HOW IT RATES Dating from the 5th century BC, Colchester is the oldest town in Britain. It became a Roman settlement in AD50 and soon established a reputation for oysters, which it still holds. This was the main source of wealth until the late Middle Ages, when wool took over. Today, the town has a thriving arts scene with four museums, four theatres and one excellent art gallery.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS The town’s impressive castle has the largest surviving Norman keep in Europe, built on the ruins of a Roman fortress. The Roman wall round the town stretches for about 1½ miles. The Clock Museum is a magnificent restored 15th-century building. The skyline is dominated by two Victorian masterpieces: the Town Hall and “Jumbo”, a water tower built in 1882.

WHAT’S NEW The Myle, a Redrow Homes (0845 6760501) development of one and two-bedroom flats and two, three and four-bedroom homes, is part of a new community on the outskirts of town. Prices from £139,995 to £297,995.

QUALITY OF LIFE Rather pleasant. Nearby Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is the setting for John Constable’s landscapes. You’re never far from water either. Soak up views of the River Colne in the waterfront towns of Wivenhoe and West Mersea, or take the air at resorts such as Frinton or Clacton.

POPULATION Approximately 163,400 people live in the borough of Colchester. The figure is expected to grow to 173,800 by 2021.

TRAVEL Trains to London Liverpool Street take an hour; the A12 also connects you to the capital 60 miles away. For air and sea travel, Stansted is a 45-minute drive away and Harwich is half an hour by road or rail.

SMARTEST STREETS The best part of town is Lexden, where three-storey townhouses predominate. Farther out, the villages of Dedham, Langham, West Bergholt and Layer de

BEST RESTAURANTS The Warehouse is a family-run restaurant with tasty homemade dishes. The Lemon Tree has good French cuisine. The Company Shed, in West Mersea, is a fishmonger (it specialises in oysters) with a popular seafood café: bring your own bread and wine, as most of the fish is bought from local fishermen, who dock just along the shoreline.

TOP NIGHTLIFE The arts are well represented here. Take in an orchestral concert at Charter Hall, or a play at The Mercury, Headgate, Lakeside theatres or The Colchester Arts Centre. For traditional pubs try The George Hotel, The Red Lion Hotel or The Stockwell Arms. For something a little more trendy, Fred’s Bar Café or Bar 33 are both popular with students and twentysomethings.

EDUCATION Colchester is home to the University of Essex, Britain’s most international university (students come from over 125 countries). Good schools include two exceptional grammar schools: Colchester County High School for Girls and Colchester Royal Grammar School.

WORKING LIFE The town has the region’s premier business centre, Colchester Business Park, which is home to many international companies.

UPSIDE Colchester’s mix of contemporary culture and heritage makes it worth a visit. A huge new arts venue, firstsite:newsite, will open next year and should be a powerful catalyst for regeneration for the East of England.

DOWNSIDE One of the town’s famous sons, Damon Albarn of the band Blur, said recently that the best thing about the town was the A12 – the road to London. Earlier this month the Environment Agency issued flood warnings for areas within a few miles of Colchester, including the coastline from Clacton to Southend.

£155,200 The average property price in Colchester

Source: Hometrack

21% The increase in property prices in Colchester over a year

Source: Halifax

220% The increase in property prices in Colchester over the past ten years

Source: Halifax

£16.5m The cost of the firstsite:newsite arts complex to open in 2008

Source: www.visitcolchester.com

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