Best 'out of town' place to live in Essex?

[Peterbishopssarcasticsmile]

We are currently in Brentwood and looking to move further out.
We want something that feels less town more village but isn't too rural or out in the sticks - so a little high street, pub etc.
Looking for four bedroom detached, and was wondering about Maldon/Southminster/Burnham on crouch....
Anyone live in these parts and can recommend/put me off?

Great baddow?
East Hanningfield?
Danbury?
Bicknacre?

I personally dislike maldon as my nan lives there and its always seemed so rough to me! However loads of my friends like it. I grew up in bicknacre and moved to great baddow (now in braintree) and would happily live in either village again.

I dislike the dengie so would rule out Southminster or Burnham as it is very out of the way and will take you a good 45 minutes to get to a hospital for example!

Coggeshall seems nice. I've never lived there but do visit friends and rather liked it.

Or Danbury is very nice.
Maldon is not great transport wise.

That's a really good point about hospitals.
I like Danbury but feel like it's just a bit too small.

I'll check out coggeshall.

Danbury is lovely, but it is small and quiet so if you want more amenities maybe not for you. I like Maldon, but I’ve only been centrally for days out and don’t know what the housing further away from the cute bit is like. Burnham on Crouch is also nice, and has the station to London.

I’d avoid Southminister personally. Is somewhere like Tillingham too small for you? That’s a nice place.

Oh, also there is a pub in Danbury that does really good Thai food as well as a decent pint, not sure if I’m allowed to name it on here but worth popping in if you are checking out the area.

Maybe a bit too far out but what about halsted?

Why would you avoid @amandahugenkiss?

I've had a look at Burnham, does look lovely

Every time I’m been through southminster I’ve passed an argument on the street or a drunk, and it’s been an afternoon not evening. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky and it’s normally really nice!

We live in Coggeshall which is a great community for all ages. About to move 5 miles down the road to Earls Colne which seems nice too ( I'll let you know!)

Dunmow
Felstead
Stebbing
Great or Little Waltham
Great Leigh’s

Wivenhoe

Ooo yeah actually Dunmow is lovely. And further out but gorgeous is Saffron Walden.

My brother moved to Upminster from a Brentwood and loves it. Bit suburban, but the houses & gardens are a decent size & you can still have a night 'up town' and his riding stables is 5 minutes in the car, so country stuff & parks too.

Wivenhoe
Dedham
West Mersea
Rowhedge

South Woodham? I live here.
Personally I wouldn’t want to live somewhere like southminster or tillingham, takes ages to get anywhere

Great Dunmow? Felsted? Saffron Walden?

Ingatestone?