FANCY taking in some history this weekend? We've put together a list of the top historic sites across the county. 

1. Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden

Audley End is one of England’s most magnificent stately homes. The Jacobean Mansion has plenty of period rooms and furniture to explore including one of the most important surviving late eighteenth-century beds in the country. The Victorian service wing has been restored to its former heyday and during special events you can experience the team at work as they would have done all those years ago.

In spring 2014 Audley End House and Gardens will reveal even more of its fascinating past when it opens up the nursery suite to the public for the first time. Don’t miss visiting the stunning formal gardens including the Organic Kitchen Garden with a variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as various other herbs, flowers and grasses in keeping with those grown and used in the house around 1880. Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/audleyend

2. Layer Marney Tower, Layer Marney

Layer Marney Tower, the tallest Tudor Gatehouse in Britain, is one of the country’s most dramatic buildings.

Built in the reign of Henry VIII (around 1520) it was visited by this powerful monarch himself and by his daughter, Elizabeth I. This beautiful Tudor building, with 16th century Italianate terracotta, is surrounded by formal gardens and parkland with magnificent views to the Blackwater Estuary.

Visitors can climb the tower and enjoy light lunches, teas and cakes in The Tea Room in the old stable.

Website: www.layermarneytower.co.uk

3. Colchester Castle, Colchester

Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is why heritage fans should include a visit to the castle during their trip. Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Following a a £4.2m refurbishment the castle reopens in spring 2014. The work will expose the interior of Europe’s largest Norman Keep as well as display Colchester’s nationally designated collection of Iron Age and Roman artefacts Today it is an award-winning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War. Website: www.cimuseums.org.uk

4. Hylands House, Chelmsford

Hylands House is a stunning Grade II listed property built in 1730 as a modest red brick Queen Anne style house. Over the years it has changed and developed considerably throughout its history. Following extensive restoration it has now returned to its former glory.

It is situated in 574 acres of historic parkland landscaped in the 18th century by Humphry Repton, one of England's most famous landscape architects. Visitors can explore the park for free or visit the house for a small entry fee. Various events are regularly held including murder mystery evenings, workshops and farmers markets. The park is the venue for the renowned annual V-Festival which has seen world class singers perform here year after year.

Website: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/hylands

5. Tilbury Fort, Tilbury

Tilbury Fort on the Thames estuary has protected London’s seaward approach from the 16th century through to the Second World War. The present fort is much the best example of its type in England, with its circuit of moats and bastioned outworks. Henry VIII built the first fort here, and Queen Elizabeth I famously rallied her army nearby to face the threat of the Armada.

Explore the magazine houses used to store vast quantities of gunpowder or enter the bastion magazine passages and feel what it was like for the soldiers who lived here. The exhibition traces the role of the fort in the defence of London. Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/tilburyfort

6. Ingatestone Hall, Ingatestone

This 16th century manor house built by Sir William Petre, Secretary of State to four Tudor monarchs, and still occupied by his descendants. The house substantially retains its original Tudor form and appearance with its mullioned windows, high chimneys, crow-step gables and oak-panelled rooms containing furniture, pictures and memorabilia accumulated over the centuries. The Hall stands in open countryside, one mile from the village of Ingatestone and is surrounded by ten acres of enclosed gardens comprising extensive lawns, walled garden and stew pond. On specified days during the summer months, visitors are able to spend a couple of hours or more exploring the house and grounds. Website: www.ingatestonehall.com

7. Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham

A Norman keep built 1140 and visited by King Henry VII, King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. There are four floors to explore, including a magnificent Banqueting Hall spanned by a 28 foot arch, one of the largest Norman arches in England. A good view of this splendid room can be obtained from the Minstrels' Gallery. During the summer there are a variety of special events which bring its colourful history alive.

Website: www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk

8. Paycocke’s House and Gardens, Coggeshall

Paycocke's is a National Trust Property built 1509/10. It’s an attractive half-timbered merchant's house with uncommonly intricate carved woodwork and panelling. Built for Thomas Paycocke it shows off the wealth generated by the cloth trade in Coggeshall and in Essex. Saved from demolition by the local community in the 19th century the house was restored to its former glory by Noel Buxton in the early 20th century.

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/paycockes/

9. Cressing Temple Barns, Nr. Witham

Cressing Temple takes its unusual name from the medieval monks of the Knights Templar who founded the two vast wooden barns, which form the centerpiece of this delightful rural estate. Built during the 13th century, the two oak barns are thought to be the oldest in Europe. Nestled to one side of the barns is the Walled Garden, which has at its centre a fountain, on which four spouts take the form of the green man, the spirit of vegetation frequently found in medieval carvings. Website: www.cressingtemple.org.uk

10. Stow Maries WW1 Aerodrome, Cold Norton

Built by the RAF during WW1, the aerodrome with the majority of its original buildings still intact, is designated a Conservation Area. The aerodrome is now the subject of a sympathetic restoration project to return it to its former state.

Buildings restored to date include a museum and a Blacksmiths Shop. This is an on-going project with additional buildings being refurbished throughout the year.

Website: www.stowmaries.org.uk

  • Do you have any suggestions of places to go in Essex? Comment below. To see more suggestions, and routes, go to the Visit Essex website