Essex


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>On the outskirts of Braintree, pretty Bocking has a village feel but with all the amenities of a town on its doorstop. Bradford Street, which runs between the two, is one of the oldest roads in Britain, originating in Roman times, and Bocking is steeped in history – walking through its colourful 17th and 18th century listed buildings is a delight. There are good schools close by and great food and culture are in easy reach.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/1-14.jpg" alt="Mosaic Braintree " class="wp-image-23774" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/1-14.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/1-14-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/1-14-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/1-14-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mosaic</figcaption></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.weaversbocking.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weavers Restaurant</a> is hugely popular and offers traditional and high end dishes such as hunter&#8217;s chicken, pan fried sea bass and tempura courgettes. <a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/essex/white-hart-hotel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The White Hart</a> is just up the road close to Braintree town centre, and if you fancy chilling at home after a drink order Chinese from <a href="https://www.silverbowlbraintree.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silver Bowl</a>. Turkish grill <a href="https://mosaicbraintree.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mosaic</a>, back in Braintree, is always busy, or if you&#8217;re feeling fancy then check out the à la carte <a href="https://thehousebyhillygant.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The House By Hilly Gant</a> – with its two AA Rosette cuisine. Confit of lobster with taramasalata crumpet, pork belly with cider-glazed leeks and apple tarte tatin anyone? Yes please!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>Braintree Antiques Centre is a treasure trove of items you didn&#8217;t know you needed until you popped your head in for a browse. There are some great indies in Braintree including <a href="https://www.feveraccessories.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fever Accessories</a> for jewellery, shoes and other accessories, and <a href="https://www.blakehousecraftcentre.co.uk/shop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blake House Craft Centre</a> which sells handmade gifts from local artisans, hand painted furniture and Art Nouveau designs in its gallery. Little Black Book member <a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/braintree-village-braintree/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braintree Village</a> houses more than 70 premium brands – and all with up to 60% off the RRP. Drag us out of there!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>Independent gym <a href="https://www.fitnessforyouessex.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fitness For You</a> offers classes in three private studios as well as personal training and holistic therapies. For all things hair, <a href="https://lipstickandlocks.co.uk/braintree" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lipstick &amp; Locks</a>, a finalist in our 2023 <a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/muddy-awards/meet-your-muddy-stilettos-awards-2023-essex-finalists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy Essex Awards</a>, offers everything from deep conditioning treatments to bridal hair, while <a href="https://creambeautytherapy.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cream Beauty Therapy</a>, bang in the heart of Bocking itself, will sort out your beauty needs. And not forgetting your fur baby – <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the.hairofthedog/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Hair of the Dog</a> groomers will pamper that pooch!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/2-12.jpg" alt="Bocking Festival In The Gardens" class="wp-image-23775" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/2-12.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/2-12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/2-12-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/2-12-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Festival in the Gardens. Credit: Warren Woodcraft</figcaption></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.bockingvillageclub.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bocking Village Club</a>, a social hub of the village, offers events, low price drinks and a great way to meet other residents for a small (and we mean small) membership fee. The beautiful <a href="https://braintreeandbockinggardens.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braintree &amp; Bocking Public Gardens</a> hosts the popular annual <a href="https://www.festivalinthegardens.com/">Festival in the Gardens</a>, as well as the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=little+leg+festival+braintree&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Legs Festival</a> for pre-schoolers. Then there&#8217;s the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/maydayfayre/?locale=en_GB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bocking May Day Fayre</a> which brings the community together with a flower festival, kids&#8217; activities, food and drink and a street procession that raises thousands for charity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/3-9.jpg" alt="Great Notley Country Park Sky Ropes" class="wp-image-23776" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/3-9.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/3-9-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/3-9-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/3-9-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Great Notley Country Park Sky Ropes</figcaption></figure>



<p>At <a href="https://www.gemmasfarm.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gemma&#8217;s Farm</a>, 10 mins by car, you can be a farmer for the day, walk the goats and alpacas, and if you can&#8217;t get enough stay the night and glamp among the animals. Nearby, <a href="https://www.explore-essex.com/places-to-go/find-whats-near-me/great-notley-country-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Notley Country Park </a>has 100 acres to meander through, or head to its <a href="https://www.explore-essex.com/places-to-go/find-whats-near-me/sky-ropes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sky Ropes</a> adventure course and Essex’s longest play trail – 1.2km of giant seesaws, slides, forts and a large sand play area.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.braintree.gov.uk/bockingwindmill/">Bocking Windmill</a>, built in 1721, is no longer working, but is lovely to look at and packed with history, plus you can spend a fascinating afternoon among the artefacts. For music, celeb talks, plays and drag bingo – it&#8217;s so much fun with 90 mins of Prosecco or beer! – check out the amazing Grade II listed theatre, <a href="https://www.theinstitutebraintree.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Institute</a>. <a href="https://braintreemuseum.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braintree Museum</a> has regular events and exhibitions: right now you can see <a href="https://braintreemuseum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/extinction.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Extinction: From Dinosaurs To Today</a>, with <a href="https://braintreemuseum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Art-Deco-And-Beyond.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Art Deco and Beyond</a> next on the list from Jan to June 2026.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Want to buy in Bocking? The average house price is £342,873, with the majority of properties sold semi-detached, which sell for an average £346,277. Terraced properties sell for £278,537, with detached fetching £558,932.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/4-5-1000x667.jpg" alt="Bocking Church Street home for sale " class="wp-image-23777" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/4-5-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/4-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/4-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/06/4-5.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Located within the former grounds of Bocking Hall, this 3 bed barn conversion boasts timber beams, inglenook fireplace and even its own carp pond. <a href="https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/163572995#/?channel=RES_BUY" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">£900,000</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Scallywags-Day-Nursery-Essex-Ltd-100063984432112/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scallywags Day Nursery</a> caters for children from birth to five years; its Good Ofsted review said that interactions between staff and children are warm and supportive. A few miles down the road, <a href="https://www.busybeeschildcare.co.uk/nursery/braintree-greatnotley" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Busy Bees Day Nursery</a> in Great Notley&nbsp;received an Outstanding rating last year, and the inspectors noted that the extremely skilled staff are passionate about creating a nurturing, child-centred environment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.bockingstreet.essex.sch.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bocking Primary School</a> is Ofsted rated Good. For secondary <a href="https://www.alechunter.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alec Hunter Academy</a>, the nearest, is again Ofsted rated Good. You&#8217;re also spoilt for choice for independents here, with Halstead&#8217;s <a href="https://www.stmargaretsprep.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=1526173390&amp;utm_term=private+school+in+uk&amp;utm_content=g" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St Margaret&#8217;s Prep</a> (four miles),  <a href="https://www.felsted.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Felsted</a> (11 miles) and <a href="https://newhallschool.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Hall</a> (12 miles) all within easy reach.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>OK, so this is more of a sad fact than a secret, but Keith Flint, the late singer of Prodigy, grew up in Braintree. His funeral took place in St Mary&#8217;s Church, with thousands of fans lining the streets to pay their respects and celebrate his life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>London is an hour on the train from Bocking&#8217;s nearest station, Braintree. An annual season ticket costs £5,900<em>.</em></p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/">Top 260 Best Places to Live</a></em>. </p>


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