Wakes Colne is a scattered village on the north bank of the river Colne at the point where the Chappel Viaduct on the Colchester and Stour Valley Railway crosses the vale. A site overlooking the brook on the western boundary of the parish was occupied from the Roman to the later medieval period. By the 10th Century Wakes Colne formed part of a large estate which took its name from the river Colne and which belonged to the ealdormen of Essex. In the mid 19th century the parish comprised two main areas, separated by parts of Mount Bures and Chappel parishes.
Local amenities
The Village Hall of Chappel and Wakes Colne provides a suitable venue for many village activities and events such as Children’s Play Groups, Dance classes, Club meetings, band practices etc as well as hosting christenings, quizzes, race nights, live music and wedding parties. A little bit further down the road is the local shop and post office with everything you need. Just over the bridge is The Swan, a cosy pub serving the best local ales and the finest wines. Chappel primary school is at the heart of the community and is surrounded by the Village Green and Play Park. Although small in size, the school has well developed grounds with each class being able to grow their own vegetables and flowers and a playing field.
What else you can expect
The East Anglian Railway Museum is located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway branch line from Marks Tey to Sudbury. The museum has a wide collection of locomotives, some of which are fully restored and two are converted into Thomas and Toby replicas. On event days it is possible to take a steam or diesel train ride up and down a short section of track. The museum hosts the ever popular Winter Beer Festival held each February/March, the Cider Festival in June and the Summer Beer Festival in September.
Transport
The aforementioned Chappel & Wakes Colne railway station is a branch-line between Marks Tey and Sudbury. There is one train an hour taking 6 minutes to get o Marks They from where a fast and frequent service runs to London Liverpool Street. A full timetable can be found here
Architecture & property types
The Chappel Viaduct is renowned as being the second largest brick built structure in England. Built between 1847 and 1849 it is 1066ft long, has 32 arches of 30ft span and its maximum height is 75ft. It was given a grade 11 listing in 1967 and the seven million bricks used were made from clay from the nearby village of Bures.
Typical of the North Essex area there are a combination of picturesque cottages, Victorian & Edwardian homes, farm houses and Georgian manor homes. Prices range from £250,000 for a typical 2-bedroom terrace to £2,250,000 for a four-to five-bedroom home.