Colchester Audio Tour: Unsung Hands

Name: Colchester Audio Tour: Unsung Hands
Brand: AudaTours
Price: 4.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Audio guide11 stops

Colchester has been Britain's oldest recorded town since a Roman centurion named Favonius Facilis had his tombstone raised here in AD 50. This tour is not about the Romans, Normans, or earls who commissioned the monuments. It is about the legionaries who mixed the mortar, the Flemish weavers who fled Alva's army and rebuilt a cloth trade in Maidenburgh Street, the monk who told Henry VIII to his face that he would not give up his abbey, the ordinary townspeople who ate cats and dogs through eleven weeks of Civil War siege, the maidservant Mary Last who kept nine Victorians fed and dressed, and the builder's men from Hythe Hill who laid 1.2 million bricks for a water tower their rector called an elephant.

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About this tour

schedule
Duration 30–50 minsGo at your own pace
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3.3 km walking routeFollow the guided path
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LocationColchester, United Kingdom
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Works offlineDownload once, use anywhere
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Lifetime accessReplay anytime, forever
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Starts at Balkerne Gate, Colchester

Stops on this tour

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Balkerne GateThe largest surviving Roman gateway in Britain, built into the west wall of Camulodunum around AD 70-90. Originally a monumental arch celebrating the Claudian conquest of AD 43, incorporated and expanded by the wall-gang that built Camulodunum's defences after the Boudican revolt. Four carriageways and two pedestrian arches; today the south pedestrian passage and guardroom survive. The tombstone of Marcus Favonius Facilis, centurion of the Twentieth Legion, was raised nearby around AD 50 — the monument was paid for and erected by his freed slaves, Verecundus and Novicius.

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Jumbo Water TowerThe 1882 water tower designed by Charles Clegg, Borough Engineer, and built by Everett & Sons of Hythe Hill. Stands 131 feet 5 inches; 1.2 million locally-produced bricks; cost £11,138. The tank — 230,000 gallons weighing 1,000 tons — was supplied by AG Mumford from the iron foundry on Culver Street. Named 'Jumbo' by Reverend John Irvine, rector of St Mary's at the Walls, who wrote to the Essex Standard complaining about 'such a huge building' being planned next to his garden, and compared it to the famous London Zoo elephant.

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English Heritage - St John's Abbey GateThe sole surviving remnant of the wealthy Benedictine abbey of St John, founded 1096. Built around 1400 in response to the Peasants' Revolt, its elaborate East Anglian flushwork makes it the most ornate medieval gatehouse in Essex. The last Abbot of St John's was John Beche (alias Thomas Marshall), who refused to surrender the abbey to Henry VIII. Found guilty of treason by a jury headed by the Earl of Essex, he was hanged on his own demesne lands in Colchester on 1 December 1539 — the last abbot in England to be executed for refusing dissolution.

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English Heritage - St Botolph's PrioryThe ruins of the first Augustinian priory in England, founded c.1093. The founding story names the people: a local priest called Ainulf and a companion sent Norman to France to learn the Rule of St Augustine from the abbey of Mont-Saint-Éloi, who returned and established the house under Archbishop Anselm's protection. The priory was dissolved in 1536; in 1648, Parliamentary cannon reduced the nave to its present ruinous state during the siege of Colchester. The west front, circular pillars and round arches remain, built in flint and reused Roman brick.

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Priory Street Car ParkThe best-preserved section of Colchester's Roman town wall — 2,800 metres of it survive, up to 6 metres high and 2.4 metres wide, built around AD 70-90 in five courses of septaria alternating with four courses of Roman tile. Britain's oldest substantial town wall. This section, running along Priory Street between the abbey ruins and the south gate, was the wall that Parliamentary artillery was firing past in 1648 when St Botolph's nave fell. The wall has been repaired, modified and built against in every century since its construction.

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Saint Helen's LaneA short medieval lane running south from the Dutch Quarter to High Street, named for the chapel of St Helen that once stood here — traditionally associated with Helena, daughter of Old King Cole and mother of Constantine. This is the threshold where the Dutch Quarter's working weaving households met the commercial High Street; the lane served as the route along which bays and says cloth moved from the weaver's workshop to the market.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start the tour?

After purchase, download the AudaTours app and enter your redemption code. The tour will be ready to start immediately - just tap play and follow the GPS-guided route.

Do I need internet during the tour?

No! Download the tour before you start and enjoy it fully offline. Only the chat feature requires internet. We recommend downloading on WiFi to save mobile data.

Is this a guided group tour?

No - this is a self-guided audio tour. You explore independently at your own pace, with audio narration playing through your phone. No tour guide, no group, no schedule.

How long does the tour take?

Most tours take 60–90 minutes to complete, but you control the pace entirely. Pause, skip stops, or take breaks whenever you want.

What if I can't finish the tour today?

No problem! Tours have lifetime access. Pause and resume whenever you like - tomorrow, next week, or next year. Your progress is saved.

What languages are available?

All tours are available in 50+ languages. Select your preferred language when redeeming your code. Note: language cannot be changed after tour generation.

Where do I access the tour after purchase?

Download the free AudaTours app from the App Store or Google Play. Enter your redemption code (sent via email) and the tour will appear in your library, ready to download and start.

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Satisfaction guaranteed

If you don't enjoy the tour, we'll refund your purchase. Contact us at [email protected]

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