Colchester
Castle was built by the Normans in the 1070s, and is the largest keep ever built
by the French invaders. It is located on the foundations of the Roman Temple
of Claudius. Its construction dates back to around 1076 when King William
I ordered a royal fortress to be built at Colchester. The huge size of
the temple below the castle meant that its keep was the largest ever built in
Britain. Today it remains the largest surviving example of a Norman keep
in Europe. The castle also boasts the largest stone spiral staircase in
Europe, built for ceremonial purposes. The castle fell into ruin in the
16th Century and was used for many years as a prison. in 1645 Matthew Hopkins,
a witchfinder, used the Castle to imprison and question suspected witches. Today's
visitors can visit its museum which features displays of Colchester's history
from earliest times to the Civil War. | 
