The quaint village with award-winning pubs named among the best places to live in Essex

The Bear at Stock is one of the village's most popular pubs
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


It’s so important to acknowledge the successes and wonders of Essex– and we have so much to celebrate. Among all of the quaint chocolate box villages, and thriving seaside towns, we have some of the best places to live in the country.

Announcing their best places to live, Muddy Stilettos, well-respected life mag, shared some of the best places to live in Essex. Earning their spot in the top ten was Stock. With detached house prices averaging over a million at £1.4m, it’s worth considering what makes Stock one of the most sought after places to live in our county.

Being a village, one might expect Stock to be cut off from the busy life you might feel in a town or city. Remarkably, Stock is very well connected to the local area, and far off into London. A direct train will have you in the capital in around half an hour, and is close to Billericay, Colchester and Chelmsford, making it a dream for commuters.

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The village itself has a high street boasting independent shops and a range of pubs. A farm shop, which sells fresh produce, and an award-winning florist are staples in the village. There are also three pubs to stop and try out, with The Hoop, which also has lots of awards, The Bear Inn, known for its beer garden, and The Baker’s Arms, which has a British and Mediterranean menu.

Other attractions to the village include its historical windmill. Stock previously had a windmill in the 1400, and a new one was built around 1804. The charming Grade II listed building has five floors to explore the machinery once used to make flour, as well as an outdoor picnic area for the warmer months.