Stondon Massey is a small rural parish within the borough of Brentwood.
The population is not much over 700, so it really is a lovely quiet village enjoying a delightful country setting, despite only being a few miles from London.
It also boasts an active community, with an annual fete held on the village green opposite the great local pub - The Bricklayers Arms, which has been in the same family for the last 60 years. Various other events are also centred around the Village Hall and the local Church.
Just a 1.6 mile drive away, in the adjoining village of Doddinghurst, is a local Tesco Express Supermarket providing the daily essentials, with Ongar the nearest High Street at just over 3 miles.
Brentwood Town Centre is only a couple of miles further at 5.6 miles and the City of Chelmsford is 10 miles.
For the regular City Commuter, Shenfield Station with its Mainline link to London Liverpool Street (30 minute journey time) is within easy reach too - a quick 15 minute drive.
If education is a high priority, the village forms part of the Five Parishes (Stondon Massey, Blackmore, Kelvedon Hatch, Navestock and Doddinghurst) schools' admissions policy, helping prioritise placement for the children in the local schools
A bit of history: Stondon means ‘stone hill' and a low gravel hill was known as a ‘down'. Hence the name Stondon.
‘Massey' comes from either the family of Marcy (it has been suggested that in 1086 it formed part of the manor of Kelvedon Hatch, then held by Ralph de Marcy) or more likely, from Serlo de Marci, a Norman knight who lived in nearby Ongar.
Originally a Saxon settlement was established near to the site of the 12th Century church of St Peter's & St Paul's, although the main part of the village is now just over a mile to the south of the church, probably due to the plague of 1350.
Interestingly for a village so small, 15 of the properties are listed.
