Coast & Countryside
Ancient Woods
Living Fragments of the County’s Ancient Past
Places like Epping Forest, and other rural areas scattered across the county carry the marks of medieval coppicing, old boundary banks, and winding paths that have guided travellers since long before Essex was the Essex we know today.
There’s a sense of continuity here: the same trees shading today’s walkers once sheltered Tudor hunters, Victorian botanists, and countless unnamed wanderers.
One of the best-preserved medieval royal hunting forests in England, Hatfield Forest is a rare survival of a complete medieval landscape. Ancient coppice stools, show just how long this woodland has been managed. In the south, Hockley Woods forms the largest remaining stretch of wild woodland in Essex, a survivor of the great forest that once blanketed the region.
The Highwayman of the Forest
Dick Turpin, the infamous highwayman, used Epping Forest as a hideout, taking advantage of its dense woodland to evade capture while operating along the busy routes into London.
Constable Country
An Artist Shaped by a County's Landscape
Along the gentle curves of the Stour Valley, the county reveals the scenes that inspired John Constable, whose paintings shaped how we think about rural England. Green pastures, idyllic rivers, and thatched cottages form a landscape that has changed remarkably little since Constable took inspiration from here.
The village of Dedham is where Constable went to school and remained a central location to his life and art. Along the river Stour you can see the Flatford Mill and views immortalised in works such as The Hay Wain.
Further south, parts of costal Essex like Harwich became a source of inspiration for Constables marine paintings. He was fascinated by the drama of the North Sea light, the silhouettes of ships at anchor, and the way storms rolled in across the flat coastal horizon. These scenes fed directly into works like Harwich Lighthouse and his many studies of sea and sky.
Where Essex Meets the Easel
John Constable’s Wivenhoe Park painting was an early masterpiece painted in 1816 that captures the beauty of the Essex landscape. The work is now located in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., USA.
Exploring Essex's Edge
Where Essex Meets Limitless Horizon
Essex’s coastline is one of the longest in England, stretching for more than 350 miles along estuaries and island shores.
Mersea Island is famous for oysters that residents have been harvesting since Roman times. Twice each day, Mersea has a high tide, which frequently covers the road and prevents anyone from entering or leaving. The Walton Backwaters are made up of tidal creeks, mudflats and salt marshes and is home to around 70 seals that can be spotted basking on the mudflats.
The town of Harwich is steeped in is a wealth of fascinating maritime history and is home to the Mayflower which carried the Pilgrim Fathers to America in 1620. The port is also famous for its Military and Naval defence and was fortified against invasion with the construction of the Redoubt (1808) and the Beacon Hill Battery.
The Smugglers Lanterns
The village of Tollesbury was a hotspot for smuggling in the 18th and 19th centuries. Locals would frequently report sightings of lanterns bobbing across the marsh as the smugglers signalled to one another.
Clacton on Sea
A lively seaside town offering classic pier attractions, wide sandy beaches and an abundance of entertainment facilities.
Frinton & Walton on the Naze
From Frinton’s peaceful, elegant promenade to Walton’s colourful beach huts and dramatic Naze cliffs, these neighbouring towns offer a coastline full of charm and character.
Adventure Unfolds Around You
Whether you’re wandering beneath ancient forest canopies, discovering hidden trails, or breathing in the salt air of charming coastal towns, Essex invites you to slow down, explore, and feel connected to the world around you.
Come And Explore Essex
Walk where your ancestors walked.
Taste what makes this place special.
Feel the connection that has tied our communities together for centuries.
Virginia, welcome to Essex, welcome home.