Welcome to The Essex Project

An ongoing exploration of the history, folklore, landscapes, and forgotten corners of Essex.

Some stories begin with an old photograph. Others with a weathered gravestone, a local memory, or a place that raises more questions than answers.

There is no grand plan.

Only curiosity.

And a desire to follow the trail wherever it leads.

About the Project

The Essex Project forms part of The History Alchemist and serves as an ongoing record of field visits, local investigations, and the quieter stories hidden within the county's landscape.

Its focus ranges from folklore and forgotten customs to churches, military remains, unusual monuments, and overlooked corners of Essex that might otherwise pass unnoticed. Some investigations lead to articles and talks, while others simply preserve observations and questions raised along the way.

Rather than following a fixed programme, The Essex Project grows through curiosity, allowing places, stories, and chance discoveries to shape the journey.

Field Notes and Discoveries

The Essex Project is built around visits, observations, and the stories uncovered along the way. Some begin with a local tradition, others with an old building, a forgotten object, or a passing mention in a book or archive.

The entries below form an ongoing record of those investigations and the questions they continue to raise.

Field Notes and Discoveries