Braxted Park Estate is surrounded by 500 acres of parkland and manicured gardens © Visit Essex
Braxted Park Estate is both a sought-after wedding venue and a cookery school © Visit Essex
Adam O’Sullivan, Executive Chef of Braxted Park Estate hosting a cooking class © Big Wave PR
Less than an hour from the buzz of London Liverpool Street, the Essex countryside opens like a hidden chapter in a well-thumbed book—surprising, graceful, and far more nuanced than its reputation suggests. As the train chugs along, the landscape changes: the metropolitan sprawl softens into rolling meadows, and the city noise is replaced by birdsong. This is Essex—but not the Essex you think you know. Beyond the all-too-well-known clichés lies a county of handsome estates, award-winning wineries, and refreshingly unexpected culinary experiences.
Set for a day steeped in English gardens, hands-on cookery classes, vineyard strolls, and scones served among the vines, our day trip to Essex promised a true immersion into the region’s rich food and drink culture, led by the very people who bring it to life. Our first destination was Braxted Park Estate, a grand Georgian manor wrapped in acres of manicured greenery just outside the market town of Witham. After a warm welcome and a restorative cup of tea, we meandered off on a guided stroll through the grounds. Braxted’s private golf course, flanked by ancient trees and discreet water features, gives way to a beautifully kept walled garden—the largest in the county—that feels like a secret kept from time. Complete with an incredibly luxurious cottage and various event spaces ideal for a fairytale wedding, it’s no wonder this estate is one of the county’s crown jewels.
Braxted Park isn’t just about views, though—it’s about experiences. Our next stop was the estate’s cookery school, a welcoming, light-filled space where guests regularly gather to learn the art of seasonal cooking. With National Picnic Week just days away, our mission was to create the perfect picnic spread under the guidance of Executive Chef Adam O’Sullivan. The ingredients were fresh, beautifully simple, and almost entirely locally sourced—we rolled up our sleeves, donned our aprons and got our hands dirty making homemade red onion and bacon sausage rolls and savoury scones with fish pâté and rhubarb jam. Adam makes a point of maximising the use of produce with as little wastage as possible, so leftovers from a wedding on the weekend could be used to flavour a moreish braised beef scotch egg, as was the case for us.
Dedham Vale Vineyard is home to a private woodland with a beautiful seating area under the trees © Big Wave PR
From Braxted’s polished elegance, the afternoon took on a more rustic, romantic air as we headed into the heart of Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that has long inspired artists and poets—including John Constable’s famous brushstrokes. Here lies the Dedham Vale Vineyard, a noteworthy player in England—and more specifically, Essex’s— growing wine industry. We toured the grounds with Vineyard Manager Michael, learning about the grape varieties grown here—Reichensteiner, Bacchus, and Pinot Noir among them—and the challenges and triumphs of winemaking on British soil.
The tasting session offered further surprises. The wines were light, fresh, and complex—a testament to the evolution of English viticulture and the care taken in every stage of production. There was a charming honesty to it all; no pomp, just good wine, good soil, and good people who care about both. It was easy to forget we were still in England until a familiar sweetness arrived at the table: scones, clotted cream, and spoonfuls of Tiptree jam, served as part of an afternoon tea under a canopy of trees in the property’s pictorial woodland.
Whether you come for the garden tours, the culinary inspiration, or the quiet pleasure of sipping world-class wine among the vines, this is a part of England worth rediscovering. Essex, it turns out, isn’t what you think. It’s better. It might not be the first place that comes to mind for a countryside escape—but perhaps that’s exactly why it should be.
Dedham Vale Vineyard produces various wines, including some impressive sparkling wines © Big Wave PR
Michael Beeching, the Vineyard Manager of Dedham Vale Vineyard © Big Wave PR
Tiptree scones and a glass of bubbles served alfresco at Dedham Vale Vineyard © Big Wave PR