History

Unearth the fascinating heritage of this ancient Saxon county.

Essex is crammed full of historic gems, hidden in tiny villages throughout the county, from Copford Church with its beautiful Byzantine frescoes to Layer Marney tower, the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England.

Discover the past with a trip to Colchester Castle and Museum at the heart of Britain's oldest recorded town or travel west to Hedingham Castle, a stunning Norman Keep built in 1140 and visited by Queen Elizabeth I.

History Matters - pass it on has been created by the leading heritage organisations in England and Wales to draw attention to the contribution of history to all our lives and to encourage more people to get involved.

The National Trust, English Heritage, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Council for British Archaeology, Heritage Link, Historic Houses Association and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings believe that history and heritage in all its forms lend quality, meaning, inspiration and often beauty to everyone's lives.

To show your support you can:

• Declare your support, share your views or upload an image of what history means to you on www.historymatters.org.uk
• Name your favourite historic place and text it with your postcode to 077717 97777
• Download History Matters – pass it on material from the website. There are stickers, logos and poster templates available.