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Colchester Hotels: 73 Reviews - 223 Photos
Southend-on-Sea Hotels: 115 Reviews - 175 Photos
Clacton-on-Sea Hotels: 34 Reviews - 51 Photos
Stansted Hotels: 67 Reviews - 131 Photos
Chelmsford Hotels: 14 Reviews - 15 Photos
Brentwood Hotels: 29 Reviews - 24 Photos
Braintree Hotels: 1 Review - 3 Photos
Romford Hotels: 1 Review
Basildon Hotels: 14 Reviews - 21 Photos
Coggeshall Hotels: 32 Reviews - 74 Photos
Maldon Hotels: 4 Reviews - 14 Photos
Harwich Hotels: 48 Reviews - 120 Photos
Harlow Hotels: 17 Reviews - 41 Photos
Great Dunmow Hotels: 3 Reviews - 5 Photos
Epping Hotels: 2 Reviews - 3 Photos

Essex Things to Do

A circular garden with benches circling...

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A circular garden with benches circling...
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Things to Do
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Things to Do
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Things to Do
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Pier, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England.
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Castle Hedingham

by allikat

As the name suggests, there is a castle at Castle Hedingham and it is one well worth visiting. This imposing Norman keep was built by Aubrey de Vere in 1140 and - incredibly - remains in the same family to this very day. It has a rich history and in 1561 Queen Elizabeth stayed here, as her father King Henry VIII had before her. It makes for a brilliant day out. The keep is in good condition and much of the interior can be explored - we loved the huge banqueting hall and minstrels gallery where we saw genuine Norman helmets bearing dents and scars from swords in battle over 800 years ago. The castle holds historic events such as jousting displays throughout the summer season - check the excellent website below for details and up to date admission prices.The village itself is also pleasant to explore. The church of St Nicholas is tucked away off the main road and houses the tombs of...

East and West Mersea

by allikat

Mersea is a small island (about 12 miles all the way around) just off the Essex coast accessed via a causeway known as the Strood. During high tides the Strood is underwater so if you're planning on visiting Mersea island it pays to check out the tides here.The island is divided into 2 main settlements - East and West Mersea.West Mersea is most famous for the excellent seafood served at The Shed. Here you can get the freshest seafood served without fuss in basic surroundings - the menu depends on what's been caught and you can bring your own wine. This is the place to try the local Mersea Oysters. (Actually, this is the place where I, not being an oyster lover, got my Kiwi partner to try not only the Mersea Oysters - they went down well, pun intended - but also some jellied eels, for which he is yet to thank me...).East Mersea is nice for the wide open grassy spaces of Cudmore Grove. The...

Greensted-Juxta-Ongar

by allikat

St Andrews church at Greensted-Juxta-Ongar is believed to be the oldest timber buillding in Europe. I can't tell you how much time I've spent in this church and it's grounds - I've been visiting for years and was in fact married here. There are mixed opinions on the age of the timbers, but they have been dated anywhere between the 9th and 11th centuries. That's old. There is evidence to suggest that a church may have stood on this site since the 5th century. The setting is pretty - a few minutes drive along a country lane from Ongar leads to the church which is surrounded by farmland. It is always unlocked during daylight hours.The main body of the church is, of course, the oldest part, and comprises split oak trunks. The door was originally on the opposite side of the church to the present one, and it is there that you can see what is referred to as the 'leper squint', although it is...

Finchingfield

by allikat

Finchingfield lies approximately 8 miles from the busy town of Braintree, surrounded by farmland between the villages of Weathersfield and Great Bardfield. It is generally regarded as being the prettiest of the county's villages with a large duckpond, the River Pant flowing beneath an old brick bridge and a village green edged with cottages that are centuries old. This means that tourist numbers can swamp the village at weekends through the summer, so if you are able to time your visit to take place on a weekday, or near the end of the day, you will avoid the crowds.Check out the lovely Norman church, dedicated to St John the Baptist and accessed via a gap in a row of old almshouses.Set back from the village is also a post windmill dating back to the 1750's which is occassionally open to the public.There are a couple of tea rooms, a pub and one or two craft/gift shops to browse. For more...

Cressing Temple Barns

by allikat

My parents live just a few minutes from the incredibly old Cressing Temple Barns, and for years I drove past them more or less daily without ever visiting. I first went along on a trip home a few years back and was genuinely awed by what I had known was there but never really seen - so when I took my Kiwi partner home for his first trip to England this was the first place we visited together.Basically they are great big barns - and I forgive you for thinking "hey, a barn is just an old barn"! Well, the key here is the age, the size, and the fact they are still here looking much as they did around 800 years ago.In 1137 King Stepphen's wife, Matilda, granted the land at Cressing Temple to the Order of the Knights Templar (hence the name), a Christian military order founded during the Crusades. In 1312 the Order was suppressed and the land and buildings passed to the Knights of the Hospital...

Thaxted

by allikat

Thaxted is a new favourite of mine - I only really got to explore it properly on my last visit to England.I recommend parking near the church and starting your tour of Thaxted from there. You can't miss the church - it has been described as having cathedral-like proportions and it's 180 foot high spire dominates the local scene. Building began in the 14th century and there are traces of an earlier church on the site.From the church you can then wander through the village, past the Medieval Guildhall and the heavily timbered private house named "Dick Turpins Cottage" (believed to have been the home of his mother) as well as the house where composer Gustav Holst once lived.Keep going and follow the footpath to John Webb's Windmill, an 18th century post mill surrounded by cornfields and housing an excellent - and free - agricultural and local history museum.For more information and photos...

Braintree

by allikat

OK, admittedly Braintree probably doesn't top many lists for the UK's Top Tourist Destinations, but it's a nice old market town, with lots of history. It's probably best as a base from which to explore the many pretty villages which can be found roundabouts, but don't miss out on the town itself. Braintree, along with neighbouring Bocking, used to be home to many thriving family industries, such as Courtauld's weavers, Crittall windows, Warner's silk mill and Lake & Elliott's foundry, but these have now all closed down. My father worked for Lake & Elliot's, my uncle worked for Courtauld's and my grandfather worked for Crittall's. The resultant derelict factory sites have largely now been redeveloped as residential areas and the town has had a new lease of life with the arrival of Freeport retail village - well worth a visit if you want to pick up some designer bargains on your...

Rayne

by allikat

Rayne is a village on the outskirts of Braintree that most visitors won't even pass through. There isn't much to see here, but it is on the way to some of the prettier surrounding villages, and there is some history here too. The village sits on part of the old A120, a Roman road, and there are several ancient buildings here. There is a pub - the Swan, and a fantastic Indian restaurant and takeaway. Otherwise, admittedly not much to attract the casual visitor.The red brick church is a lovely one, hidden down a narrow lane and with farmland beyond, but is often sadly locked. Details of the keyholder are displayed on the church noticeboard. There are some unusual grave markers to be seen, made from cast iron - Rayne was once the home of a thriving iron foundry, but those days are now gone.I have anscestors buried in this churchyard, including my paternal grandfather. Grandad was born in...

Coggeshall

by allikat

Coggeshall is such a pretty and interesting market town, I can't recommend it to visitors enough. It feels very much a village - it's an ancient technicality that makes it a town, having been granted a charter to hold a market.There are many good reasons to visit, not least of which is simply the opportunity to explore Coggeshall on foot and admire the many listed (and thus protected) old houses that line the narrow footpaths.The most impressive of these is the 16th century heavily timbered Paycockes House. Now cared for by a resident National trust tenant, opening times are limited so check beforehand (see my Coggeshall page for details). You can also buy a joint ticket which gives entry to the 13th Century Grange Barn, the opening times generally coincide.The centre of the village is Market Place - the weekly market is held here on a Wednesday, and around the Place are a couple of nice...

Audley End House & Gardens

by allikat

Now in the care of English Heritage, Audley End was first built in the early years of the 17th century. It was conceived as a 'prodigy house' which means it was built with the express purpose of welcoming a visiting monarch, and as such was built on a very grand scale. However, the house we see today, although still graceful and very impressive, is a much reduced and altered version of the original.The interior is stunning, not just for the sumptuous furnishings and elaborate decor, but because Audley End boasts an extensive art collection. The pictures and portraits have been acquired over many generations of families associated with the house (names from history such as Neville, Howard and Suffolk) and are displayed throughout the property.There is also what is referred to as a 'Natural History Collection'. Glass case after glass case filled with stuffed birds and other curiosities....