- published: 23 Sep 2011
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Coordinates: 51°53′30″N 0°54′11″E / 51.8917°N 0.903°E / 51.8917; 0.903
Colchester i/ˈkoʊltʃɛstə/ is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.
At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the oldest recorded Roman town in Britain, Colchester claims to be the oldest town in Britain. It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain and also claims to have the United Kingdom's oldest recorded market. The town is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network.
Colchester is 60 miles (97 km) northeast of London. It is connected to the capital by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line. It is seen as a popular town for commuters, and is less than 30 miles away from Stansted Airport.
Colchester is home to Colchester Castle and Colchester United Football Club. It has a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament.