Date issued: 5 March 2019
Colchester Borough Council will be lighting a 30-metre stretch of Colchester’s Roman Wall for five nights, from Monday 4 March. The lit section extends to the south of Balkerne Gate and will take place from dusk until 11pm each night.
As part of the council’s Better Colchester campaign, the lighting of the wall commits to celebrating and showcasing Colchester’s rich heritage for residents and visitors.
This temporary lighting scheme highlights a commitment to light a section of Colchester’s Roman Wall on a permanent basis, as the council continues to work with Historic England to investigate a permanent lighting scheme.
This temporary lighting, which has been approved by Historic England, uses LED lighting facilitated by Midas Productions (UK) Ltd, who have previous experience in lighting heritage sites.
Cllr Mark Cory, Leader of Colchester Borough Council, said: “We have listened and we are committed to celebrating our heritage by making projects such as this possible.
“This temporary lighting scheme shows what we are aiming for in the longer term and I hope our residents and visitors will enjoy seeing this stunning piece of heritage lit up after dark. This, along with other projects really is making a Better Colchester for residents, visitors and businesses.”
Cllr Tim Young, Portfolio Holder for Business and Culture and Deputy Leader of the Council, added: “Our Roman Wall is the oldest and longest surviving town wall in Britain and Balkerne Gate is the largest surviving gateway. I can’t wait to see this celebrated and a section of the wall lit up after dark. I hope residents and visitors enjoy seeing it highlighted in this way.”
Page last reviewed: 5 March 2019