A TOWN in Essex has been dubbed the smallest in the country, and it has both amazing pubs and even a beach.
Manningtree, on the River Stour, is said to be the smallest town in England by area.
When it comes to population size, it is beaten by Fordwich in Kent to the title of smallest town.
But despite its small size, Manningtree is home to a host of pubs like the Red Lion, an award-winning pub which is the oldest in the town.
Pints of East Anglian ales and ciders are served in the pub – although don’t come looking for a warm plate of food because the pub doesn’t have a kitchen.
Punters are instead welcome to bring their own food with them.
Alternatively, there’s also The Crown Pub and Hotel, which boasts views of the River Stour from its beer garden.
The Greene King pub has four bedrooms, each with their own private en-suite.
Located on High Street, the pub has been praised by visitors and has a 4.4/5 star rating from over 1,000 reviews.
Other pubs include the Skinners Arms and Estuary, a wine and tapas bar.
Even though Manningtree isn’t technically on the coast, it does have its own beach that’s safe for swimming.
Manningtree Beach is a small man made beach that was awarded bathing site status last year.
For something a little more unusual, there’s Manningtree Ox, a steel statue that’s mounted on the side of the building on the corner of High Street and South Street.
The quirky landmark pays homage to Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part One, which mentions the Essex town.
In the play, Prince Hal (future King Henry V) references the Manningtree Fair, a medieval festival where it was tradition to roast an entire ox.
Several famous faces even hail from the Essex town, including former PM Margaret Thatcher, and Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed Witchfinder General, whose ghost reportedly haunts the local area.
Nearby, there are a couple of other attractions like the Mistley Towers.
The porticoed towers used to stand at either end of a Georgian church.
While the church isn’t there anymore, the towers are managed by English Heritage with visitors able to explore the interior.
Meanwhile, a House For Essex lies on the outskirts of Wrabness – a nearby village.
Designed by Grayson Perry, the house, which can be rented out for overnight stays, is a shrine to Julie Cope – a fictional character invented by the artist.
There’s also Wrabness Nature Reserve, which is home to grassland, woodland and marshes.
Manningtree is a 45-minute drive from Chelmsford and it’s also a three-hour drive from London.
Despite being England’s smallest town, Manningtree is home to its own train station, which has direct links to London Liverpool Street Station.
Trains take under an hour, with Sun Online Travel finding one-way tickets from £16 for a full-paying adult.
Here are Sun Travel's favourite towns and villages around the UK...
The Sun’s travel team have picked our favourite towns and villages to visit in the UK from award-winning hotels and cosy pubs to secondhand haunts and Famous Five-like locations, there’s something for everyone.
Harrogate, Hope Brotherton – Travel Reporter
FOR the last few years, my annual trip to Harrogate has been an immovable fixture in my calendar.
The Victorian spa town is the perfect place for a little bit of R&R thanks to its history of spa tourism, which is very much alive.
Head to The Harrogate Spa at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel if you’d like a pamper, which is a personal favourite of mine.
Make sure to overindulge at Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms where a glass of pink champagne and a huge scone are almost compulsory.
Harrogate is also home to the Glastonbury of Book festivals.
Taking place every July, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which has been affectionately nicknamed Harrogate crime writing festival, completely dominates the picturesque Yorkshire town – and I don’t think anyone would have it any other way.
As someone who’s been going to the festival for the last three years, I personally think it should be called the Glastonbury of book festivals with previous headliners including household names like Richard Osman, Lee Child, Kathy Reichs, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.
Lavenham, Suffolk, Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
ONE of my favourite villages I’ve ever visited in England is Lavenham, which is beautiful in autumn.
Said to be the best preserved medieval village in the UK, it is known for two buildings – the 600-year-old Crooked House and the De Vere House, which featured in the Harry Potter films.
Warm up at The Swan Hotel, which has its cosy Weavers Spa onsite.
Robin Hood’s Bay, Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Perched atop a craggy cliff, overlooking a dinky shore, Robin Hood’s Bay seems like something from a fiction tale or a North Yorkshire postcard.
In summer, you’ll find dogs sprinting along the sands, while owners tuck into fresh crab sandwiches from the beachside hut and little ones fish for treasures in the rock pools.
I prefer the village in winter, though, when the weather takes a turn and nature comes alive with the grassy dunes dancing in the wind and moody waves thrashing on the rocks.
Aside from curling up in front of a roaring pub fire, in colder months visitors can stroll the rows of higgledy-piggledy boutiques and cafes dishing up wedges of homemade cakes piled high with buttercream.
You’ll be treading history as you meander the narrow alleyways too, as this former fishing village was once very popular with smugglers.
Contraband like gin or tea would be snuck in through the warren of interconnected houses and tunnels.
What’s more, there’s a restriction on visitor vehicles and cars are even banned from the harbour area, making it a great place for a car-free trip.
Meanwhile, a tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.
