Thorrington

Thorrington is a quaint village just north of Brightlingsea.  Made up of just over 500 households it boasts a scout camp, the Red Lion Village Pub, a village hall, a village shop and post office and a small industrial estate at the crossroads, a number of residential care facilities and . Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Torinduna, the name has taken Read more…

The village is graced by the elegant Church of St. Edmund. The church is dedicated to the last king of independent East Anglia, martyred by the Danes in the 9th Century. For local information and accommodation details contact: Visitor Information Centre (located within Clacton Town Hall, CO15 1SE) on 01255 686633. Read more…

This charming and attractive village derives its name from St. Osyth daughter of the first Christian King of East Anglia.  Located centrally within the village is a selection of shops and eateries.  The village centre is dominated by the Augustinian Priory ruins and its magnificent Gatehouse, which was completed in 1475.  The latter forms one of the finest monastic buildings in Read more…

Mistley & Manningtree are attractive small ports at the head of the river Stour.  The main high street in Manningtree offers a selection of independent and boutique shops as well as the more familiar named shops.  A good variety of eating and drinking establishments are on offer in the local area providing a warm welcome to visitors and food and Read more…

Harwich is an attractive, historic and unique town steeped in a wealth of maritime history and ideally located with excellent road, rail and ferry links. The attractive old town was built on a grid pattern, in the 13th Century, by the Earl of Norfolk, to exploit its strategic position at the mouth of the Stour/Orwell estuaries.  Famous seafarers Frobisher, Drake, Read more…

Great Bentley is probably best known for, what is reputedly the largest Village Green in England, with approximately 43 acres. The Village Green was purchased by the Parish Council on behalf of the residents of the Great Bentley in 1965 from the then Lord of the Manor. The village has a thriving Business Centre.  There are a large number of Read more…

The town centre itself is home to a number of historic and character buildings which also reflects the town’s rich past. The high street is not dominated by chain retailers and offers a selection of independent, family run businesses and shops which include specialist food, gifts, crafts, beauty, clothing, footwear, florist and electrical goods.  The Kingsway Plaza is home to Read more…

Brightlingsea is a town steeped in a history of shipbuilding and seafaring is one of the Cinque Ports.  The beach runs along Western Promenade next to the impressive 97ft high Bateman’s Tower which is visible from 17 miles out to sea as well as a parade of beach huts that line this attractive part of the coastline.  Brightlingsea has lots Read more…

Beaumont has a vibrant community centred around its village hall and 9th century church.  Beaumont-cum-Moze is a civil parish in the Tendring district and includes the hamlets of Beaumont and Moze Cross and has a rich history dating back to Saxon times.  The place-name ‘Beaumont’ was originally Fulanpettæ in a Saxon charter of circa 995, and Fulepet in the Domesday Book Read more…

The village of Ardleigh has a thriving community.  Ardleigh stands on the A137 roughly half way between Colchester and Manningtree where it is crossed by the B1029 between Dedham and Brightlingsea. The local reservoir is a 49-hectare (120-acre) lake constructed in the valley of the Salary Brook. The lake is also used for recreational activities including sailing and angling.  The Read more…