Essex’s county town (now a city) boasts Neolithic origins, but was also the birthplace of radio. Today there’s a big regeneration project around the railway station
Located 30 miles northeast of London, Chelmsford as a settlement has been around since the Neolithic period and was also an important Roman town from the first to the fifth centuries AD. Also a Saxon settlement, which is when Chelmsford got is name, it comes from a river crossing, named after a Saxon man known as Ceolmaer. It became the “birthplace of radio” in 1899, thanks to Guglielmo Marconi opening the world’s first wireless radio factory here…signage around the city provides a gentle reminder to the accolade! Notable buildings are dotted around including The Shire Hall. Opened in 1791, it was built by local architect and county surveyor, John Johnson, while the cathedral, one of the youngest in the UK, is noted for its beautiful architecture. As the county town of Essex, it was made a city on the Queen’s diamond jubilee in 2012.
Sport features highly and Chelmsford is home to Essex County Cricket, Chelmsford City Football Club, Chelmsford Chieftains Ice Hockey team and the UK’s newest racecourse, Chelmsford City Racecourse, which is one of only five fully floodlit all-weather tracks in the UK capable of offering horseracing all year round. Popular with commuters, it takes around 35 minutes to reach London Liverpool Street and the A12 road network is also close by. FirstGroup and Arriva operate regular bus services and link the city and further afield.
While a survey by Rightmove listed Chelmsford in its top ten of “most expensive cities in the UK” for first time buyers and renters, it hasn’t blighted the desire for those wanting to live in city which really does offer something for everyone…a city vibe but with abundance of open spaces and glorious countryside.
To get a sense of the city’s history, Chelmsford Museum and Essex Regiment Museum (chelmsford.gov.uk/museums) in the heart of Oaklands Park, are a good starting point and free to visit. Essex Police Museum (essex.police.uk) tells the history of the police in Essex, from the Victorians to modern day. Events take place throughout the year, including the Moat Farm Trail on selected dates in October. Not many towns or cities can boast their own ice rink, but Chelmsford can! Based at Riverside Leisure Centre (chelmsfordgov.uk), family sessions are offered, and for the brave, ice disco club nights run on Fridays! The centre also has a state-of-the-art gym and swimming pools. Green spaces surround the town including Central Park which has footpath and cycle networks connecting the city, while the Hylands Estate (hylandsestate.co.uk) is a prestigious Grade II listed public park encompassing 574 acres of historic parkland. Hylands House is also perfect for celebrations and weddings while the grounds include an award-winning accessible children’s adventure playground. More glorious gardens can be found at RHS Garden Hyde Hall (rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall). From the iconic dry garden to panoramic views across the hills, there’s always something to see and do whatever the season.
Whether you want to experience the hustle and bustle of city life with a stay in the city centre or are happy to be on the outskirts, Chelmsford has a place to stay for every occasion.
The County Hotel (countyhotelchelmsford.co.uk) is a four-star hotel in the city’s West End. A selection of standard rooms, suites and premium options are available, with 58 rooms in total. There’s also the award-winning Samphire Restaurant which is not only of benefit to guests staying but those just want to pop in for a bite to eat. Heading to the heart of the nearby countryside, Channels Retreat (channelsretreat.co.uk) is a luxury holiday barn conversion which provides a self-catering facility including three en-suite bedrooms, each designed with modern furnishings and topped off with a large private garden with six-person hot tub. Also located just outside of Chelmsford, in the village of Boreham, The Lion Inn (lioninnhotel.co.uk) has 23 guest rooms, all with fully equipped en-suite, flat screen TV, and complimentary tea and coffee. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the guest garden and as a popular venue for weddings and events, it’s the perfect place to stay pre or post-event.
From The Meadows to High Chelmer Shopping Centre, there’s plenty of high street names on the high street. Bond Street is the newest and much-welcomed addition to the city and home to John Lewis, The White Company and Foyles Bookshop, amongst others and with places to eat as well as the Everyman Cinema. But independent businesses are dotted around, including Number Six (nosix.co.uk). As the only independent menswear and womenswear store in the city, it was founded ten years ago by husband-and-wife team, Omaran and Katy Arain. Timeless fashion meets contemporary style and the couple take pride in curating the finest collections from leading European brands such as Anine Bing and Stella Nova for women, and for menswear, Canali and Hugo Boss. A personal, friendly and enjoyable shopping experience is just what’s available here. Other familiar town staples include Alistair Stewart Jewellers (asjewellers.co.uk) which next year celebrates 40 years in the city, sewing shop, Franklins (franklinsgroup.com) which is located in Moulsham Street, as well as independent department store, Quadrant (quadrant.chelmsfordstar.coop), established in 1881. Don’t forget about the markets which are certainly worth a look (chelmsford.gov.uk). The indoor market dates back to the 11th century and includes many family-run businesses, handed down through generations. The high street market takes place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
It won’t be difficult to find a place to eat or drink from the choice of chains to quirky independents. Brewhouse and Kitchen (brewhouseandkitchen.com) is situated just a minute’s walk from the station and is the ideal place to enjoy more than 70 craft beers and ciders, food is also available, including the beer can chicken. Offering a variety of experiences…October provides the chance to take part in a gin tasting masterclass, visit the website for details. Over at The Pig and Whistle (pigandwhistlechelmsford.uk) it has a firm following for those looking for a cosy, romantic and intimate restaurant with an ambiance aimed at adults. In fact, it was described as “grown-up dining in delightful surroundings” by an AA Inspector who awarded the restaurant two AA rosette awards for culinary excellence in July. As well as the fixed price and a la carte menu, there’s also special seven-course tasting menus, the next being The Taste of the Sea on October 17. Finally, if there’s one notable place to eat in Chelmsford, it has to be Back-Inn Time (backinntime.co.uk). It’s one of the city’s longest established theme restaurants, established in 1986, and offers an array of all-American favourites on the menu and tasty desserts!
