With so much to see across our beautiful district we’ve made it easy for you to decide where to go by picking some of the highlights.
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a vibrant town that comes buzzing to life on a Saturday. The award winning gourmet market is packed with stalls selling artisan bread, olives, cheese and seafood alongside the traditional market traders. The narrow streets are filled with independent retailers and coffee shops; a clone town this is definitely not! But the town isn’t just a shopping destination; it is steeped in history and has plenty for visitors to see and do, such as the newly restored 12th century castle.
Read more about the Saffron Walden Town Trail here.
Audley End House and Gardens
At Audley End House and Gardens, one of England’s finest mansions, visitors can explore what life was like above and below stairs. Explore the organic kitchen garden and say hello to the horses in the stable block. With landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown, ducks to feed and a children’s play area this is a day out the whole family will enjoy.
Read more about Audley End House and Gardens here.
Great Dunmow
Great Dunmow is a small market town dating back to Roman times. Steeped in history with mellow plaster cottages, riverside church and beautifully restored Malting. The town is famous for its Flitch Trials, a custom of awarding a flitch of bacon to those who can prove marital harmony believed to date back to 1104 and written about by Chaucer in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”. Dunmow also boasts one of the few remaining High Streets in the country to be made up only of independent retailers.
Read more about Great Dunmow Maltings here.
The Gardens of Easton Lodge
The Gardens of Easton Lodge are idyllic Grade II Listed gardens recently renovated by a team of dedicated volunteers to their former glory. Originally designed for the Countess of Warwick by famed Edwardian garden designer, Harold Peto, some of his iconic works still remain including the delightful Italian garden with 30m long water lily pond. The Peto treehouse has been recreated and allows visitors to view the gardens from above. The gardens are currently open one Sunday a month so check the website for details before travelling.
The Gardens of Easton Lodge here.
Thaxted
No visit to the area would be complete without a trip to Thaxted. With its famous Guildhall, magnificent Church and restored Windmill set against a backdrop of Medieval houses it is considered the jewel in the crown of Essex. After a lovely day out and about, Thaxted also offers some fantastic places to grab a bite to eat and also enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee.
See more about Thaxted here.
