Essex forms a link between the south-east of England and East Anglia, and is a county of contrasts. While its south-western extremities merge with the sprawl of Greater London, its northern regions are much more rural in character. Indeed, while Essex’s neighbouring county of Suffolk has long been celebrated for the landscapes that inspired William Turner’s paintings, it is an oft-overlooked fact that many of his works were indeed of scenes in Essex. In addition to the borders shared with Suffolk and London, Essex also has borders with Hertfordshire. Meanwhile, peering across the Thames Estuary towards the south, it is possible to see Kent, which is linked to Essex by the Dartford Tunnel and QEII Bridge – collectively known as the Dartford Crossing.

Essex has earned something of an unwanted reputation in recent years; its association with white stiletto shoes and Ford Escort XR3is and the coining of the terms ‘Essex Man’ and ‘Essex Girl’ have become something of a stigma. There is, in reality, much more to Essex than this and the county is packed with beautiful scenery, historic sites and attractions that will appeal to the whole family.

There is evidence of habitation of the area close to the Thames Estuary dating back more than 5000 years, and many artefacts from the Bronze Age have been unearthed. The Romans also left their mark on the region, building a network of roads across the county (many of which are still described by the paths of their modern successors) and during this period Camulodunum – Colchester as the town is now known – was the capital of occupied Britain. Following the departure of the Romans, Essex became one of the Anglo Saxon Kingdoms, founded in the 5th century AD.

Essex is one of the most populous counties in the UK; from the New Towns of Basildon and Harlow out to the market towns of Chelmsford and Billericay are popular places for the capital’s commuters. Indeed, the first two towns sprung up immediately after the Second World War to house people from London made homeless by the damage sustained to the city. Essex also has two quintessential Victorian seaside resorts in Southend and Clacton-on-Sea, but the county’s real beauty lies in its more remote stretches of coastline, where the muddy estuarine terrain is home to many rare and interesting species of sea birds.