Chelmsford's charms

Chelmsford may not be known as one of the county’s most historic or architecturally interesting cities, but behind the modern façade there’s much to learn about this city’s past

- Nicky Adams

Chelmsford has been a commuter town for the best part of a thousand years. The Londinium to Camulodonum (London to Colchester) Roman road ran right through it and made it a very convenient, leafy spot for centurions to kick off their sandals at home with the family at the end of a hard day defending the Roman Empire.

Now better known as the A12, this road is still a poker-straight dual-carriageway linking Chelmsford with the M25 at Brentwood, while the railway line pretty much follows the same route into London and, with Stansted Airport a hop, skip and a jump away, Chelmsford is undeniably a great place to get to and from other places.

But don’t write off Chelmsford as just a dormitory destination. Chelmsford was (eventually, some would say) awarded city status in 2012 to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee and although the local football team (Chelmsford City in Vanarama National League South) jumped the gun with its name by several decades, a lot of people are still getting used to the change. After all, Chelmsford has had one of the key criteria for a city – its own cathedral – for 800 years, although, granted, it was only officially recognised in 1914 at the same time as the creation of the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford and is therefore one of the country’s youngest.