Chelmsford has been voted as one of the top places in England in which to live. With its long and interesting history, period architecture and proximity to London this is not a surprise. Known as the home of radio, Chelmsford is not just another place on the map. It has also formed a major part of England's industrial history and as such there are excellent connections from this town to many other places on the east coast of England.

There are records of people living in the area since Neolithic times. When the British Isles where still part of mainland Europe and the Thames was a tributary of the Rhine the river used to flow thought this area. There are now two smaller rivers in the area, the Can and the Chelmer, which join up to flow into the Blackwater Estuary to the east of the town. Chelmsford in fact got its name from an ancient ford in the area called 'Ceolmaer's ford' which was stood near the present High Street Bridge. Recorded as "Celmeresfort" in the Domesday Book of 1086, by 1189 it was known as Chelmsford. The Romans had planned a town in the area as an alternative to Londinium and Camulodunum and it was going to be called Ceasaromagus. There were several buildings built as part of this plan and the ruins are to be found in the area albeit under some of the more recent constructions.

Chelmsford had a moment of political history when it was effectively the capital of England for a week. This was during the time of Richard II when he moved to the town as part of the effort to quell the Peasant's Rebellion. The assizes had taken place in the town since the 13th century and Richard sat there in judgement over the rebels. Many of the leaders of the failed revolution were executed on what is now known as Primrose Hill. The town is also home to the Beaulieu House that was built by Henry VIII on the Boleyn estate, the estate of his future wife. His daughter, Mary I, lived there soon after its construction was completed.

The town's more recent history is famous, in part, due to Guglielmo Marconi building the first radio or "wireless" factory in Chelmsford. From this factory the first publicised radio broadcast was transmitted in 1920 featuring the voice of Nellie Melba. Regular broadcasts were made from a site just outside the town called Writtle from 1922 in what was effectively a wooden hut in a field. Other famous names from the town include Britvic, Cromptons Electrical Engineering (the first such company in England) among other foundries, electrical and radar works. In fact the town was a regular target by the Luftwaffe during World War II and it even attracted the odd V2 rocket.

Recently Chelmsford has had some redevelopment to make use of some of the former industrial sites. It has a bustling high street with many well known brands and several shopping centres as well as two retail parks. Chelmsford has become an important commuter centre and as such has attracted people from the City who enjoy all the features that can be found in this charming town.