A Landmark of Possibility: Colchester’s Cultural Assets and the Jumbo Water Tower
On Wednesday 11 March, Tom Walker joined members of the Essex Cultural Steering Group and representatives from Culture Essex and the Cultural Development Service at Essex County Council for a special visit to Colchester.
The visit began with a rare opportunity to step inside ‘Jumbo’, Colchester’s iconic Grade II* listed water tower. Standing proudly above the city skyline, Jumbo is one of the last intact water towers from the Victorian “Golden Age” of industrial water engineering. Built in the 1880s using locally made bricks, it originally supplied water for the city’s first fire service and played a pivotal role in transforming public health by providing clean drinking water at a time when cholera was devastating communities across England. With its imposing brick structure and exceptional heritage significance, it remains one of Essex’s most distinctive cultural assets.
From there, the group visited key sites that form one of North Essex’s most vibrant cultural clusters. Colchester Arts Centre – housed in a converted 11th‑century church – showcased how historic buildings can be reimagined for contemporary cultural use and has supported the early careers of artists and bands including Coldplay and Blur. The Mercury Theatre, refurbished in 2021, demonstrated the impact of modern cultural infrastructure in strengthening community engagement, nurturing creative careers, and driving economic vitality for the city.
The visit concluded with a meeting of the Essex Cultural Steering Group, where members reflected on opportunities to strengthen the county’s creative industries sector, recently highlighted in the Creative Industries in Essex impact report.
The Balkerne Water Tower (affectionately known as ‘Jumbo) now sits at the heart of one of the most significant heritage investments in the region. The project recently secured an £8 million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, part of a £27 million UK-wide heritage investment. Led by North Essex Heritage, the project will restore Jumbo and transform it into a major cultural destination, including a new restaurant and events venue, an immersive visitor experience, and dedicated heritage interpretation spaces.
But the Jumbo project is more than a restoration. It shows how heritage can drive economic growth and shape stronger, more vibrant places. Its impact is expected to attract new public, private, and philanthropic investment into Essex; boost the cultural and visitor economy through distinctive, experience‑led attractions; and support placemaking by reinforcing Colchester’s identity as a cultural city. Crucially, it aims to inspire community pride and strengthen intergenerational engagement with local heritage.
In February 2026 – ECC awarded North Essex Heritage a £15,000 grant via the ECC Arts and Cultural Grant (round 5) for their project entitled ‘Water Stories’: Water Stories is a nine-month programme to engage young people aged 12–18 with heritage research, filmmaking, interpretation and creativity. Focusing on water as a powerful theme, the project will explore links between Jumbo’s historic role in Colchester’s water supply and contemporary global issues, including access to clean water, environmental sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate change. The project will take place between April 2026 to March 2027.
Images courtesy of: North Essex Heritage/The Jumbo Project
