Talk:Colchester

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  • Cite sources.
  • There is a history sub-article so the bloat can be cut out of the summary section, starting by removing the sub-headers.
  • Lists are bad: we have categories for listing things. This page should be prose.
  • Possible sections on: Economy & industry (including stats e.g. GDP, unemployment - compare to county and UK averages) and transport.

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[edit] Cleanup Tag suppressed

Page is less than 32K; full contents visible in one page; structure is clear. Bloated does not apply anymore. Dilane 22:31, 17 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cleanup Required

Colchester article is bloated. Needs tidy up. Much of the "bloat" could be moved into other articles, referenced back to main Colchester article.

[edit] Created new article History of Colchester

Created new article History of Colchester. Edited down the historical info in the main Colchester article. Please add additional historical information to the History of Colchester article. Thanks! Davidbober 14:50, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Added "Politics"

Added brief politics section to main Colchester article. To do, create separate Colchester Politics article, and separate article Mayor of Colchester. Davidbober 15:20, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Military

I seem to recall that colchester is now the largest military base in the country since Aldershot scaled back. Not sure on my source for this, if anyone could provide this i think its an interesting factor to add to this article --Pluke 01:42, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I think that the Army's main/largest military prison is in the Colchester barracks, but I'm not sure. Worth including, if correct. Dancarney 12:22, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
[citation needed] IIRC Colchester is the largest single barracks however the largest base by a long way is Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire which is made up of numerous barracks and other facilities. --Achmelvic 15:34, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

MCTC is the British military's only military prison. Source Davidbober 21:50, 23 March 2006 (UTC)


[edit] History of Colchester

As a citizen of Colchester I was appalled at the lack of a mention of the Iron Age Celtic Dykes around Colchester, so i've added a breif mention. and yes i do realise i've accidently put this under the discussion subject title POLICE ENTRY. whoops! user: PJB

Don't worry - that's the way it's supposed to work around here - someone sees something they think should be included and goes ahead an includes it. Welcome to wikipedia! (I've also sectioned this off so it no longer appears in the police section). Jamse 12:41, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

I am lead to beleive that Colchester was known as colonia claudia and then colonia victoriensis (or however it is spelt) after Boudica burnt it down. {Jake95 19:08, 29 November 2006 (UTC)}

[edit] References in literature

Surely the ancient historian Tacitus' mention in The Annals of Imperial Rome of Colchester/Camulodunum (in the chapter Nero and his Helpers)during the Iceni rebellion should be put here? And yes, I am a sad Boffin for looking it up. User: PJB

Also shouldn't something be said about the Humpty Dumpty song? I believe it was a reference to a cannon that was blown off the top of St Mary's (I think its St Mary's...i cant remember the name of the church by Balkerne Hill), Which is now the arts centre. indeed the damge can still be seen! the top of the tower was rebuilt, and clearly looks differant to the bottom. can anyone back this up (Or reject it)? User: PJB

IRRC, a Royalist Gunner during the Siege mounted a saker there. I'm not sure whether it was actually on the tower itself, or in an emplacement nr the church. The tower was struck by fire from NMA batteries and damaged. Check local records section in Colchester library for Morant, and I believe there's also a copy of the Royalist quartermaster's diary there. Can't check myself... I'm 3500 miles away. Davidbober 21:59, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

Yes, this is probably true. (I live in Colchester.) I think it was on top of the tower. A Seige of Colchester tour I took I think said so, and said that the damage was caused by a cannon from outside which knocked the tower down, and the cannonist on top fell off and died. The King's Horses and Men of course will have came to attempt to repair the cannon, Colchester being a Royalist town. But why the egg? What has that got to do with it? And yes, it is St. Mary's. Jake95 19:14, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

I never really understood that lyric. What expertise would horses have in the repair of a canon (yet alone of an egg)? Surely a single toed hoof would lact the dexterity to manipulate any welding or other engineering tool.Kevin McE 19:54, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

If no one wants me to put in the Tacitus referance (See my entry above) say so soon. If anyone knows more about it, or is clever enough to write it down do so soon, as I think i'll put it in, and I'm not sure if it'll sound any good. PJB 13:45, 8 February 2006 (UTC)