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Essex

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Essex

10 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Essex, England

Updated October 5, 2025

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Unusual Attractions in Essex

The causeway from Wakering Stairs.

Essex, England

The Broomway

A perilous medieval road leading right into the sea.

Greensted Church

Essex, England

Greensted Church

This historic franken-chapel is the oldest wooden church in the world, at least part of it.

Pig’s Head in the Pottage Pot Gant

Essex, England

The 'Gants' of Braintree

You won't find these curiously named passageways anywhere else in England.

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Wine Tower. (Creative Commons)

Essex, England

Angel Wine Tower

Thrilling and delicious complement to any dining experience.

The Gilwell Oak

Essex, England

The Gilwell Oak

The history of this famed tree ranges from an 18th-century highway robber, to the Scout Association.

Essex, England

Dutch Cottage

This octagonal cottage is the smallest and the oldest council house in the United Kingdom.

Old Harkilees in Braintree Museum.

Essex, England

Old Harkilees

This wooden effigy believed to be King Charles I hung for centuries outside an inn and was mistaken for a deity.

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Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.

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