5. Hockley
The village of Hockley is one of the larger ones in Essex and it is surrounded by several towns such as Rochford, Rayleigh, Southend-on-Sea and Chelmsford. In the 1800s with the coming of the railway Hockley started to expand as a village and now it has a population of approximately 12,000 people. The name of the town comes from old English word which simply means small hill. It still has a large wooded area which is known as Hockley Woods. One of the most popular attractions in the town is the church of St Peter and Paul of which parts has been constructed before the 12th-century. A property can cost as much as £3.6 million.
4. Ingatestone
There is a sizable village in Essex known as Ingatestone which has approximately 6000 residents. It is very close to the village of Fryerning. Ingatestone is only 20 miles from London and it lies in the Metropolitan Green belt. It lies on both sides of the A12 trunk road as well as the Great Eastern Main railway line. Over the years Ingatestone has developed into a very affluent commuter village. In 2020 it was included in a list by the Sunday Times naming it is as one of the best places to live in the UK. Because of its popularity some properties can cost as much as £4.5 million even to cash buyers for a quick sale.
3. Witham
The county of Essex also contains the town of Witham with a population of just over 25,000 people. Witham is part of the district of Braintree and it is surrounded by places such as the town of Colchester and the city of Chelmsford. It is a beautiful town with the River Brain running through it before joining the River Blackwater. Up market properties in this area will cost as much as £4.75 million.
2. Loughton
The town of Loughton is located in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Two large motorways such as the M11 and M25 run close to this town and it is also close to Charing Cross in London. Other places in the region are Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey and Chingford. Another important consideration as far as Loughton is concerned is the fact that there are three conservation areas surrounding this town. Loughton covers an area roughly 3,724 acres in size. Some properties in Essex here sell for £5.8 million.
1. Saffron Walden
There is a market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex which is known as Saffron Walden. It is just over 40 miles from London but only just over 10 miles from Cambridge and Bishop’s Stortford. There are several buildings dating from the medieval period and there is just over 15,000 people living here. There has been continuous settlement of this region from as far back as the Neolithic period. The Norman invasion took place in1066 and soon after a stone church was built. It is widely believed that Walden Castel which has been constructed in approximately 1140 might in fact have been constructed on some of the pre-existing fortifications. According to Quick Property Buyer, properties can cost as much as £6.8 million.
