It may have missed this year's best-places-to-live guide, but this little-known village has a Michelin-awarded pub and Essex's widest medieval nave.
The 2027 Muddy Stilettos guide names eight Essex areas, but plenty of lesser-known destinations are also worth exploring.
Great Waltham, also known as Church End, is a small village and civil parish near Chelmsford.
The village had 2,329 residents in the 2021 census, yet its small size belies its heritage and food attractions.
The village has a green, period cottages and a traditional parish church, making it a classic slice of rural Essex.
It offers what many now consider a rare glimpse of the quintessential English village.
The Church of St Mary and St Lawrence is a defining feature of the village, dominating the skyline with its historic architecture.
Its medieval nave is the widest in Essex, measuring 32 feet.
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Great Waltham’s history reaches back to medieval times, with the parish recorded for centuries.
The village’s past is not without its darker moments.
Elizabeth Lowys, a resident, became the first English woman executed for witchcraft in 1565 under the Witchcraft Act of 1563.
Other landmarks include the Elizabethan guildhall Badynghams and Grade I-listed Langley’s country house.
Yet it’s not just history that draws people to Great Waltham today.
The Galvin Green Man is a Michelin-recognised gastropub run by Essex-born celebrity chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin.
The pub occupies a 14th-century inn overlooking the village green, combining historic charm with modern cooking.
TV chef Thuy Diem Pham, a cookbook author and regular guest on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, has called the Galvin Green Man her favourite pub in the UK, praising its food, service, and historic setting.
The pub has held a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand since 2018, recognising good food at reasonable prices.
It has also earned two AA Rosettes for the quality and consistency of its cooking.
The menus focus on seasonal British ingredients from local producers and the pub’s kitchen garden.
Opposite the church, traditional village pub The Beehive serves real ale, home cooking and quiz nights.
A bakery, garage and small fire station once served the community before closing in the late 20th century.
The Stores occupies a renovated Grade II-listed building on the village’s main road and is both a family-run café and community hub.
It serves breakfast, brunch and light lunches, and sells lifestyle gifts from a zero-waste refill station.
Great Waltham is twinned with Ceyrat in France and sits a short drive from Chelmsford city centre, combining countryside charm with urban amenities.
Great Waltham’s history, pubs and rural setting make it a must-visit escape from the city.
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