Editing Colchester (section)

{{Short description|City in Essex, England}}
{{about|the settlement in England }}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
| type = City
| country = England
| static_image_name = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 1/3/2/1
| total_width = 290
| align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Colchester Castle (geograph 4444025).jpg
| caption1                = [[Colchester Castle]]
| image2 = Colchester Town Hall 03.JPG
| caption2                = [[Colchester Town Hall|Town Hall]]
| image3 = Colchester, St Botolphs Priory.jpg
| caption3                = [[St Botolph's Priory]]
| image4 =  Colchester war memorial - panoramio (1345).jpg
| caption4                 = [[War Memorial]]  
| image5 = St Botolph, Colchester - geograph.org.uk - 1862910.jpg
| caption5 = St Botolph's Church
| image6 = AJM Colchester Castle Park Summer 008-9.jpg
| caption6 = [[Hollytrees Museum]]
}}
| static_image_caption = 
| official_name = Colchester
| coordinates = {{coord|51.8917|0.903|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference = TL998254
| population = 130,245
| population_ref = (2021 Census)<ref name ="BUA21" />
| area_total_km2 = 
| statistic_title = Founded
| statistic = 1st century BC
| shire_district = [[City of Colchester]]
| shire_county = [[Essex]]
| region = East of England
| constituency_westminster = [[Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)|Colchester]]
| post_town = COLCHESTER
| postcode_area = CO
| postcode_district = CO1–4
| dial_code = 01206
| london_distance = {{convert|56|mi|abbr=on}}
| london_direction = SW
| website = {{URL|https://colchester.gov.uk}}
}}

'''Colchester''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-uk-Colchester.ogg|ˈ|k|ɒ|l|tʃ|ɛ|s|t|ər|,_|ˈ|k|oʊ|l|-|,_|-|tʃ|ɪ|s|t|-}} {{respell|KO(H)L|chest|ər|,_-chist|-}})<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seas3.elte.hu/cube/index.pl?s=Colchester&gimson=on&t=&syllcount=&maxout=&wfreq=0-9&grammar=|title=CUBE: Colchester|website=CUBE pronunciation dictionary|access-date=21 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/36091|title=Colchester|work=Oxford English Dictionary Gateway|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|access-date=28 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/colchester|title=Colchester|work=[[Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary]]|publisher=Oxford University Press|access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite LPD|2|Colchester}}</ref> is a city{{efn|The area that is the subject of this article does not have legal city status of itself, but is widely regarded as a city since it is the main and nominate settlement in the City of Colchester local government area}} in northeastern [[Essex]], England.<ref name="Crown Office-2022">{{Cite web|date=29 September 2022|title=Crown Office – The Gazette|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4171582|quote=The Late QUEEN was pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 5 September 2022 to ordain that the Borough of Colchester shall have the status of a City.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=UK's oldest town officially becomes newest city|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1vqk27e11o|publisher=BBC News|date=23 November 2022|postscript=This citation, although from a source that is usually reliable, contains a material error of fact in its claim that "Colchester was named one of eight towns to be made cities to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee". That status was awarded to eight local authority areas, none of which was a town.}}</ref>{{efn|The area that is the subject of this article does not have legal city status of itself, but is widely regarded as a city since it is the main and nominate settlement in the City of Colchester local government area}} It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021 Census]].<ref name=BUA21>{{Cite web|title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 – Office for National Statistics|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/datasets/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwalescensus2021|access-date=2023-10-12|website=ons.gov.uk}}</ref> The [[demonym]] is ''Colcestrian''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essexcountystandard.co.uk/search/?search=Colcestrian|title=Search Results|website=Essexcountystandard.co.uk|access-date=8 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002453/http://www.essexcountystandard.co.uk/search/?search=Colcestrian|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>
 
Colchester occupies the site of [[Camulodunum]], the first [[Colonia (Roman)|major city]] in [[Roman Britain]] and its first capital. Colchester therefore claims to be Britain's first city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitcolchester.com/|title=Welcome to Colchester|website=Visit Colchester}}</ref><ref name="Tourist Board 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.visitcolchester.com/Britains-Oldest-Town.aspx|title=Colchester – Britain's Oldest Recorded Town|last=Colchester Tourist Board|year=2011|publisher=visitcolchester.com|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105032025/http://www.visitcolchester.com/Britains-Oldest-Town.aspx|archive-date=5 January 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=19 May 2011}}</ref> It has been an important military base since the [[Roman Empire|Roman era]], with [[Colchester Garrison]] currently housing the [[16th Air Assault Brigade (United Kingdom)|16th Air Assault Brigade]].

On the [[River Colne, Essex|River Colne]],<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Colchester|volume=6|pages=660–661}}</ref> Colchester is {{convert|50|mi|km|abbr=off}} northeast of London. It is connected to London by the [[A12 road (England)|A12 road]] and the [[Great Eastern Main Line]] railway.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3353621/King-Commute-the-best-new-property-deals-within-an-hour-of-central-London.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=King Commute: the best new property deals within an hour of central London|first=Sheila|last=Prophet|date=12 October 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140412203821/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3353621/King-Commute-the-best-new-property-deals-within-an-hour-of-central-London.html|archive-date=12 April 2014}}</ref> Colchester is less than {{convert|30|mi|km|-1||abbr=out}} from [[London Stansted Airport]] and {{convert|20|mi|km|-1|abbr=out}} from the [[port of Harwich]].

Attractions in and around the city include [[St Botolph's Priory]], [[Colchester Zoo]], and several art galleries. [[Colchester Castle]] was constructed in the eleventh century on earlier Roman foundations; it now contains a museum. The main campus of the [[University of Essex]] is located between Colchester and [[Wivenhoe]]. Local government is the responsibility of the [[City of Colchester]] and [[Essex County Council]].