Advice on where to live in Essex?????

[WestRoadShrimper]

To all the people who have lived in Essex your whole lives - do you not feel that you've missed out on experiencing other places in the world, or do you genuinely love this place?

Lived in Cardiff for 3 years while at Uni, spent time travelling to Somerset a lot while seeing a girl down there, and visit friends for weekends dotted all over the country.

Can honestly say, hand on heart, that I don't want to live anywhere else.

 

[WestRoadShrimper]

And my last consecutive contribution to this thread.....

If the Billericay area is making it's way into your top 5, you may want to consider the villages around Brentwood (unless you are hell-bent on living in a town).

Doddinghurst, Blackmore, etc... All very nice.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

And my last consecutive contribution to this thread.....

If the Billericay area is making it's way into your top 5, you may want to consider the villages around Brentwood (unless you are hell-bent on living in a town).

Doddinghurst, Blackmore, etc... All very nice.

My wife would much more prefer a village and so would I as long as there are all the amenities......PUB

 

[WestRoadShrimper]

Doddinghurst, although I am clearly biased as I lived there until 3 years ago.....

10 mins from Shenfield station, 5 min from A12, 10 mins from Brentwood.

Nice pub.

Not all the houses are stupid money.....

 

[chadded]

As you say.....it is a dam sight closer than Scotland and to be fair, my drive to work is 40 miles so i have a 3 to 3 and a half round trip driving every day anyway.

****. That. ****. When I'm back in work for a week, the week after next, I will literally roll out of bed, and walk to the other side of the accomodation block, and into the next building, work. I've been moaning that I've had a commute of about a mile for the last 18 months.

Back on subject though, I live in Colchester, and really, it is a far better place than Southend. North Essex is lovely, and depending on what yu do for a living, would be ideal. If you're looking to work in the big smoke, then places like Tendring, Frinton etc would be slightly to inconveneient, but the other side of Colchester, ie, Braintree etc, is a decent place.

Essex Boys, we are here, drink your women and shag your beer! With a knack knack paddy whack.... :)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Having been an exile at times, I've lived and worked in North East England, Hull, plus the more exotic Australia, Singapore & Dubai, I was always glad to get back to Essex. I guess it comes down to roots, family ties, friends and a football team that plays at Roots Hall.

Home sweet home.

 

[Hotman]

although i moved away in 02, i still visit the area every fortnight. would suggest Eastwood is a very good bet, close enough to Southend, plenty of parks, close to Leigh / Rayleigh if you don't want to go into Southend, and near the A127.

Hockley was a great place to live, but too far away from main roads. Much closer to a train station than Eastwood though!

Rayleigh, lovely place, but more expensive

 

[Benji91]

When i was living with the parents i lived in Hockley - really liked it, espiecally after working in london it was always nice to get back in the evening where things arent happening at 100 miles an hour. Schools are pretty good too now (which wasnt always the case). Problem is Leeboy might keep on at you for lifts to places.
The i moved to Rayleigh and i loved it there - it really depends on where you are looking - i was on the bird estate which was nice - but i heard the People Interested in Keeping Everyone Young and Stoned were moving in to the Rayleigh area, so it all depends on location. I dont think you can go wrong with either of them....

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Well, there have been some great suggestions....thank you guys and girls, looks like Benfleet is not really an option with the road works that ODL told me about....not really in to the Basildon/Vange area to bo honest. Hockley is an option but i have an x that lives there.....so places like Billericay, Thundersley, Rayleigh, Wickford, Galleywood, Chelmsford, Burnham on Crouch, Braintree and Boreham all seem like researching.

Going to have to look at connections by road and rail, amenities, schools, crime rate, house prices.......geez, this is going to be a project and a half.

Anyone know any web sites that review towns and villages??

 

[OldBlueLady]

Well, there have been some great suggestions....thank you guys and girls, looks like Benfleet is not really an option with the road works that ODL told me about....not really in to the Basildon/Vange area to bo honest. Hockley is an option but i have an x that lives there.....so places like Billericay, Thundersley, Rayleigh, Wickford, Galleywood, Chelmsford, Burnham on Crouch, Braintree and Boreham all seem like researching.

Going to have to look at connections by road and rail, amenities, schools, crime rate, house prices.......geez, this is going to be a project and a half.

Anyone know any web sites that review towns and villages??

Is this a new alias that I don't know anything about?!

In Benfleet's defence, it is still an incredibly handy place to live, I'm equidistant(?) between Rayleigh and Benfleet stations and right near Sadlers, the building works when they're finished (not yet started!) will improve road access further. There's nowt pretty about Benfleet, but we do have some pretty good schools and there are some nice little places to eat if you know where to look. I know a lot of people from Wickford post on here, but I think you need to look quite carefully at the area around, some of your close neighbours might not be exactly to your liking....if you get my drift. If not, then pm me and I'll explain.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

Is this a new alias that I don't know anything about?!

In Benfleet's defence, it is still an incredibly handy place to live, I'm equidistant(?) between Rayleigh and Benfleet stations and right near Sadlers, the building works when they're finished (not yet started!) will improve road access further. There's nowt pretty about Benfleet, but we do have some pretty good schools and there are some nice little places to eat if you know where to look. I know a lot of people from Wickford post on here, but I think you need to look quite carefully at the area around, some of your close neighbours might not be exactly to your liking....if you get my drift. If not, then pm me and I'll explain.

Excellent use of the word equidistant....I think another Scrab game might be in order..

Sorry i meant OBL, just another slip of the tong!!

I think i know what you mean.....David Essex, Freddy Eastwood? need i say more??

 

[OldBlueLady]

Excellent use of the word equidistant....I think another Scrab game might be in order..

Sorry i meant OBL, just another slip of the tong!!

I think i know what you mean.....David Essex, Freddy Eastwood? need i say more??

Spot on! My friend lives on the Runwell Road and although it is very village like round there, they are plagued rather by anti social behaviour, and the schools obviously have to bear the brunt of things too. Whoever it was suggested the villages around Brentwood was probably on track, it's still largely rural but very handy for towns, Ingatestone, Blackmore, or Roxwell and Hatfield Peverel (nearer to Chelmsford but still very nice). Like I said, it all depends on what you want, but as was also said, the C2C line is probably the more reliable so depends if you're using trains.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Is this a new alias that I don't know anything about?!

Dave told me he always thinks of you as Old Dirty Lady! ;)

 

[MrB]

Colchester..is..far better..than Southend.

I'm surprised your rep isn't up there with Stanbridge with comments like that.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Dave told me he always thinks of you as Old Dirty Lady! ;)

You can go right off some people!

 

[chadded]

I'm surprised your rep isn't up there with Stanbridge with comments like that.

I live there. Therefore by default, it's going to be a good place.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

You can go right off some people!

That is shocking.......I would never had said that

:madman:

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I live there. Therefore by default, it's going to be a good place.

You are not really selling it to me!!

:thumbdown: