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Balloon Flights Over - Colchester, Ardleigh Showground |
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William The Conqueror chose Colchester as the site for the first, and incidentally, largest royal castle to be built entirely of stone. His reasons are unclear, but perhaps the fact that Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town had some influence.
When the Roman emperor received the surrender of the British kings here in AD43 it was in-fact known as Camelodunum, hence its association with King Arthur's legendary Camelot.
Our Colchester Virgin Hot Air Balloon launch site, one of four in Essex, is conveniently situated at the Highwoods Sports Centre, allowing good all-round access and ample space for spectators to watch the balloon inflation.
Running from the East side of London, up to the North Sea, and lying to the North of the River Thames, Essex is a county full of surprises and steeped in fascinating hidden history. How many would know that Queen Boadicea made her last stand against the Romans in Epping Forest for example?
From Colchester your flight path might take you over Coggeshall, renowned as a centre for antiques, proudly displaying its many fine timber framed buildings. Perhaps you will gaze down on the bustling market town of Braintree sitting astride one of many Roman roads crossing the county.
One thing is sure as you drift over this overly modest and yet highly relevant county. With the aid of a good history guidebook you will learn much as you cast your mind back a few centuries and picture an altogether different Essex.
Satellites:
Braintree,
Feering,
Earles Colne
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Reproduced from Land Ranger® 1:50,000 by permission of Ordnance Survey® on
behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationary Office© Crown
Copyright.
All rights reserved. Licence number 100040229.
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