takes its name from the Roman messenger god Mercury whose statute was found at Gosbecks, just outside Colchester, in the 1940s.
Quaker Meeting House
An opportunity to visit the meeting house of the Colchester Quakers who have been active in the area for centuries.
Roman Circus Visitor Centre
Free entry to Colchester's Roman Circus Visitor Centre. Learn about the architecture, archaeological remains and history of Britain's only known Roman chariot-racing track.
Roman Theatre
This is one of two Roman theatres in Colchester, the other being at Gosbecks Archaeological Park also featuring in this year's programme. Going to see a play was a popular leisure activity in the Roman world.
Roman Walk
A guided tour exploring the places and people associated with Roman Colchester.
St Botolph's Church and Priory
A visit to St Botolph's Church and Priory combines a superb example of Norman architecture with a mid-19th-century church.
St John's Orthodox Church (former Garrison Church)
St John's Church was built in 1856 at the time of the Crimean War as the place of worship for Colchester military garrison. Its design incorporates timber-framing, weatherboarding and exposed cast-iron brackets supporting iron trusses.
St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church
St Leonard's was the parish church for the port area of Colchester known as the Hythe. It dates back to the 14th century but was heavily restored by the Victorians.
St Mary-at-the-Walls Church (Colchester Arts Centre)
St Mary-at-the-Walls has a rich history, both as a church and, more recently, as the Colchester Arts Centre. Refurbished in 2021, it boasts amazing mosaic toilets, which are not to be missed, as well as stunning views from the top of its tower.
St Mary's Church, Wivenhoe
St Mary's is a largely mid-Victorian church in the heart of the picturesque riverside town of Wivenhoe. The church was recently refurbished and extended to enable it to function as a community space in the 21st century.
St Stephen's Church, Great Wigborough
This Medieval church was badly damaged during the Colchester Earthquake of 1884 and was subsequently rebuilt.