Essex

Essex is a county in the East of England, bordered by the Thames Estuary to the south and the county of Suffolk to the north. Much of the county consists of low-lying agricultural land, with the Dedham Vale along the Stour Valley designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and famously associated with the paintings of John Constable. The county has a long and varied coastline characterised by estuaries, salt marshes, and mudflats that provide important habitats for migratory birds. Chelmsford is the county town and only city.