Chelmsford

We are having some absolutely beautiful autumn weather here in the UK. Today's high was a balmy 20 deg.
I went to the Cathedral this morning to take some photos, but didn't stay for the concert. I wanted to do a bit of shopping, visit the market then get home. 

We are officially a city now but in all honesty the services and amenities aren't really up to city status, they are improving though. As well as the usual high street shops the town has had a major makeover with the development of Bond Street where we now have an Everyman cinema, John Lewis, The White Stuff, Kath Kidson, London Grace, The Cotswold Company, and many more. New eateries include, amongst others, Ask, Byron, Jamaica Blue.

Chelmsford was first built by the Romans. It prospered as a market town partly due to its position on a main road half way between London and Colchester. A leather industry, tanners and a wool industry also added to its prosperity. Probably its most famous claim to fame is as the birthplace of radio. The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company opened the world's first radio factory here in 1898 and was responsible for some of the most important advances in radio and television.

We have a very nice museum that holds lots of interesting events. It has an impressive display of  military artefacts.

Our medieval Cathedral is very pretty inside

the ceiling is beautiful

Hylands House, built in 1730 is a beautiful Grade II listed property, restored to its former glory and situated in 574 acres of historic landscaped parkland. It has beautiful gardens, two restaurants, a lovely shop and a book shop and a great children's play area with a cafe. It's a lovely place to visit for dog walking, strolling round the lake and gardens, enjoying a meal or just a cup of coffee. They also have lots of events; food fairs, garden shows, dog shows, and it's a beautiful wedding venue.

This is a very pretty area along the river. 

It has been smartened up a bit, it wasn't in a bad way before but it looks very nice now. 

The entrance from the road has been opened up with stone cubes for seating, new trees, including dawn redwoods with uplighting to illuminate them, and new paths for pedestrians and cyclists. The children's play area looks the same. With lovely colourful plant schemes, meandering paths, picnic tables and benches it's very popular with office workers, families, and anyone who wants a nice quiet oasis to have lunch or just sit and watch the world go by.

The railway station is looking much better after a make over, and our very dated and tired ice and leisure centre is currently being rebuilt, it is due to be completed by January 2019. It's looking good so far, I'm looking forward to seeing the new build. 

People moan about the bus services but those that live in built up areas have regular buses into town, to the doctors and dentist surgeries, and to the hospital. And some tiny hamlets have regular buses en route to and from Harlow. It's only the outlying areas and villages where I live that are restricted to every couple of hours, but I manage with that on the occasions I use the bus.

We have two markets. The larger under cover one is open from Tuesday to Saturday with stalls selling fruit and veg, plants, cheeses, picture frames, material, handbags, greeting cards, gardening equipment and much more. On Fridays and Saturdays we have the market in the High Street, where shoppers are treated to a variety of local and international fare and gourmet produce. Breads, fish, pastries, olives, fruit and veg, hand-made sausages, award winning pies. And of course a well stocked gardening stall.

We also have a few individual shops selling international and Asian foods.

We still have the Odeon cinema for those, like me who prefer not to pay outrageous prices

to sit on a sofa hoping the guy next to me doesn't spill his beer!!

~Be well ~

Polly x