Braintree and the Local Area

Braintree is a friendly town in which to live, study and work. Situated in the rolling countryside of north Essex, Braintree District offers a wide range of cultural, business, community, leisure and shopping amenities. Braintree is conveniently located, with frequent trains to Liverpool Street station in London and excellent links to the coast and East Anglia. Stansted airport is just 16 miles away.

Heritage and the Arts

Braintree District is steeped in history, from early Roman and Saxon settlements to the industrial successes within textiles and manufacturing. The importance of the town’s heritage is illustrated in the collections at Braintree District Museum and the Warner Textile Archive, while the history of the local area can be experienced at the medieval barns at Cressing Temple and the Norman keep at Hedingham Castle. Regular exhibitions of local art and craft take place at the Town Hall Centre and the Dome Gallery in Braintree Library.

Leisure and Entertainment

There are plenty of attractions in Braintree and the local area. The town centre offers an excellent choice of shops, with a mix of high street names and boutiques available at George Yard Shopping Centre. A range of designer and fashion brands can be found at Freeport Braintree Designer Village.

Close to Freeport is Cineworld, a twelve-screen cinema complex where you can catch all the latest movies and 3D films. Ten pin bowling is of the many leisure activities on offer at the Number Ten Bowling Centre, opposite Cineworld. Live music venues in the Braintree area include Unex Towerlands, The Empire Theatre in Halstead and High Barn at the Bardfield Centre.

Braintree Leisure Centre, Braintree Swimming Centre and Notley Leisure Centre offer an extensive range of sport and leisure activities. For outdoor fitness and relaxation there are attractive walks at Great Notley Country Park and Discovery Centre.