Welcome to the Colchester Civic Society Website
At the top of this page are links to information about our Society (if you are viewing on a phone click the button to reveal the list). Most importantly you will find pages dedicated to the work we do, the people involved and how you can join and support us.
Like the many Civic Societies that exist across the UK we aim to do what we can to help make our town a good place to live, work and visit. Our members monitor and comment on planning applications and the condition of our roads and buildings, we are actively engaged in heritage projects, tree planting, looking after our public footpaths and working to help keep the town tidy and well ordered. Recently we have been actively involved in objecting to the Alumno development, in contributing to the planning for the redevelopment of St. Botolph’s Roundabout and the restoration of the murals in the Southway underpasses. We also publish books and surveys and play a major part in Heritage Open Days. The erection of commemorative blue plaques is also an important part of our work and below you will find a link to our Plaque Trails.
We welcome new members regardless of whether or not they wish to become actively involved in our work. Simply contributing to our funds through the annual subscription is a great help in our work. In return members receive a twice yearly newsletter and the opportunity to join our outings and events. Single membership is £11 per year, joint membership is £16 and for businesses we offer a corporate membership at £40 per year.
A good way to gain some insight into our work is to attend one of our monthly meetings at Greyfriars Hotel (the first Monday in the month at 10am) where members bring a wide range of issues and concerns for discussion and our Chair woman Jo Edwards reports the ongoing work of the society and progress on recently raised issues. (PLEASE NOTE THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED TEMPORARILY DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC)
You can contact Jo direct by phone on 07771626561
For general and membership enquiries please contact us by using this email link – info@colchestercivicsociety.co.uk
Links to pages detailing the work we are engaged in and how to join us are available here:
What We Do
Click on the button below to see the full list of pages outlining the work we do. This includes Conservation Work (as shown in the photo above), Planning, Highways, Licensing, Eyes and Ears, Commemorative Plaques, Public Footpaths, Trees, Street Naming, Publications and Heritage Open Days
Become a Member
Becoming a member is simple and costs just £11 per year for a single membership, £16 for a couple and £40 for a Business membership. Please join us.
The Colchester Plaque Trails
This is a unique achievement created by members of our society with the help of Placecheck Online. Three Plaque Trails have been created for the town and can be followed using online maps on your mobile phone.
Each trail not only shows the position of many of Colchester’s plaques on a map, but also provides a photo for each one, along with comprehensive information about the person or place commemorated.
Follow this link for the plaques trails. When you have opened up a Trail, simply touch the blue dots in turn to bring up each plaque and accompanying information.
Latest News
Civic Society Calls for Immediate Restoration and Reopening of Boating Lake
“ Colchester Civic Society are calling on Colchester City Council to ‘stop dithering’ and make an immediate public commitment to restore and reopen the Victorian Boating Lake in Castle Park and to ‘firmly and quickly scotch rumours’ that the lake is to be permanently decommissioned. The lake has stood empty, neglected and decaying since the council drained
New Blue Plaque Marking Colchester’s Napoleonic Barracks
A new blue plaque will be unveiled at the Artilleryman public House in Artillery Street on June 18th at 10,45 to mark Colchester’s forgotten Napoleonic barracks. This will be unveiled by Colchester Garrison commander Lieutenant Colonel ED Rankin DL The barracks, built from 1794, were designed to house troops during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic
An invitation to the Colchester Civic Society AGM
An invitation to the Colchester Civic Society AGM This will be on Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 19.00 prompt, in the Cloisters Restaurant, Greyfriars. The meeting itself will be followed by a break for coffee before a talk is given by Vinnie Geaves, the Manager of Our Colchester, Colchester’s Business Improvement District Team. The BID
The Moors Big Spring Clean – Saturdays 14th, 21st, and 28th of March.
The Moors Big Spring Clean – Saturdays 14th, 21st, and 28th of March. We’ve now arranged three additional (weekend) #GreatBritishSpringClean dates in addition to the two (17th & 26th) we’ve already announced On the next three Saturday Mornings, weather permitting, we’ll be meeting at 10:00 at the start of the Public Footpath at the top
East Hill Cycle Lanes
Colchester Civic Society Highways Group are attempting to persuade Essex County Council to review the design for the East Hill Cycle Lanes before the scheme is given the go ahead. There are very serious concerns over this scheme, which will divert cyclist from the downhill cycle onto the footpath right outside the front door of
Great British Spring Clean
This year Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean takes place across the UK between 13 and 29 March 2026. Last year Colchester Civic Society litter-pickers pledged to pick 100 bags so we aim to do even better this year. If you ‘Love Colchester and Loathe Litter,’ now is your chance to make a difference.