Colchester has existed for about 2,000 years.

It is built on top of a small hill which in early times made it ideal for trade and for defence.

The Saxons named the town Colchester, 'the fortress on the Colne'.

This is the period of the legend of St. Helena who is supposed to have discovered the true Cross. She was the daughter of King Coel of Colchester (that 'merry old soul').

South of Colchester, extending from Rowhedge on the river Colne, westward through East and West Donyland, was the estate of Berechurch.

It was part of the lands belonging to St. John's Abbey. These lands were farmed by the monks of the Abbey. It has been recorded that they harvested a third of all the corn needed for the town at that time.

From the earliest days they placed a small wooden church on the land in order that they would be able to worship God throughout the day without having to walk all the way back to St. John's Abbey, thereby disrupting their work unnecessarily.

The name 'Berechurch' means 'Church in the Cornfields'.