Removals to Essex – Great Leighs

Great Leighs has found recent fame as the home of the newest racecourse in the UK but this picturesque Essex village has plenty more to offer. Greens Removals are one of the leading domestic removal companies in the Chelmsford area. We have compiled this guide to the parish’s key features.

Transport Links
The village lies just off the A131, and it is around 7.6 miles north of the city of Chelmsford, which is also Essex’s county town. Chelmsford is on the Greater Anglia main rail line between Norwich and London, and there are regular services to and from the capital. There are also regular bus services as the village lies on routes between Chelmsford and Colchester, Braintree and Halstead.  

A Historic Claim to Fame
Great Leighs could have the oldest licensed premises in England. St Anne’s Castle was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 and served ale to pilgrims from the 12th century onwards. The site, on the junction of Main Road and Boreham Road, is now home to The Castle pub. Local legend has it that the premises are haunted by the ghost of a local witch who was burned at the stake and buried nearby.

The Village Hall
Originally built in 1936, the hall was refurbished in 2009 at a cost of more than £700,000. It hosts lots of different community groups including the parish council, sports clubs such as carpet bowls, karate and badminton, and children’s and family groups. Other activities held here include bingo and Pilates.

The School
Great Leighs Primary School educates more than 200 pupils in eight separate classes, aged from 5 to 11. It was first built in 1981, and it was extended in 2002 and 2007 to cope with growing pupil numbers. There are now eight classrooms altogether, four in the original building and four in an extension. The school enjoys strong links with the local community, particularly the church – where pupils sing in an annual carol service – and helps in a yearly village clean-up.

The Parish Church
St Mary the Virgin Church, parts of which date back from Saxon and Norman times, has one of the finest round towers in the whole of Essex. A memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars is built into one of the church’s boundary walls. The parish was featured in the TV series Britain’s Great War by Jeremy Paxman.

The Racecourse
Great Leighs’ other main claim to fame is its racecourse, which is the first new thoroughbred racing track built in the UK for almost 80 years. After some initial financial problems, the course has been open since 2015, and hosts afternoon and evening flat races on an all-weather track. Now known as Chelmsford City racecourse, rather than Great Leighs, it also hosts a number of other events, particularly pop concerts.

Removals to Great Leighs with Greens
If you are searching for domestic removal companies in Chelmsford, we are the people to contact. We are a trusted firm with plenty of local knowledge, and we have lots of experience in organising commercial and corporate moves as well. We arrange moves to all parts of Essex, including Clacton, Colchester, Brentwood and Braintree, as well as moves across the UK and abroad. If you would like to know more about our services and receive a free, no-obligation quote simply follow this link and fill in the online form.