Takeley brings together distinctive traces of local history, designated natural areas and specific routes: from the Grade I-listed Church of the Holy Trinity to the 9.5-mile circular walk to Wall Wood. This gives you different priorities to choose from when planning your trip—church and local history, woodland scenery or a longer walk.
Churches and local history
The Church of the Holy Trinity in Takeley is a listed building in England’s highest heritage protection category, Grade I. The pulpit, font and font cover date from the 15th century. The church is easily accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs; check details of the facilities before you travel. Its protected status and historic features give a visit a distinct architectural focus.
Takeley Chapel in Brewers End has its own history: it was founded in 1808, opened for worship in November of that year, and belonged to an independent Protestant denomination. It was rebuilt in 1902. The sequence of its founding, opening and rebuilding provides a clear framework for the chapel’s history.
St John the Evangelist in Bush End was built in the mid-19th century for the village’s population. The church welcomes villagers, visitors and pilgrims; check the current visiting arrangements before your visit. Pre-Christian history is also part of the local picture: a prehistoric settlement dating from before 2000 BC was discovered in the Parish of Takeley.
Near Takeley, the site of Warish Hall and the remains of Takeley Priory are designated as a Scheduled Monument. The site includes a complete rectangular moat within a considerably larger enclosed moated complex. This finding adds a further, different kind of evidence of the past to the area’s architectural and ecclesiastical history.
Woodland scenery and trails
Hatfield Forest is an ancient royal hunting forest on Bush End Road in Takeley. The area is both a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The forest includes traditionally managed coppice woodland and historic rides; it is also home to rare animal species and a free-roaming herd of fallow deer. Its designations and described landscape features make the forest a distinct nature-focused attraction alongside the historic buildings.
The Takeley to Wall Wood circular walk is 9.5 miles long. It starts at the disused railway station in Takeley, crosses the countryside to old Wall Wood and returns to Takeley. The route passes St John the Evangelist along the way. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out.
A second route with a different profile is the Flitch Way: a 15-mile, flat, traffic-free route through the Essex countryside, following a former railway line from Braintree to Bishop’s Stortford. The former railway line now used by the Flitch Way served Takeley. Trail conditions can change here too, so it is a good idea to check the latest conditions before setting out.
The distances offer a useful comparison: the circular walk is 9.5 miles long and returns to Takeley, while the Flitch Way covers 15 miles. The routes also differ in character—one is a circular walk featuring Wall Wood and St John, while the other is a flat, traffic-free trail along a former railway line. You can choose according to your preferred distance and interest in these different types of route.
Practical information
Arriva bus route 508 serves the The Green Man stop in Takeley Street. Check the route with the operator before travelling. You can choose from specific local history, protected landscapes and two clearly described trails; which one suits you depends on which of these themes you want to explore during your stay.
Discover more destinations: Stock, Basildon, Canvey Island, Birchanger, Tolleshunt Knights, Coggeshall, Harlow, Black Notley.
For the main travel overview: Essex.
