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Essex<br />
Dutch Quarter<br />
Just off Colchester High Street you will find some of the<br />
most picturesque streets dating back to the late 1300s.<br />
The area gets its name from its close relationship with<br />
Flanders in Belgium, as many of the refugees who fled<br />
here in the war built settlements and houses of Belgium<br />
style, some of which can still be seen and are lived in to<br />
this day.<br />
It is certainly worth a stroll around this historic area.<br />
There is plenty of parking and the cobbled streets are<br />
wonderful to explore. You can take a tour from the local<br />
visitor centre or explore at your own pace.<br />
Colchester Roman Circus Centre<br />
Colchester’s very own Chariots of Fire and the UKs’<br />
only known Roman Chariot Racing Track is open to<br />
the public and it’s free to enter. Visitors are able to walk<br />
around the old ruins, browse the indoor centre full of the<br />
town’s roman history or simply enjoy the gardens at your<br />
own leisurely place. There is also a play area for children.<br />
The site is part of the Colchester Archaeology Trust.<br />
Roman Wall, Guard Room &<br />
Triumphal Arch<br />
If you take a walk around Colchester, you may notice<br />
a rather imposing wall that envelopes the town. This<br />
is Colchester’s Roman wall, the oldest and longest<br />
surviving Roman wall in the UK. The wall can be walked<br />
around and leads you to Castle Park where you can<br />
really get a feel for the magnificence and history.<br />
Hollytrees Museum<br />
Step back in time quite literally as you browse the<br />
many clocks showcased at this special museum which<br />
celebrates the great clock crafters of the area which<br />
date back over 300 years. Set in a Georgian townhouse,<br />
clocks and cloth were the main trades in Colchester,<br />
but the town also provided a bustling market for local<br />
trade in grain, fish, cattle and sheep as well as bread,<br />
wool, milk and leather. The museum also makes a really<br />
educational day out for younger children, who can<br />
learn all about the origins of the famous nursery rhyme<br />
‘twinkle twinkle little star’, explore a miniature dolls<br />
house, hunt through treasure chests and get their own<br />
t-shirt printed as a memento of the day. Admission is free.<br />
In fact most of these attractions are free to look around,<br />
but some sites do ask for a small donation which will<br />
go towards restoring and maintaining these beautiful<br />
heritage sites.<br />
For more heritage days out visit<br />
www.heritageopendays.org.uk<br />
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