Colchester
Properties and events in Colchester
Before heading out for your Heritage Open Days visit, please check entries for last-minute changes.
'Meet and Play the Moot Hall Organ' at Colchester Town Hall
A rare opportunity to hear and play the remarkable organ in Colchester Town Hall which provides music for the town's annual Oyster Feast and other civic events.
AudaTours Colchester Audio Tour: Unsung Hands
A self-guided audio tour of Colchester, exploring the silk weavers, oyster fishers and garrison workers of Britain’s oldest recorded town.
Audley Chapel
The 16th-century burial chapel of the Audley family, with a fine hammer-beam roof and unique monuments and features. Knowledgeable guides will be on hand to answer questions.
Boxted Airfield Open Weekend
New for 2026. Royal Observer Corps post, ww2 camera of the type carried on aircraft to record mission effects. New artefact additions to B26 Aircraft collection.
Cannock Mill
There has been a mill on this site since the Middle Ages, although the present building was only constructed in 1845. Cannock Mill has three storeys with a hoist loft and is weatherboarded. It is now owned by Cannock Mill Cohousing.
Colchester Baptist Church
There have been Baptists active in Colchester for many centuries, with their community being one of the oldest in England. This church dates back to 1834 and is still in active use today.
Colchester Castle Museum
A much loved museum in the picturesque Castle Park, this is the annual opportunity to explore this fascinating building free of charge.
Colchester Cemetery
Colchester Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful green space. This is a rare opportunity to explore its history with an expert guide.
Colchester Siege Walk
A guided tour exploring the Colchester places and people at the time of the English Civil War Siege in 1648.
Cuckoo Farm Studios
Cuckoo Farm Studios was established over thirty years ago when a small group of artists moved in and began to turn this derelict farm into a suitable venue in which to work. Today it is the home of more than thirty artists.
Gosbecks Archaeological Park
A guided walk around this remarkable archaeological site which features prominently in the story of Iron Age and Roman Colchester, and is associated with the visit of the Emperor Claudius to Britain in AD 43.
Gray's Summer House
Gray's Summer House in Castle Park in Colchester was built by the town's MP Charles Gray in 1731. The building is in the form of a miniature Greek temple with an interior decorated with plaster medallions.
Harwich Museum
Our museum is housed within the former Bernard Uniform offices and was officially opened on the 21st August 2021.
Hollytrees Museum
Hollytrees is the best 18th-century house in Colchester and has been a museum since 1929.
Mercury Theatre
Colchester's Mercury Theatre reopened in 2021 following a major redevelopment. The theatre takes its name from the Roman messenger god Mercury whose statute was found at Gosbecks, just outside Colchester, in the 1940s.
Mersea Roman Barrow
The Roman Barrow Mound is an excavated burial chamber, the contents of which are in Mersea Museum. They are the cremated remains of a male contained in a glass Roman cremation urn, found with a lead casket. It was excavated in 1912.
Old Library and Law Courts
Explore Colchester's first Public Library opened in 1894. Then venture into the former law courts and prison cells.
Quaker Meeting House
An opportunity to visit the meeting house of the Colchester Quakers who have been active in the area for centuries.
Roman Circus Visitor Centre
Free entry to Colchester's Roman Circus Visitor Centre. Learn about the architecture, archaeological remains and history of Britain's only known Roman chariot-racing track.
Roman Theatre
This is one of two Roman theatres in Colchester, the other being at Gosbecks Archaeological Park also featuring in this year's programme. Going to see a play was a popular leisure activity in the Roman world.