Today (18th April), Trust director Philip Crummy will be giving a talk at firstsite in Colchester. It is one in a series of talks given by various local experts on Colchester’s ‘avatars’, the people depicted by the statues which decorate the Town Hall. Philip will be talking about Boudicca and Eudo Dapifer and some of the archaeology in the town which is associated with them.
Boudicca and Eudo make an interesting combination, as Eudo was an important part of an invading and repressive force (the Normans) and Boudicca led a native revolt against an invading and repressive force (the Romans).
Boudicca, of the Iceni tribe (Norfolk), led the native revolt against the Romans in AD 60/61 in which the Roman towns of Colchester, St Albans and London were destroyed by fire. There is a dark layer of burnt material – ‘Boudican destruction’ – under Colchester’s town centre. The native revolt failed and Roman control of Britain continued. The Norman invasion of England was also successful. Eudo Dapifer of Preaux in Normandy was steward (‘dapifer’) to the first three Norman kings of England and held land in several counties, including Essex. He built the castle and St John’s abbey in Colchester, and was buried in the church of the abbey in 1120.
Philip’s talk starts at 7.00pm. For more information, go to www.firstsite.uk.net/page/colchesters-avatars-the-historical-figures-on-colchesters-town-hall
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