East of England · England
Living in Colchester
Britain’s oldest recorded town, now a city, with a Norman castle and Roman roots in the Essex countryside.
Population around 130,000
What Colchester is like
Colchester combines history and green space with fast London trains, drawing families, students and commuters. The Dedham Vale and the coast are both close.
Education
The University of Essex is a large, research-intensive university based here.
University of Essex
Getting around
Direct trains to London Liverpool Street in under an hour.
Jobs & economy
A major garrison town, alongside higher education, health and professional services.
The property market
The average home in Colchester sold for £298,311 (April 2026, UK House Price Index). That is an area average across all property types, a useful benchmark rather than a valuation of any single home.
In a nutshell
- Britain’s oldest recorded town
- Under an hour to London
- Constable Country nearby
- Large university