Area guide · Essex · CM7
Braintree.
The market town at the centre of it all: period terraces, Victorian villas and a direct line to London, with the widest spread of prices in the district.
Braintree has been a market town since the twelfth century, and it shows in the streets around St Michael’s Church and Bocking End, where timber-framed buildings sit alongside the Victorian and Edwardian houses built when the silk trade made the town prosperous. The Courtauld family, whose mills employed much of the town, left behind the Town Hall, the Public Gardens and a good deal of the housing stock.
Today it’s the largest settlement in the district and the most varied market we cover. First-time buyers, families trading up and downsizers all find something here, often within a few streets of each other.
- Average sold price, last 12 months (Land Registry data via Rightmove)
- £347,500
- Population of the built-up area (2021 census)
- 43,190
- Market charter granted to the town
- 1190
- Public Gardens given to the town by the Courtaulds
- 1888
Neighbourhoods of Braintree.
Search homes in BraintreeTown centre and period streets
Victorian and Edwardian terraces within walking distance of the station, shops and Public Gardens.
Price guide £250k–£375k
Bocking
Bocking Churchstreet
North of the town centre, taking in the older Bocking Churchstreet area and plenty of mid-century family housing.
Price guide £300k–£500k
The south side
Notley Road · London Road · Broad Road
Popular with families for its larger semis and detached houses and quick access to the A120 and Great Notley.
Price guide £350k–£600k
Marshalls Road and the premium streets
Marshalls Road
Braintree's most sought-after addresses, with substantial detached homes and occasional new-build one-offs.
Price guide £700k–£1.1m+
Where Braintree sits.
Braintree station is within walking distance of the town centre's period streets, and Braintree Village, the designer outlet on the edge of town, has its own station at Braintree Freeport.
- 01 St Michael's Church <0.1 mi
- 02 Town Hall 0.1 mi
- 03 Braintree District Museum 0.2 mi
- 04 Braintree station 0.4 mi
- 05 Public Gardens 0.4 mi
- 06 Notley High School and Braintree Sixth Form 0.8 mi
- 07 Braintree Freeport station 1.0 mi
- 08 Braintree Village 1.1 mi
Getting out of Braintree.
By rail
-
London Liverpool Street
From Braintree, direct, fastest services
≈60 min
-
Chelmsford
From Braintree Freeport, direct
≈23 min
Braintree Village, the designer outlet on the edge of town, has its own railway station at Braintree Freeport.
By road
-
Stansted Airport
A120
≈25–30 min
-
Chelmsford
A131
≈25 min
-
Colchester
A120 east
≈25–30 min
The south side of town, around Notley Road, London Road and Broad Road, has quick access to the A120 and Great Notley.
Town life.
Ask us about the areaSilk history, a designer outlet and the Flitch Way
Braintree Village, the designer outlet on the edge of town, has its own railway station. Braintree District Museum houses the Warner Textile Archive, which tells the story of the town’s silk industry.
The Public Gardens, given to the town by the Courtaulds in 1888, and the Flitch Way, a former railway line now a walking and cycling route west towards Bishop’s Stortford, are the main green spaces.
Shopping
Braintree Village
The designer outlet on the edge of town, with its own railway station.
Culture
Braintree District Museum
Home to the Warner Textile Archive, which tells the story of the town's silk industry.
Green space
The Public Gardens
Given to the town by the Courtaulds in 1888.
Green space
The Flitch Way
A former railway line, now a walking and cycling route west towards Bishop's Stortford.
Schools in Braintree
The town has a wide choice of primary schools and several secondary options, including Notley High School, on Notley Road, and Braintree Sixth Form.
Check current admissions and Ofsted reports before choosing a street for its school.
Silk and the Courtaulds
Braintree became a silk-manufacturing centre when George Courtauld opened a mill in the town. The Courtauld family, whose mills employed much of the town, supported many public buildings, including the Town Hall and the Public Gardens, and left behind a good deal of the housing stock.
The Victorian and Edwardian houses around St Michael’s Church and Bocking End date from when the silk trade made the town prosperous. The Warner Textile Archive, part of Braintree District Museum, tells the story.
Homes for sale in Braintree.
View all Braintree homes
Not seeing the right thing? We often know about Braintree homes before they are listed.
Braintree, frequently asked.
Have a question? We're here to help
Is Braintree a good place to live?
It offers town amenities, direct trains to London and some of the most affordable prices in this part of Essex. It is the largest settlement in the district, with a designer outlet, a museum, the Public Gardens and the Flitch Way, and a housing market that suits first-time buyers, families trading up and downsizers alike.
How much are houses in Braintree?
The average sold price over the last year was around £347,500 (Land Registry data via Rightmove). Terraced homes have recently averaged around £289,000, semis around £338,000 and detached houses around £503,000. Typical guides run from £250k–£375k for period terraces near the town centre to £700k–£1.1m+ on Marshalls Road and the premium streets.
Which postcodes cover Braintree?
Mainly CM7, with parts of the wider town in CM77.
How long is the train from Braintree to London?
Direct trains run from Braintree to London Liverpool Street, taking about an hour on the fastest services. Braintree Freeport also has direct trains to Chelmsford, taking about 23 minutes.
What schools are there in Braintree?
The town has a wide choice of primary schools and several secondary options, including Notley High School, on Notley Road, and Braintree Sixth Form. Check current admissions and Ofsted reports before choosing a street for its school.
What are the most expensive streets in Braintree?
Marshalls Road and the surrounding premium streets are Braintree's most sought-after addresses, with substantial detached homes and occasional new-build one-offs. Typical guides run from £700k to £1.1m and above.