Colchester has a rich relationship with elephants, dating all the way back to the Roman times. Whether the elephants brought to the city in 43AD were real or symbolic is up for debate, but it’s widely believed that Emperor Claudius brought the animals with him when he invaded Colchester (or Camulodunum, as it was!). Possibly a show of wealth or power, Claudius really knew how to make an entry!
In this post, we’ll be sharing some of the ways you can interact with elephants in Colchester this Elephant Day (August 12th), including walking trails and seeing real elephants! Keep reading for more information.
Visit the Historic 'Jumbo Water Tower'
This magnificent Victorian structure actually got its name from a famous animal! The Jumbo Water Tower was named ‘Jumbo’ by the Rural Dean of St Mary-at-the-Walls, after the large elephant of the same name that lived at London Zoo.
Beyond the name, Jumbo has another elephant-tie. Atop the giant structure is a weathervane – an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. Typically you’ll see birds, cockerels or even deer standing on the arrows, but here in Colchester, we have an elephant! It can be tricky to spot, but if you look closely, you might just find it.
Jumbo Water Tower can be seen from many spots in Colchester, even as far as a few miles away! See if you can spot the Elephant Weathervane in this photo.
While Jumbo no longer serves water to the community, it is currently in the care of North Essex Heritage who are working to restore the tower and turn it into a financially sustainable asset – so, maybe, we’ll see Jumbo serving the community again in the near future!
Walk the 'Fixing the Link' Route
The perfect way to explore Colchester’s relationship with animals is by taking our ‘Fixing the Link’ walking route.
Public art consultancy, Dallas Pierce Quintero, were inspired by Colchester's historical and more modern links with elephants to create this route, starting with Roman Emperor Claudius' dramatic arrival into Colchester leading an invasion force that included elephants in 43 AD.
The 1 mile route from the station to the city centre, which takes approximately 20 minutes, starts with a large elephant sculpture on North Station’s southside forecourt and finishes with another elephant sculpture on the High Street. The trail’s straight-forward route means it doubles as a guide for those visiting the city by train – please be aware, North Hill is quite steep so pace yourself!
See elephants in real life at Colchester Zoo!
If all this elephant talk has you wanting to visit the beautiful animals in real life, why not stop by Colchester Zoo? This award-winning, family friendly attraction is home to over 100 species of animals, including the ‘Loxodonta Africana’ – the endangered African Elephant!
Be sure to check the daily animal encounters schedule to know when you can watch the elephant feedings.
A family meets the Elephants at Colchester Zoo. This experience is currently unavailable, but viewing of the elephants is still available!
For more inspiration about fun activities in Colchester, be sure to visit our 'Things to Do' page.
