about saffron walden
Saffron Walden is a medieval market town, in North West Essex some 50 miles from London and just 15 miles from Cambridge. There has been a market here since 1141 and at one time the town was the centre of the lucrative saffron trade. Some of the early shops and many fine timber-framed buildings still line the picturesque streets and the sixteenth century church of St Mary is one of the largest in Essex.
In the twenty-first century Saffron Walden is a bustling centre set within a largely unspoilt rural area. A mixture of high quality independent local businesses and national chains coupled with the colour and vibrancy of the twice-weekly market means that it is possible to buy anything from an antique chair to a designer handbag or bathroom fittings to a loaf of artisan bread. Numerous cafes and restaurants cater for every taste and there are galleries, an award-winning museum and nineteenth-century formal gardens too.
Getting to Saffron Walden is easy. The M11 provides fast links to London and Cambridge, Audley End station is a short bus ride away and there are plenty of long and short stay car parks close to the town centre.
