Colchester
Colchester is the largest conurbation close to Belchamp Walter and through the history of the country
it has been significant. The Roman's sited their first majoy city there and the Norman's built a castle there.
In the Civil War it was besieged (The Siege of Colchester 1648). The defence of the city and the story of
Humpty Dumpty.
Wikipedia says:
Colchester is a city in northeastern Essex, England.
It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 Census.
The demonym is Colcestrian.
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital.
Colchester therefore claims to be Britain's first city. It has been an important military base since
the Roman era, with Colchester Garrison currently housing the 16th Air Assault Brigade.
On the River Colne, Colchester is 50 miles (80 kilometres) northeast of London. It is connected to
London by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line railway.[12] Colchester is less
than 30 miles (50 km) from London Stansted Airport and 20 miles (30 km) from the port of Harwich.
Colchester with respect to my history of the local area.
Colchester was "a staunch supporter of Parliament during the First English Civil War".
However, Royalist forces were besiegned there in 1648.
Humpy Dumpty
Humpy Dumpty is a childrens nursery rhyme and is associated with Colchester and the Civil War.
One theory (there are several) is that Humpty Dumpty was a powerful cannon that sat on Colchester’s fortified walls.
The cannon was knocked off the wall in 1648 when Parliamentary forces (the Roundheads) attacked the Royalist (Cavaliers)
stronghold during the English Civil War (1642–1651).
In the attack the Roundheads destroyed the wall which supported the cannon. The Cavaliers (with the help of all the
king’s horses
and all the king’s men) attempted to move the cannon to another part of the wall, and failed. The end result was
that the city
fell to the Roundheads when Colchester surrendered on 27th August 1648.
While this is only a theory, for Essex, it is a good one, and one that we support. So next time a child asks what the
rhyme means you can tell them the story of the English civil war and the battle at Colchester.
Top
Siege of Colchester
