Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there are some truly beautiful villages in Essex. The home county could be the dream location for your next house move.

We go through 10 pretty villages that you might consider living in when moving to Essex.

1. Great Totham

This picturesque village near Maldon is set beside the River Blackwater and surrounded by stunning countryside, making it an idyllic place to live.

Great Totham is a historic village, with St Peter’s Church dating back as far as Norman times. It has two traditional pubs, The Bull and The Prince of Wales as well as a primary school, Great Totham Primary School.

In terms of public transport, there is no railway station, however, Witham station is about 3.5 miles away, with bus route 90 transporting residents to and from the station every 30 minutes.

Estate Agents for Great Totham

There are three local estate agents that service Great Totham:

2. Finchingfield

Located in the northeast of Essex, this enchanting village features a beautiful duck pond and a quaint High Street, making it a lovely spot to call home.

Finchingfield is rather remote but boasts a whole host of amenities. It has three historic pubs, The Fox inn, The Finchingfield Lion and The Three Tuns as well as an Italian restaurant, Zafra.

The Finchingfield Windmill and a charming Antiques Centre see the village have visitors during the summer months. With the Finchingfield C of E Primary School, St John the Baptist Church and Freshwell Health Centre servicing local people year-round.

Due to the remote nature of the village, there is not much public transport. There is no railway station, but buses do connect the surrounding villages to larger towns like Braintree every hour.

finchingfield

Estate Agents for Finchingfield

It is rare for properties to go up for sale in Finchingfield, but there is a local estate agent:

3. Great Bardfield

This traditional village has a wealth of historic buildings, stunning countryside views and plenty of independent shops, making it an attractive place to live

Great Bardfield is very close to Finchingfield and has a similar level of beauty but with a few more amenities. The Bell Inn and The Vine are the two pubs in the village, both on the high street as well as Cole’s coffee shop.

Brook Street Butchers are just down the road from a Co-op convenience store. Also, Great Bardfield hosts a local independent bookshop, Between the Lines and an independent furniture store, Country Interiors.

There is both a preschool and a primary school in this pretty Essex village, as well as two churches, the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit and St Mary The Virgin.

Estate Agents for Great Bardfield

As mentioned above, there is one local estate agent located on the high street:

4. Hatfield Peverel

Located northeast of Chelmsford along the A12, this relatively large village is known for its beautiful cottages and stunning views of the River Ter, making it a great place to call home.

Unlike a number of other villages on this list, Hatfield Peverel has excellent transport links and a wide range of amenities. It also dates back to Norman times and is famous for being the location of the first execution for witchcraft in England back in 1566.

That aside, Hatfield Peverel has six pubs, a fish and chip shop, a bistro, a number of convenience stores and a cafe. It has one school the Hatfield Perevel Nursery and Infant School, with St Andrew’s Parish Church as one of two churches in the village.

The location along the A12 gives the village excellent transport links. As well as Hatfield Peverel train station, operated by Greater Anglia provides a direct train in Chelmsford, Colchester and London.

st andrews church hatfield peverel

Estate Agents for Hatfield Peverel

The village boasts two local estate agents:

5. Great Baddow

This urban village is located just southeast of Chelmsford and features an array of traditional pubs, restaurants and shops, as well as it’s close proximity to Chelmsford makes it an ideal spot to live.

Great Baddow is a charming and historical village that has grown into Chelmsford over the years. With a population of over 13,000 people, it is one of the biggest villages in the UK.

Similar to Hatfield Peverel, it is located just off the A12 but with the added benefit of a city like Chelmsford minutes away.

What further sets Great Baddow apart from other villages in this list is the school facilities. It has the Great Baddow High School, Baddow Hall Junior School, Beehive Lane Community Primary School, Meadgate Primary School and a special education school, Octavia House.

In addition to the schools, there are pubs, restaurants, petrol stations, supermarkets, hotels, and green spaces for the community to enjoy.

Estate Agents for Great Baddow

The proximity to Chelmsford allows for over 20 estate agents to service Great Baddow. Here are a selection:

6. Frinton-on-Sea

This popular seaside resort boasts a beautiful stretch of coastline, plenty of shops and cafes, plus good transport links to London and Cambridge.

The only coastal village on our list of pretty villages in Essex to live in, Frinton-on-Sea is further up the coastline to Clacton-on-Sea. The main draw of Frinton-on-Sea is the beautiful sandy beach, and golf club on the coast.

As a coastal village with a sandy beach, Frinton has more hotels than the average UK village. Also, there is more pubs, restaurants and other amenities suited for tourists in the summer months.

Nearby Walton-on-Sea has an Aldi supermarket and more highly rated pubs, The Bath House, The Queens Head and The Victory.

Frinton-on-Sea has a number of education options considering its size. With two pre-schools, two primary schools and Tendring Technology School catering to students from 11 to 18-years-old.

As for activities, there is a cricket club, a surfing school, a tennis club and the previously mentioned Frinton Golf Club.

Then for transport links, the Frinton-on-Sea train station is the second last stop on the line with hourly trains going to Colchester.

frinton on sea

Estate Agents for Frinton-on-Sea

Frinton-on-Sea has seven estate agents, all located on the high street (B1033):

7. Little Waltham

This tranquil village is located in the northeast of Essex and features a stunning church, a traditional village green and excellent transport links to London, making it an attractive place to live.

Little Waltham is just north of Chelmsford right on the River Chelmer. It is very close to Broomfield Hospital and Chelmer Valley High School, but with rural setting you would not know it.

The picturesque village has everything you need, with the Hillside Playcare nursery school, Little Waltham Pre School, Little Waltham C of E Primary School and a local pharmacy. It also has two churches, Little Waltham URC Church and St Martin’s Church.

Estate Agents for Little Waltham

Due to the proximity to Chelmsford you will find some large estate agent chains servicing Little Waltham, including:

8. Great Leighs

A rural village situated near Chelmsford, this area has plenty of local amenities, good schools and beautiful countryside, making it a great place to call home.

Great Leighs is slightly further north of Little Waltham, just off the A131 with excellent links into both Braintree and Chelmsford.

The Castle pub has been in Great Leighs for hundreds of years and is said to be visited by spirits, but if spooky stories are not your cup of tea then The Dog and Partridge it further up Main Road.

Great Leighs Primary School and The Leighs Nursery Group provide education to the children of the village. With the location mid-way between Braintree and Chelmsford, there are plenty of other options.

Estate Agents for Great Leighs

The location of Great Leighs means that estate agents in Braintree or Chelmsford will sell property there:

9. Danbury

This picturesque village is located just east of Chelmsford and is known for its traditional pubs, independent shops and stunning views of the River Can, making it an ideal spot to live.

Danbury has the distinct advantage of being inside the National Trust-protected area of Danbury Common and Blakes Wood. It is the second largest area of common land in Essex.

Due to the common, there is plenty of parking for visitors and pubs! The pubs are spread around the common, with a fish and chip shop and a tearoom called Tea on the Green right in the centre.

Danbury also has a Co-operative food store, two churches, Heathcote Preparatory School and Nursery, and St John’s C of E Primary School for local residents.

In terms of public transport, there is no train station, however, there are regular public buses to Chelmsford and Colchester.

Estate Agents for Danbury

Danbury has three estate agents located in the village:

There are plenty of pretty villages spread across Essex, some with the benefit of direct lines to London, Colchester and Chelmsford. If you are considering moving to anywhere in Essex then you should use an experienced Essex removals company.

Brycelands has over 50 years of experience in Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridgeshire, we even can help you move internationally. Contact us today and see how we can remove the stress from your next move.