Essex is a county in the East of England. The county town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches 482 feet. The Lakeside Shopping Centre at Thurrock was one of England's first out-of-town shopping centres; it remains popular despite congestion on the nearby M25 motorway and direct competition from Bluewater Shopping Centre.

Basildon is a New Town located in south Essex. It was designated as a New Town after World War II in 1948 to accommodate the London population overspill. The town centre boasts many high street chain stores and independent local retailers. As well as shops and coffee houses in East Walk there is the Eastgate Shopping Centre which is also situated in the Town Centre, home to over 100 retailers including one of the largest Debenhams department stores in the UK. Further outlets can be found at Westgate Shopping park and there is also a pavement market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing and household goods.

Braintree is a town of about 42,393 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is ten miles north-east of Chelmsford and fifteen miles west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.

Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, part of Essex in England.[1] It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles (30 km) east north-east of Charing Cross in London and near to the M25 motorway. Brentwood is a suburban town with a small shopping area and high street. Beyond this is extensive sprawling residential development entirely surrounded by open countryside and woodland; some penetrating to within only a few hundred yards of the town centre.

Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located 30 miles (48 km) north east of Charing Cross in London. Residents of Chelmsford are known as 'Chelmsfordians'.

Colchester is a town, and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester, in Essex, England. It has a population of 104,390.[1] As the oldest recorded Roman town, Colchester claims to be the oldest town in Britain. It also claims to have the United Kingdom's oldest recorded market. Colchester is 56 miles (90 km) northeast of London. It is connected to the capital by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line.

Danbury is a village in Essex, England. It is thirty five miles (56 km) East of London and has a population of 6,500. It is perched on a hill 112 metres above sea level. The village was built on the site of a megalithic hill fort noted for its oval shape. This shape is formed by placing two 3-4-5 right triangles together to form an isosceles triangle with an altitudes of 3.

Epping Forest is a county of Essex. It is named for Epping Forest, of which the district contains a large part. It lies to the north of Greater London, but is not part of it. The north east of the district is sparsely populated for an area so close to London and rural; it includes the town of Chipping Ongar and surrounding villages, whilst the south, closer to London, is more suburban and, although entirely outside the area of the Greater London Authority, is sometimes thought to form part of the Greater London Urban Area.

Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex. The nearest railway stations to Maldon are Hatfield Peverel and Witham, each of which is about five miles away. Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk.  The charter between the two towns was signed in 1970 to cement the relationship.

Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of Rochford, which includes the town proper, Stroud Green, and London Southend Airport, had a population of 7,610.

Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex. It is located 12 miles (19 km) north of Bishop's Stortford, 15 miles (24 km) south of Cambridge and approx 35 miles (56 km) north of London. The town retains a picturesque, rural appearance and many very old buildings dating from the medieval period onwards. In 2001 the parish had a population of 15,095 although this has increased marginally since then.

Southend-on-Sea is a seaside resort and unitary authority in the East of England. The borough of Southend-on-Sea is part of the ceremonial county of Essex and is located on the north side of the Thames estuary roughly 40 miles (65 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. Southend is twinned with the Polish seaside resort of Sopot.

Tendring is a district in North East Essex. It extends from the River Stour in the north, to the coast and the River Colne in the south, with the coast to the East and the town of Colchester to the west.

Harlow is a new town in Essex. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley. The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt. The district has a current population of 78,768 (2005 estimate).

Westcliff-on-Sea is a town in the south-east of England within the borough of Southend-on-Sea in Essex. It is situated on the northern side of the mouth of the Thames Estuary and about 34 miles (55 km) east of London.
Primarily a seaside resort, the shingle and pebbles along the stretch of beach have been covered with imported sand. Along the top of the cliffs are spectacular views over the Thames Estuary towards the distant Kent coastline. Not far from the Royal Mews are the Prittlewell Square gardens and farther along is the Beecroft Art Gallery in Station Road, which is just opposite the famous Cliffs Pavilion and its variety acts. In London Road is the Palace Theatre and a wide range of restaurants, while the New Empire Theatre is in Alexandra Street.