Where should we move to in Essex or Kent?

[Stokey]

We're thinking about selling our London house and moving to the country so that I can stop working and spend more time with the kids (aged 2 & 4)

Dh would still commute to London (city area) and would like to be within an hour. We'd need a minimum 3 bedrooms and a decent-sized garden. I'm a sucker for period properties.

Budget would be around £500k - Where would you look?

I'm in Billericay too, but OP there are not many period properties here.

Maybe, Ingatestone for a country feel but with fast trains to Liverpool Street?