A MARKET town in Essex has been named as one of the top places in the country to live in.

Epping came second in property finders Garrington's list of "the 18 best small towns in England to live in".

The company citied the town is attractive to both London commuters and those eager to retire to a village community within 17 miles of the capital.

Other attractive features include the town's five primary schools which have been rated "good" by education watchdog Ofsted, its "outstanding" rated sixth form called the Davenant Foundation School, and its links by tube or car to the centre of London.

A Garrington spokesman said: "Epping is a market town in the southwestern part of the county of Essex, surrounded by countryside yet only 17 miles to the northeast of central London.

Gazette:

Vivid - Epping Forest during the autumn 

"Its strategic location so close to London – it even has its own stop on the London underground rail network – attracts both commuters and those eager to retire to a village community within easy striking distance of the capital."

The average price of all homes sold in Epping in the year to November 2020 was £573,844, the company stated.

The town is also the final station at the end of London Underground's Central line, and Epping is a ten minute drive from the capital's M25 motorway.

Earlier this year the Sunday Times also voted Epping one of the best placed to live in the country.

Epping Forest's 6,000 acres of ancient woodland was highlighted in the article for its beauty and draw for dog-walkers, runners and visitors.

The small town which took the top spot in Garrington's list was Southam in Gloucestershire.

It was the only town in Essex to make the list.