The county of Essex is part of East Anglia and runs north from the Thames Estuary. It is conveniently close to London and to the east coast resorts of Southend and Clacton-on-Sea. It is also home to Stanstead airport which accommodates many low cost airlines. Captured on Constable’s famous paintings, it is rural Essex that offers the most delightful English scenery. Touring the area will unveil many old Norman churches, idyllic villages with higgledy-piggledy stone cottages and some appealing architecture on a grand scale.
Colchester and Chelmsford were both Roman settlements and are now delightful historic places to visit. Colchester is actually Britain’s oldest recorded town. The Mistley Towers are all that remain of the Church of St Mary the Virgin and Layer Marney Tower, Essex’s most striking landmark, should not be missed. It was built as a gatehouse for a far grander structure which was never begun and is 8 storeys high. On a smaller scale the delightful Paycockes House is a decorative half-timbered house owned by the National Trust.
Chelmsford is the county town and the Cathedral is the most impressive building to visit. Chelmsford is known as the birthplace of radio as Marconi set up his ‘wireless’ factory in Hall Street. Although the city is modern it is surrounded by delightful small villages such as Danbury, Mashbury and Little Baddow. The RHS Gardens at Hyde Hall are exceptionally beautiful and offer an oasis of tranquility.
There are many other stately homes in the area including Gosfield Hall at Halstead. Audley End House near delightful Saffron Walden is one of the most impressive of Britain’s stately homes. It was built between 1603 and 1614 to accommodate visiting royalty and had 750 rooms, 30 towers and huge formal gardens. Unfortunately only one third of this grand building still remains standing. The £200,000 it reputedly cost to build was embezzled from the royal coffers by Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk who was then confined to the Tower of London.
The town of Waltham Abbey is home to the Royal Gunpowder Mills and the Abbey Gatehouse and Bridge. The actual Abbey was founded in 1030 although only the original nave remains. The stained glass windows and human faces in the stonework are worth looking out for.
Touring Essex is a step back in time and offers some truly delightful towns, villages, churches and stately homes to explore at leisure.
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