Colchester + Ipswich Museums

Colchester was the first of the great keeps and the largest built by the Normans in Europe: its dimensions are a powerful 46 x 33.5m (151 x 110ft).  The castle was begun by 1076 and probably built under the supervision of Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, the builder of the White Tower at London, which he completed a short while later. William I ordered a stone castle on the strategic route between East Anglia and London. Due to a lack of local quality stone, the Norman builders plundered Roman Colchester to build their keep and chose a site over the ruined Roman Temple of Claudius, incorporating its base into the foundations of the great tower. Colchester had been the first Roman capital of Britain.

Colchester and the White Tower in London were built to much the same plan, both with an apsidal extension, although Colchester's corner turrets are more pronounced and its main staircase is the largest diameter newel staircase in Britain, measuring 5m (16ft) across. It is thought that the castle was originally single-storey , as it is still possible to see traces of crenellations in the wall. It could be that during construction it was required to be defended at short notice and was hurriedly crenellated, then when the danger had passed, work on the other floors was restarted.
Colchester saw little action at first; it was attacked by John in 1216 as it had been taken by the French, but it remained Crown property in the care of a succession of stewards or constables throughout medieval times.

By the 13th century Colchester Castle was in use as a prison and at times many hundreds of prisoners of war were confined here in appalling conditions. Much of the castle was a ruin by the 16th century although it continued in use as a county gaol until 1668 and even after that was a prison until 1835.

At the end of the 17th Century, the castle was bought by a private owner who wanted to demolish it and then in 1727 was given as a wedding present to Charles Gray, a lawyer and antiquarian. Gray was responsible for the restoration of Colchester Castle, although at the time he believed it to be a Roman construction.