Felsted

Felsted (sometimes spelt 'Felstead') is a village that lies in the north west of Essex in England, south of the A120 and is located near Braintree, Great Dunmow and Chelmsford. It lies on the north bank of the River Chelmer as it leaves Great Dunmow and turns south towards Chelmsford.

Felsted is linked to Little Dunmow by the Flitch Way Country Park, a former railway line. The village has links to Lord Riche who founded the public school, The Felsted School, in 1564, and is buried in Holy Cross Church. Lord Riche was an important benefactor of the Felsted church. The school also has links to Oliver Cromwell, who sent his sons there. The valley between Little Dunmow and Felsted was the location for the only sugar beet factory in Essex, which is now being redeveloped for housing in a community called Flitch Green. The village has a village store, deli, antique shop, art gallery, estate agent 3 pubs (the chequers, swan and three horse shoes), 3 restaurants (the Raj, the Boote House and Joseph's) and bed and breakfast accommodation

Felsted is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Felesteda, Felstede and Phensteda in the Hundred of Hinckford, where it was held by Earl Ælfgar as five hides in the time of King Edward. In 1086, Felstead was part of the land of La Trinité of Caen, who held four hides. The fifth hide was no longer in this manor as King William gave three virgates to Roger God-save-the-ladies and the fourth to Geoffrey fitzSalomon.