Colchester Castle and the Temple of Claudius

Scheduled area

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History & significance

Colchester Castle is a Norman keep built from approximately 1076 onwards on the site of the Roman Temple of Claudius in Colchester, Essex. The castle's massive stone walls were constructed using materials salvaged from the ruined Roman temple, which had originally been erected in the first century AD as the focal point of the Roman colony at Camulodunum. The keep stands as one of the largest and most important Norman castles in England, with walls of exceptional thickness built upon the substantial Roman podium and vaulted substructure that supported the classical temple. The survival of the Roman foundation within the medieval fortress provides exceptional archaeological evidence of Roman Britain and demonstrates the continuity of significant sites through successive periods of occupation.

Colchester Castle and the Temple of Claudius is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002217. View the official record →

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