Welcome To Braintree District

A warm welcome to the Braintree District, based in the heart of rural Essex offering a wonderful mix of the traditional and the new.

A rich history echoes through our wealth of historic landmarks telling our unique story, from Braintree museum celebrating our industrial and cultural achievements, the medieval barns of Cressing Temple, Hedingham Castle events including jousting knights, to a textile archive that houses original artwork by leading 20^th century designers.

Essex Live have quoted us one of the “foodie capitals of Essex” for our renowned street market. You can seek out hidden gems in our market towns and villages and discover a host of independent shops and boutiques, cafes and tea rooms, farmers’ markets and award-winning independent vineyards, breweries and distilleries.

So what’s unique about us? We host a designer shopping village offering over 70 brands, visit Thomas the Tank Engine at our Colne Valley steamed railway and there’s something for the children at Essex’s biggest climbing frame at Great Notley Country Park. 

The district’s location means we are surrounded by breath-taking scenery and idyllic villages with many cycling and walking routes revealing the true tranquillity of our countryside’s - all just one hour by train from London and 20 minutes from the international Stansted Airport.

 

Let us share with you why we are the ideal destination for your next get away.