Essex is one of the UK’s largest counties, and across it, you’ll find a diversity of landscapes, from the rural north to the more built up south. Here are 20 Essex villages you should not miss.
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Wendens Ambo
Wendens Ambo is a quintessentially English, chocolate box village. Many of its cottages are thatched in the traditional manner. The village dates back centuries – there are the remains of a Roman villa and no shortage of heritage properties.
However, its curious name refers to an event in the 17th century when two neighbouring villages were merged: Ambo means both.
Battlesbridge
Though there’s been a bridge there since at least the 14th century, there was never a battle at Battlesbridge. Instead, it gets its name from a reference to the Battaille family.
From mediaeval times to the 20th century, Battlesbridge was a port, collecting flour and hay from London, trading coal from the North of England and dealing in fish, malt, lime and chalk. The Victorian granary is now a popular antiques centre.
Finchingfield
Pretty as a picture, the village of Finchingfield is one of the most phootgraphed in Essex. Centred around a village green and a duck pond, it also boasts a windmill, which some people believe is the oldest in the county.
Technically, the current structure dates from about 1756 and was active until 1890. Known variously as the Post Mill, Duck End Mill and Letch’s Mill, it used to have company – there were once six others in the village.
Stock
The area surrounding Stock was once heavily wooded, prompting the Saxons to name it accordingly – to them woodland would have been “stocce”.
The road was once heavily rutted, so it is no surprise that highwayman Dick Turpin lived locally. Today, the village has several thriving pubs, among them The Hoop, which has been serving ale for around 450 years.
Thorrington
Standing at the head of Alresford Creek is the Thorrington Tide Mill. The structure dates from 1831 and is one of only two functioning tide mills in the country; the other is across the border in Suffolk.
The lucam, which sticks out from the upper part of the mill, would have been used to hoist sacks of corn to be ground. There was once a windmill too, but it was blown down in a 19th century storm and never rebuilt.
Tillingham
If you’re a voracious reader, you’ll know Tillingham as the village mentioned in H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds, from which the narrator’s brother flees the Martians.
Less well known is the decision taken by the village vicar years ago to lock up a young woman dubbed “The Ranter’s Monster” after she claimed to be the Virgin Mary.
She’s not the titular monster, though: that was her severely deformed stillborn child.
Paglesham
Smuggling was once common in Essex and a section of its coastline is still dubbed the “Smugglers Coast” to this day. Further south, however, lies the village of Paglesham.
One notorious regular at the Punch Bowl Inn was an oysterman named William Blyth who would nip over to Dunkirk to pick up illicit cargoes of tea, gin and tobacco.
Nobody dared challenge him; he was a fiercesome character who once drank two glasses of wine and then ate both the glasses.
Cressing
Cressing is known for its Temple, but that’s not a place of worship, it’s where you’ll find two 13th century barns, a 16th century granary and a 17th century farmhouse.
In 1137, the land on which they stand was gifted to the Knights Templar by the King. After many years in private ownership, it passed to Essex County Council.
That was unfortunate timing, as the storms of October 1987 did some pretty major damage to the ancient structures, leaving them with a hefty repair bill.
Coggeshall
Coggeshall might technically be deemed as a town, but its small population prefer to call the place a village. It’s a characterful one at that, with a main street lined with historic buildings.
Highlights include a beautiful 16th century wool merchant’s house called Paycockes and another National Trust property in the form of Grange Barn, a timber-framed barn dating from the early 13th century.
Danbury
Danbury Common boasts the UK’s largest resident population of adders, so be careful if you take a walk. Together with nearby Lingwood Common, Danbury Common creates the second largest area of common land in Essex after Epping Forest.
Villagers would have once grazed their animals here and cut down scrub and trees for fuel, though doing so is no longer permitted!
Fingringhoe
Don’t be distracted by Fingringhoe’s name: this is an attractive village with a fascinating past. Actually, the name of the former port reflects its geography. It snuggles inside a bend of the Roman River, a tributary of the Co