Great Dunmow
Great Dunmow is an attractive market town in the heart of rural Essex, just 6 miles east of Stansted Airport.
Conveniently situated just 8 miles to the east, from Braintree railway station, which is 63 minutes to London Liverpool Street and only 9 miles to the west, from Bishop's Stortford railway station, which is only 40 minutes to London Liverpool Street, Great Dunmow is an excellent option for anyone considering a charming rural home from which to commute to London for work.
The town has easy access to the nearby towns of Saffron Walden, Thaxted, Braintree, Bishop’s Stortford and Chelmsford and is conveniently located just off the A120.
The Flitch Way, a country park along the route of the old Braintree to Bishop's Stortford railway, links the old and new villages of Little Dunmow.
Today the town is a traditional market town with historic buildings and shopping in the High Street offering a diverse assortment of independent shops, some old and some new, including butchers and greengrocers, boutiques and an array of restaurants. Many buildings survive from this period, including a sixteenth century town hall.
The town has a vibrant Arts Centre and the Great Dunmow Carnival is one of the most attended Essex Carnivals.
The town is famous for its’ custom, which was mentioned in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the Dunmow Flitch Trials, which are held each leap year when a flitch of bacon is awarded to participating couples who can prove to the judge and jury of 12 local maidens and bachelors that they have not quarreled for a year and a day.
This ancient custom, first held in Little Dunmow, was revived in 1855 in Great Dunmow. Many people visit the town during the trials to attend the ceremonies and share in the traditional celebrations.
