Just northeasterly above Chelmsford, and southwesterly from the neighbouring Witham and Hatfield Peverel, sits the village and civil parish of Boreham. An ancient parish with Saxon roots, Boreham’s community continues to thrive to this day. With a population of over 5,000 and a regular community schedule, Boreham manages to maintain its village identity whilst benefiting from suburban convenience. Whilst an ancient parish with historic roots there has been plenty of recent development in the Boreham locale; meaning a variety of mixed-use and mixed-range dwelling types are currently on the market!

Boreham’s name has Saxon origins, and it is likely to mean ‘hill homestead’ or ‘village on a hill’. It was recorded after the Norman Conquest of Britain, in the 1086 Domesday Book, where it was recorded as ‘Borham’. There is archaeological evidence which supports medieval occupation of Boreham - in 1996 an excavation on Boreham Airfield revealed the presence of a 12th and 13th century moated settlement and mill in the area!

The most significant landmark in Boreham is the New Hall School, previously known as the Palace of Beaulieu, one of King Henry VIII’s palaces and a significant court-space in Tudor England. The land was sold to Henry VIII by Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne Boleyn in 1516. It continued its royal and aristocratic associations until well into the late 18th century, when in 1798 the property was purchased by English nuns from the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and transformed into a Roman Catholic school. The school, now a private boarding school, still operates today! Now co-educational, the school has some very notable alumni; from surrealist painter and author Leonora Carrington, fashion jewellery designer Anya Hindmarch, and film director Rose Glass, whos film ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival!

Boreham is semi-rural, and has been designated as a rural designation from Chelmsford City Council in their adopted local plan. Therefore, large-scale infrastructural or housing developments in the area are often slow and met with heavy restrictions. However, the Chelmsford City Council has identified the need for adequate housing in the Boreham locale, and has allocated provisions for the construction of 143 new homes of a mixed-size and type just east of Boreham!