Writtle

Writtle centres on one of the largest village greens in Essex, with a proper duck pond, a 12th-century church, and a ring of period cottages and older houses around the green itself. The village has a butcher, a Co-op, a couple of pubs including The Wheatsheaf, and a handful of independent shops along The Green, so you can do the basics without driving into Chelmsford. Writtle Infant and Junior schools are well regarded and a big draw for families. Housing ranges from listed cottages near the green to larger detached places on Ongar Road and Lodge Road, plus some newer builds on the fringes. It is expensive for the area but people pay for the village feel, which is genuine rather than manufactured. The main downside is that you are reliant on the car for anything beyond the village, and the road into Chelmsford gets clogged at rush hour.

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