On the eastern skirts of the city of Chelmsford, burrowed within the green landscapes of Essex, lies the settlements of Great Baddow and Galleywood. Traditionally these settlements were separate from Chelmsford, however over the years has developed into part of Chelmsford’s contiguous land. Owing to this suburbanised landscape, the built environment of both locales are fairly similar; with a range of mixed-use dwellings and shop-fronts ranging from £400,000 to in excess of £1 million. The proximity to Chelmsford, and therefore the proximity to Chelmsford’s rail station with a direct commute to London, makes it ideal for commuters wishing for a more spacious and relaxed pace of life.

Originally, Great Baddow and Galleywood were part of the same parish, up until 1987 when the two locales split into Great Baddow and Galleywood respectively. However recent this split, both locales have ancient history. Great Baddow’s stretches at least back to the Saxon period of Britain, being recorded in 1106 as ‘Baduven’. Theories differ on this naming, but predominantly its thought that it’s name takes after a nearby river, or perhaps a reference to the Celtic goddess Badbh - a war goddess who’s name also means crow! The St Mary’s Parish Church in Great Baddow, an active parish with a thriving community, in fact dates back to the 12th century and is a Grade I listed building! Both communities throughout most of history have been fairly small and dispersed settlements dotted around the wider vicinity of Chelmsford. However, the Galleywood Common, situated just next to the Galleywood village, is one of the oldest greenspaces in the country. It was originally an ancient forest, and was even recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book Survey as covering over 500 acres of land! Nowadays, the common only has around 175 acres.

Although an ancient forest, the Galleywood Common has had a surprising history. The common was the site of the Chelmsford Races for 176 years - from 1759 to 1935!

One of the key differences between Great Baddow and Galleywood, is that Galleywood has a high retired population, higher than the national average. Although both villages with suburban tendencies, both locales saw intense development in the 20th century, which has altogether slowed during the 21st century. Owing to their situation on the outskirts of Chelmsford, properties are often larger and more expensive. With their historic roots also, there is often strong resistance to new residential developments in the area. The Great Baddow design character is protected by the Chelmsford city council, and new developments must adhere to these design rules. However, in Chelmsford City Council’s Adopted Local Plan, the council has allocated the area north of Galleywood for the construction of 250 new mixed-use dwellings!