A Guide to Living in East of England

Where is the East of England?

The East of England is the large area of land below the ‘backbone’ of England and above the Thames Estuary. It sits below and to the east of the East Midlands, with Greater London and Kent to the south.

East of England counties

Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire and the county town of Bedford sit on the eastern side of the East of England region. Its largest town is Luton and part of the Chiltern Hills area falls within the county, offering residents outstanding hiking locations.

Cambridgeshire

The city of Cambridge is the county town of Cambridgeshire, but Peterborough is also a major conurbation – although this now forms a separate unitary authority. Cambridge is best-known for its prestigious University and historic college buildings, which make up the majority of the city’s centre.

Essex

Located in the most southerly tip of the East of England region is Essex. This county includes the boroughs of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, and its county town is its only city – Chelmsford.

Hertfordshire

Located directly north of Greater London, the Home County of Hertfordshire includes parts of the Chiltern Hills. It also has, as a claim to fame, the fact that the first three Star Wars movies were made here – at Elstree Studios – and the county was also home to Stanley Kubrick, who also filmed at studios in the county.

Norfolk

The mostly rural county of Norfolk has Norwich as its county town, and forms the upper tip of the East of England region. Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and Thetford are the county’s other major urban centres.

Suffolk

Directly below Norfolk, Suffolk has Ipswich as its county town. Its coastal towns and villages are popular with holidaymakers and the Broads to the north of the area also offer attractive landscapes for visitors to explore.

East of England cities

The cities located in the East of England are Cambridge, Norwich, Ely, Chelmsford and Peterborough. Major towns include Luton, Bedford and Basildon.