Colchester Roman circus centre in local press

Yesterday (13th March), an article about the Trust’s Roman circus centre was published in the Essex County Standard. The article is about the latest developments at the circus site and centre, which we are getting ready for visitors. It is on page 3 and fills nearly half a page, and it includes two images. One image is of Trust director Philip with the Roman wall fragment which was brought into the circus centre on Monday, and the other is of Trust archaeologists Don Shimmin and Emma Holloway at the circus starting-gates with the panel for our new information ‘window’, which arrived on Wednesday. In the article, Philip explains what we are doing at the circus site and centre.

We had a busy day yesterday at Roman Circus House, getting ready. The circus walkway is developing well with the hard work of Roger and Conor of Alexander Contracts, who are also enhancing the circus site in our two green spaces. Trust archaeologist Ben Holloway was cleaning the exposed circus remains which are framed by the walkway, ahead of the installation of the transparent perspex panels over the remains. John of John Hillyard Woodworking was busy completing the timber stand for the information ‘window’. Trust renovation volunteer Neil was finishing off our new display room in the circus centre.

We are re-opening on Saturday 28th March 2015 with an opening event, and the cafe will be open! The event will be launched by Boudicca, who is bringing her own chariot. In the centre, the four horses of our replica Roman racing-chariot have been painted – and you have to come and see what colour! We will be opening the circus walkway to visitors for the first time, and you will be also be able to see the remarkable fragment of ancient wall from Culver Street for the first time, as well as our enhancements of the circus site, the information ‘window’, and new digital displays. We will be unveiling a new painting by artist Peter Froste of the circus starting-gates at the start of a chariot race.

The opening day is on Saturday 28th March from 10.00am till 4.00pm. Entry to the Roman circus site and centre is free and both are wheelchair accessible. Our part of the circus site and the circus centre stand within the former Artillery Barracks: there are several surviving historic barracks buildings, and the circus centre itself is in the former barracks NAAFI (built in 1937). We have two lovely green spaces bordered by great mature trees. All are welcome to come and explore and enjoy our remarkable heritage – and we look forward to seeing you!

From the 17th March until our opening day, we will be doing a countdown from 10 to ‘lift-off’ with a daily morning Tweet of a fascinating fact about the circus, as well as regular Tweets showing our progress at the circus site and centre. Follow the Trust on Twitter at https://twitter.com/catromancircus .

The images are photo.s from our busy day, yesterday, and show John working on the ‘window’ to our reconstructed stumps of the circus starting-gates, Ben cleaning the exposed remains of the circus framed by the walkway, and the walkway in front of Roman Circus House.

.