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• Managing Organisation:

  Colchester Borough Council

• Contact:

  Ian Baalham

• Telephone:

  01206282905 
• Click here for winner's location

Information about this open space

Nowhere is Colchester’s distinctive heritage more apparent than in Castle Park. A site of national importance, this Victorian Park contains evidence of 2000 years of history and is a landscape moulded by Colchester people of many eras.  Castle Park not only encompasses much of Colchester’s rich heritage within its boundaries, but it is also much loved, and much used, as a part of present day life here and boasts over 1 million visitors a year.  Providing a green oasis in the town centre you can sit, walk, enjoy music, play games, or picnic amongst wonderful flowers and trees. It has award-winning horticulture and has long been a superb venue for the town’s big events.  The park is situated in the grounds of Colchester Castle and the Hollytrees Mansion, and is divided into an upper and lower park by the Roman town wall.  The upper park consists of formal flower beds and gardens, a Sensory Garden, a children’s playground as well as two award winning museums. It now boasts around 550 mature trees, 100 staked trees, 5000 shrubs, and each year we plant 52, 000 bedding plants, 50 000 bulbs and around 20 000 plants in the badge bed and 3D sculptures. The gently sloping Lower Castle Park offers the perfect venue for fairs, festivals, open air concerts and displays.  You can also take picturesque walks along the River Colne.  The park itself is designated Grade 11 on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.